The Minimalist Guide to SMART Goals
You may have heard of SMART goals before.
SMART is most commonly defined as specific, measurable, attainable, realistic or relevant, and timely.
This is a great method for setting everyday goals, but I have modified this acronym and redefined what it means to be SMART.
This minimalist approach to goal setting is all about focusing in on the vision you have for your life.
I’ve also included some general tips and a worksheet to help you plan out your SMART goals. Let’s get started.
S is for Simple.
Minimalism is about simplification in every area of your life and goal setting is no different. Once you know what you want to achieve, you have to refine it.
Do not over analyze what you plan to accomplish, rather, make your goal as simple as possible without losing its purpose.
Ask yourself: Have you reduced your goal down to its essence? Can you state it clearly in one sentence?
M means Meaningful.
Minimalism is not only about simplification and reducing the amount of clutter. It’s also about only pursuing the things that give purpose to your life.
You will achieve your goals more often if you’re committed to them and they add meaning to your life.
Ask yourself: Why are you pursuing this goal? What is its intellectual, emotional and spiritual significance?
A is for Aligned with your values.
Similar to understanding the meaning of your goals, you must also determine if they line up with your core values. Minimalists set goals within their values framework.
One sure way to fail at meeting your goals is to pursue things not aligned with your morals and standards because you will come up against irreconcilable conflicts and obstacles.
Ask yourself: What are your values? Does this goal relate to your values?
R asks if it is Relevant to the big picture.
Another principle of minimalism is having or doing only what is necessary. In order to do this, you must know the vision for your life.
This is important to establish before you set any goals. A good planner knows to start with the end in mine.
Imagine yourself five years from now. What would you like to accomplish?
Ask yourself: What is your big picture? How is this goal moving you toward it?
T translates as Transformable.
Life happens. The true test of a strong person is being able to meet obstacles head on and thrive.
To do that, you must be adaptable and creative. Similarly, your goals should also be strong yet flexible.
You should be able to adapt your goal without losing its essence. Pursuing minimalism leaves lots of room for transformation because you’re not stuck in your “stuff”.
Ask yourself: If circumstances change in the course of pursuing this goal, can it evolve? Is it flexible?
Here are a few more pointers for setting SMART goals.
Minimalist Tips for Goal Setting
1. Select a theme- What is the overarching theme for the year? What is it you want to achieve? Why is this important?
2. Set a few SMART Goals relating to that theme. Write these goals down. State each goal within one sentence.
3. Start with the goal that is easiest to achieve and create an action plan. Pick three concrete actions for each goal. Go down the path of least resistance. Think of actions you can complete immediately with little effort. This will build up your confidence and at the end of the day, it is still moving you forward.
4. Forgiveness- You may not reach your goal or it may take longer than you planned, but don’t beat yourself up for it. If you fail to achieve your goal, you’re already living the consequences. Forgive yourself, evaluate what went wrong, and start again.
Did you create your digital vision board of your big picture (remember R is for relevant to the big picture)? If so, you are ready to move forward with setting SMART goals.
What is one of your SMART goals for the year?
Freedom and Core Values
Knowing your core values is important.
I am currently in life coach training and one of the concepts we have learned about is understanding our clients’ core values and how they impact their lives.
Before this year, I don’t think I knew exactly what my values were. I had an idea of what things mattered to me, but I don’t think I ever took the time to write them out and define them.
One thing that I have always valued is freedom.
Before I explain what freedom means to me, I want to say this: one of the most important things you can do in your life is clarify your core values.
Your values are apart of the blue print of your life. If you want to live authentically and be content, I think it’s necessary to know what your core values are and be aligned with them.
My number one core value is freedom.
This encompasses every area of my life from my spirit, location, finances, career and love.
If I can’t have or do anything else in this world, I will die trying to be free.
Freedom is the only thing that can give me a peace of mind and it is the well from which all creation springs.
I have imposed mental and emotional slavery upon myself throughout my life.
I have imprisoned myself through conformity to societal beliefs, relationships and the past, but it all leads back to one reality, I did not feel that I was deserving of freedom.
