I took some time to conduct a mid-year life audit. This is an evaluation of events in the year to identify what has gone well, and what could be improved. Keep in mind that your goals should be reflective of the environment you are in. When I set these goals in 2019 I was aware of the situation we would be in with the global pandemic. Give yourself grace, but recognize that goals aren’t thrown out the window for the year! Don’t throw the whole year away.

WHAT WERE YOUR WINS

1.     I have been more honest and vulnerable by showing up fully at work and social activities. For example, my coworkers have commented on their admiration of my doing lots of extracurricular activities and I took the opportunity to say, yes but I’m not exactly thriving over here. I still need to learn how to do less so that I can do better. I risk using activities as a crutch so I don’t have to avoid reflecting on reality. This vulnerability has invited deeper conversation and established stronger work relationships with my peers.

2.     I re-did our bedroom and decluttered tons of clothes and shoes. Woohoo! Less physical clutter can create space for ourselves to focus on what matters. It frees up physical space naturally, but it can also free up mental space. You don’t have to think as hard about how to keep track of, organize, and maintain things you don’t need.

3.     I’m learning a new skill. I’m taking an online training program with e-Cornell on Intrapreneurship. Recently, the course has covered systems thinking and the process of finding emergent patterns, behaviors, and outcomes based on a simple set of rules. This is much more effective and lasting than a goal setting because goal setting has an end outcome that can seem static. I’ve started to apply systems thinking to my life and my work. For example I’ve used it to develop new system for organizing paperwork.

4.   I completed a website revamp. This is something that I’ve been wanting to build and do for a long time. Now I have space where I can direct people to all of my activities and articles and posts.

5.    I completed a dance workshop with Galen Hooks who has performed with Neyo, Ciara, Brittany Spears, Camilla Cabello. I challenged me to try more complicated routines and reignited my interest in dance. I’m a super novice, but I love watching choreography. Last year I started taking drop-in classes as a local dance studio. I was having so much fun meeting new people and seeing young talented members of the dance community. That said, it fell off towards the start of the year and I lost out on the momentum I had built. The intense nature of this workshop (3 hours, 3 routines) helped bring this interest back to life.

6.    Reading a lot more! I’ve read 11 books since the start of the year. I know that some people can read 11 books in a month… so I’m not setting a world record here. That said, I am happy with my progress as well as the variety of books that I’m reading. In past years, I primarily read self-help and business books. This year, I’ve been reading mostly novels or historical fiction books. It’s been a nice change of pace.

GOAL TRACKING

1.     I track professional related goals by documenting them and reviewing progress weekly with my manager. In addition, I track daily tasks, document monthly goals, complete a monthly reflection, and do daily habit tracking.

WHAT DIDN’T GO SO WELL?

1.   Inconsistent habit tracking: For instance, if I was eating like trash, I felt like the weekend my be ruined and I wouldn’t track that entire weekend. Another thing might be daily exercise if I fell off track for a few weeks I would end stop tracking for that month. So what I want to work towards is tracking cues instead of the outcome. I will track wearing my apple watch and picking gym clothes instead of working out that day. These habits will serve as cues to reinforce my desired behavior which is working out.

2.     I’ve been so anxious about the state of the world that I’ve started to really isolate myself from my friends. I don’t spend a lot of time outside. Although, there is the Nashville heat to consider, I hope that I can use waking up earlier with cooler temperatures as motivation to sit outside and do journal reflections there. I also see myself being more proactive in chatting texting or facetiming my friends so that those relationships become another priority and outlet in my life.

3.    This year I also really wanted to do more webinars, speaking engagements, and outreach but I haven’t felt like it was the right time. Now that things are settling and more and more people are finding comfort in this “new normal” I do think there is space for me to help others achieve their goals. People are looking for ways to connect, and grow, and love themselves and their work. I know I have the energy and the resources to support this need. Going forward I want to be more strategic about creating opportunities or accepting chances to speak. I also want to make sure that I’ve defined what my goal of the session is and what my desired outcomes are of each opportunity.