A Guide to Shining Bright Even When the Fuel is Low
New Year’s goals are all pretty glitz and glam. They come with the best of intentions and all of the hope and aspiration one can muster. They fuel us to take on extra projects, to work extra hours, to rise early for a new morning workout, and to go to bed early to maintain a 5 a.m. journaling, meditating, and yoga schedule. But the truth is by June and July we look around and realize that we’ve barely made any true progress towards our goals, and even if we have managed to keep some type of motivation, it’s been inconsistent. Now, there are real-world aspects that might bring us to this point–maybe you’ve taken on a new job to prepare for the nightmare that is the looming recession. Or maybe you’ve begun to question your desire to truly reach a specific goal. Whatever your reason, be it a lack of motivation, unforeseen responsibility, or sheer desire to set a new goal, there are many ways to overcome the midyear rut. Here’s some ways and methods I’ve used to keep shining bright that you can use, too.
Number 1: Knowing Your Capacity & Throwing Away the Unrealistic
Sometimes when setting goals we bite off more than we can chew. Basing our well of capacity on our favorite YouTuber, or perfect friend who wakes up at 5 a.m., has a 20-minute meditation, an amazing body, and perfect finances. But we never stop to realize a simple truth: one person’s ability to achieve a goal, in the timeframe they do it, is not ours. We all have different levels of capacity based on age, resources, circumstances, and ability. Our jobs are not to increase the level at which we can operate but to find what works for us when it comes to setting goals for ourselves. Coping with midyear burnout involves understanding what your current capacity is. Not what others’ capacities are, and not what you would like your capacity to be, but truly understanding your capacity at the moment and letting go of the goals you know are not within your current reach.
Number 2: Re-centering Your Goal in Passion & Purpose
What keeps us motivated towards our goals is the end result. It is the desire to have better finances that causes us to be smart with money, and it is the longing for better relationships that reminds us to be kinder with our words. So much of what keeps our eyes on the prize is reaching that finish line, so in moments of burnout, remind yourself of your passion and find the purpose in your goal. Find the thing you’re enjoying about the goal–the thing that keeps you going and on fire to achieve it–and remind yourself of the goal’s purpose. How and what does it serve in your life? Once you’ve re-centered yourself in your passion and working towards the goal’s purpose, you will find it easier to navigate burnout because you’ll rediscover what drives it and what end result you want to see.
Number 3: Finding Your Balance in Rest
If you are anything like me, working towards your goals for weeks on end can come naturally. The late-night work sessions, the early morning rises to get ahead, and the constant checking in with the status of your progression. But sometimes constant drive and determination when not applied holistically can be detrimental. Finding balance in rest is a great tool to help aid with midyear burnout because sometimes it’s not about the goals themselves, but not having the time to do other fulfilling and beneficial things. So, remember to take time to be just as determined to rest, go for a walk, or have a moment of leisure, as you are to work and reach your goals.
Number 4: Resist Sparks of Creativity & Find a Schedule
Putting balance into practice is more than just resting, but also finding a schedule and a tempo to which one works and rests. As we seek to get back on track with our goals, it becomes easy to find those sparks of creativity and desire to immediately pick up the laptop and hop into the thick of it. But those moments of creativity can be counterproductive. Moments of leisure or fulfilling other responsibilities and duties can easily become moments of goal setting and working. So, by keeping a schedule one can keep clear boundaries between work and play. Schedules alleviate the aftermath of “the spark” and promote longevity through times when energy is low.
Number 5: Find an Accountability Partner or Tell No One
Whenever we feel our spunk coming back to us in the form of our second wind, we can immediately jump to telling everyone about our new goal. In that moment we are just one big ball of renewed energy, but even this can lead to some unexpected results. Studies have shown that the more we talk about a goal the less likely we become to actually follow through and do it. So instead of telling everyone about your goal and new sense of realignment, try savoring that feeling with yourself, sitting in what it feels like to know you’re “on the path” once again. On the other hand, while some research does show speaking about goals can make one less likely to follow through on them, having an accountability partner is emotionally comforting. Instead of sharing with everyone, choose a close friend, loved one, or community member that you can share your goal with and have them check in with you on it. This alleviates the negative effects of speaking about your current desire too much, while also filling the need to feel like you’re not doing it alone.
Midyear burnout can be tough but it’s not unconquerable. Through small steps every day–like balance, scheduling, and finding what works for you with “goal disclosure”–you can easily get over your midyear rut and finish the end of the year with more accomplished. And when in doubt, choose to remember that your goals can be deferred but never denied, and extend grace to oneself, as there is always next year.