I wanted it, but I wasn’t fighting for it consistently. The reason why I created this platform and am constantly learning new things is because I want to be free and I’ll be damned if I’m not working for it.
What does freedom require?
Long hours.
Doing some things I don’t want to do now, so that I am free to follow my spirit’s desires in the near future, understanding that by choosing to do what is best for me, even if I don’t like it, I am still choosing freedom.
Prioritizing, sacrificing, typing my fingers to the bone, pushing pen to paper, meditating, yoga, being vulnerable, risking, making mistakes. All of this is the price I’m paying for freedom everyday.
I’ve never felt much excitement about July 4th because of the horrid contradiction between the Declaration of Independence and the enslavement of my ancestors.
I do enjoy the cookouts, food, fireworks, and time spent with friends and family.
This July 4th though, I will be celebrating my personal struggle towards freedom and all those who are fighting and fought to “get free or die trying.”
What are your core values?
Happy Independence Day, whatever that means to you!
6 Steps for Self-Care
This really hits close to home for me because lately I have been feeling overwhelmed.
Managing this site, my job, my budget, taking an online course, and trying to keep up with my friends is draining to say the least.
I hadn't been sleeping well and even when I was getting a full night's rest I still woke up feeling out of sorts.
I had a choice to make. I could keep chugging along and ignoring what my body and spirit were telling me or I could take responsibility for changing how I felt.
Here are 6 steps for improving your self-care when things get tough.
1. Acknowledge how you feel.
In the past, I viewed admitting to feeling less than stellar as a sign of weakness. I should be cool, calm, and collected all the time right?
Wrong. We all have good days and bad days, but to improve the bad days you have to acknowledge them. Ignoring the reality will only make the situation worse.
Recognize what doesn't feel right so you are aware of what you need to work on.
2. Decide how you want to feel.
After I admitted that I didn't feel good, I had to consider how I wanted to feel.
You can't skip this. Just saying I don't want to feel like shit anymore and not knowing what it is you want to feel is going to get you nowhere fast.
I knew that I wanted to feel calm, balanced, and well-rested. Being in these states would prepare me to do everything on my to-do list with ease and creativity instead of anxiety.
3. Choose what you're going to do to change how you feel.
Now is the time you get to pick which practices will work best to shift your mood. I chose reading, journaling, and meditation to help me.
After I finish reading or writing in my journal, I meditate for at least 10 minutes before going to bed.
When I started doing this, I immediately noticed a difference in my sleep and I woke up feeling more refreshed. I also experienced less stress when approaching the tasks of the day.
4. Set aside time to practice your self-care.
Figure out what part of the day is least taxing on your time.
If you're a morning person, set aside some time before starting work.
Me, I'm not a morning person, so I do my routine before bed, starting around 9 pm. I put away the gadgets (laptop, e-reader and cell) and read for a half hour and then meditate.
5. Repeat.
If you stop making self-care a priority, you will fall back into the cycle of those unwanted feelings.
No one is expecting you to be perfect, but it would be great if self-care became a part of your daily routine.
In my life, it's more important for me to focus on my self-care during the week when I'm busier, but even on the weekends I at least try to do deep breathing exercises before going to bed.
6. If you can only do one thing a day, say this and mean it.
" I am enough and I love myself."
When we start feeling drained, overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed out it's because what we think should be happening is not matching our reality.
Maybe we have set unrealistic expectations for ourselves or we are comparing our lives to others and saying, "why not me".
I'm guilty. I don't want to work at my day job or have to budget down to the last cent like a CPA.
I want my business to take off and support me, but the reality is I'm not there yet. The challenge is accepting that where I am in this moment is exactly where I need to be.
I keep telling myself everyday, "I am enough and I love myself." and each day I feel a little lighter.
There will still be some bad says, but the good ones will outnumber them and I will remember I am right where I need to be and you are too.
Use these steps to realign your mind, body and spirit. Also learn about creative self-care.
How do you take care of your self when the going gets tough?
Find Your Tribe: The Ones Who Are There
At the beginning of this year, one of the intentions I set was to find communities of women who had similar interests to my own: entrepreneurship, creative expression, and spirituality.
With whatever you do, it’s important to find your tribe. When you’re on your journey, you are going to need support, inspiration, and an occasional kick in the ass.
What is a tribe?
A tribe is a community where you can belong, but also freely stand out.
A place where you are the sole proprietor of your identity and no one forces you to be as they are, rather, your tribe encourages you to explore the uniqueness that is you.
Your tribe respects your right to self determination.
Your tribe understands the pitfalls, plateaus and triumphs of this journey.
They know that the struggle is real to pursue your dreams and hustle hard.
They will care for you when you are wounded and take up arms to defend you.
Your tribe is a place you can call home anywhere in the world.
You will know when you have found your tribe because your presence will be welcomed with excitement.
You will be heard. They will listen eagerly with concern and wonder, but not judgement.
You will never have to question if your back is supported.
They are the ones who are there.
The ones who provide consistent positivity, humorous quips, honesty, and most important, love.
They are your mothers, sisters, aunties, cousins, advisors, investors, and whatever you need them to be in any given moment.
The ones who will go down in the trenches with you, but also extend a hand to lift you up.
The ones that see you drifting out to sea and throw you an anchor.
The ones who get it without an explanation.
The ones who burst into side-splitting laughter with you about nothing and everything.
The ones who cut your pity party short and help you reframe your perspective.
The ones who buy your first product.
The ones who are the last to leave your home after an event.
I want to give a shout out to three sisters in my tribe.
Renata, chief designer and founder of Renata Philippe. Quirky, raw, inventive, ace. Check out Renata’s latest design at http://teespring.com/mindbodysoul2014. 10% of the proceeds go to Airman’s Attic on Andrews Air Force Base to support military families in need. Watch Renata's interview here.
Thendo, founder of ByTepsi. Master inquisitor (although her hubby is the lawyer), humorous quipper, honest, mama of three warrior children. Check out bytepsi.com and like her Facebook page.
Last, but certainly not least. Sylva, author of The B Sides (purchase here). Visionary, adventurer, poet. Sylva also specializes in tarot reading and is Reiki practitioner.
Do you have tribe? Tell me about them in the comments.
Creativepreneurs: Roniqua and Ronaisha Smith
Roniqua and Ronaisha Smith are two sisters who form Random As Ever.
These two young dream hustlers are my nieces. (I know, right.)
Roniqua and Ronaisha Smith have been singing since forever and became serious about their aspirations to form a group around 13 and 14 years of age. They are currently 17 and 18 years old respectively.
They describe their sound as R&B, laced with soul, and smoothed out with a bit of interesting.
I admire them for their commitment to their craft and not being afraid of going after their dreams at such a young age.
Watch RAE's interview and leave some encouragement below in the comments for these young women making their mark in the world.
Here are some inspirational nuggets and tips from Roniqua and Ronaisha's interview.
- On passion: "If you can't go a day without something, it's meant to be in your life". Examine your habits. What is it you want to do everyday for the rest of your life?
- Make stuff that people can groove and relate to. Roniqua and Ronaisha make music about love, relationships, and life.
- A morning routine is important. The sisters pray, read scripture, eat an appropriate breakfast, and workout. They also keep their priorities straight by staying on top of their school work. Watch my video on how to simplify your mornings.
- On passion again: "Whatever it is, go hard." Give your dreams and goals your all.
- Always be ready. The girls discussed how they had to prepare themselves for people asking them to sing on the spot.
- Failure is an opportunity to come back harder and stronger. Don't let failure get you down.
- DIY to save money.They talked about how they purchased their own recording equipment and learned to make their own beats so they wouldn't have to rely on the expense of going to a studio.
- Stay optimistic. Don't speak negativity into existence.
- "Keep chasing your dream so hard, you ache at night." Sound advice.
Connect with Roniqua and Ronaisha Smith a.k.a. Random As Ever a.k.a. RAE.
Check out more interviews.