On your mark, get set, GOALS for 2022!

Every year we all, myself included, create goals or resolutions, for the new year.  If you’re anything like me the odds are not in our favor.  I believe creating these goals are very important.  We should always strive for things that would bring us happiness and resolutions are nothing more than a journal prompt that can act as your accountability coach throughout the year.  The problem with New Year’s resolutions could be they are unrealistic or too many to fulfill.  Sometimes it’s us that sets us up for failure.  The top 10 resolutions made EVERY year are as follows:

1. 1. Exercise more (lose weight).
   2. Organize your home.
   3. Learn a new skill / hobby.
   4. Live life to the fullest.
   5. Save money.
   6. Quit smoking.
   7. Spend more time with family and friends.
   8. Travel more.
   9. Read more.
   10. Make more money.

Now I’m not, in any way, telling you not to make resolutions. You absolutely should but what you shouldn’t do is create a list that you in no way can fulfill and you should add a spiritual element to it.  That is why I put together a list of the 22 spiritual resolutions you can do to achieve a higher vibration and live a more meaningful life.

1. 1. Volunteer or donate to a charity. Whether you set up a monthly donation or volunteer at a soup kitchen – no good deed is too small – and truly feeds our soul.

1. 2. Wake up every morning and immediately say a prayer of gratitude for your life. Or if you’re like me, after my first cup of coffee   I am an early riser and I usually sit by myself, and my thoughts, with my coffee and sit in silence and gratitude for another day.

1. 3. Simplify your life. This can have so many meanings. While organizing is on the Top 10 list of resolutions it doesn’t necessarily mean to clean out that dreaded closet. It could and that’s ok.  One thing I have realized over the years of my journey is that if my physical life is filled with clutter, so is my spiritual well-being and clarity.  Commit to those daily to-do lists or clean out your desk drawer.  Whatever it is that makes your life less cluttered will clear the noise that is holding you back. 

1. 4. Pick spiritual mentors and subscribe to a podcast or read their book. Two years ago, I starting following some of my favorite spiritual people that have really impacted me; Radleigh Valentine, Colette Varon Reid, Abraham Hicks and Rhonda Byrne to name a few.  I started a daily ritual that has changed my life and the way I set each day’s intention.  I put my air pods in, choose the spiritual mentor for the day, drink my coffee, and really listen to the message whether it’s their podcast or book.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. There are days I have 10 minutes and that’s ok. It’s time for yourself and your thoughts.  I leave the books for my vacations or weekends.  Check out my store to find some of my favorites in my store at https://thegoddessgiving.com/shop/.

1. 5. Attend a retreat or virtual event that will put you in contact with like-minded individuals. Even though I’m a teacher I am continuously on the journey of learning. I crave new ideas and hearing about other people’s journeys.  It’s what inspires me and helps me create new and fresh content.  Sometimes the hardest part is committing the time for yourself, but I promise, it’s worth it.

1. 6. Commit yourself to journaling. First off, how fun is it shopping for that new journal. Or is that just me? I start in November searching for my favorite and while I have a few I definitely have my favorites.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. This does not have to be a daily ritual.  I started once a week and have my beautiful collection on a shelf and whenever I’m a little nostalgic I love randomly picking one and going down memory lane. 

1. 7. Get that new calendar and start filling it. Like my journals I LOVE choosing my yearly calendar.  Some people use their phone for everything. I wish I was like that but I’m an old-fashioned pen and paper type girl in this case.  I love sitting down the first week of January and starting

1. 8. Be more present. This is a daily struggle for me. I have been so committed to growing this community and being there for my clients that sometimes I found myself struggling to sit through dinner without checking my phone or thinking of new ideas for my tribe and new content to create.  Last year I decided that I needed to take action and do something that would help me continue to grow BUT not at the expense of my family and relationships.  That is when I decided to hire people to help me. My team.  I still have days when it feels I need 8 more hours to cram everything in but it has helped tremendously and my mom and wife guilt level is much lower than a year ago.  Make small, or big, changes that can allow you to enjoy the moments that matter.  Maybe it’s wake up an hour earlier (that was my solution 3 years ago) to get things done so you have more time or work an hour later at night.  Either way, it’s doing something that will enable you time to really focus on what’s happening in the moment.  

1. 9. Work on a core issue or source of trauma. I’ve done so many videos and talks about Shadow work and this is really something that effects so many.  It’s called Shadow Work or Inner Child.  These are the parts of ourselves that we have unconsciously shoved down – the traumas that we have suffered which result in the parts of our lives that cause insecurity, shame, and frustration.  These are repressed issues that we need to identify and work on.  It’s not easy but it’s a must in order to move forward and clear the blocks that limit us.  I’m putting together a course on this very topic as I type. If you’re interested sign up on my website here at thegoddessgiving.com to get all updates and offers.

1. 10. Find what no longer serves you in your life and let it go.  Go through your closet and get rid of the extra that just takes up space or remove yourself from the relationship that no longer brings you joy yet fills you up with toxicity.  It’s hard to say goodbye, especially to people who have become engrained in our lives but it’s harder to constantly live in a negative space that constantly weighs on you and does affect the other aspects of your life.  In this case, I’m telling you to put yourself first.  It’s ok, sometimes 

1. 11. Spend more time with family and friends. This is something after losing people that really resonates. I lost my mother recently.  She was a part of my family’s daily life.  I have no guilt when it comes to my mother and the time, I put into our relationship BUT it doesn’t make me miss her any less.  After losing her it made me take stock in all my relationships with friends and family and what I put into each. It’s hard balancing family and friends – but I know when I have that night out with friends or day with my sister – how it makes me feel.  I’m my best self when I’ve made the time for those I love. 

1. 12. Be more vulnerable. For some this is really easy.  I wear my heart on my sleeve and what you see is what you get.  My emotions flow and I normally have no problem expressing them but being a mom of three I have seen different personality traits and navigating how to deal with them.  I know it can be difficult, but I promise when you share with others your feelings it is not only appreciated but allows healing to commence. Try it when you feel safe, and I promise it will do wonders.

1. 13. Welcome silence in your life. For me, I’ve incorporated a few of my goals together by waking up an extra hour earlier. In that time, I have chosen to dedicate a few moments (or longer) to meditate and stay silent.  It’s my time to myself and to collect my thoughts before the day begins. It allows me to set my intentions, in silence, before starting my favorite podcast or book and hitting that journal I try and do every day.

1. 14. Commit to self-care. I find these all can seem difficult but what I had to learn that this didn’t mean to book a spa getaway for the weekend which let’s face it, as women, with our responsibilities is not the easiest thing to do.  I do try and schedule time to take that walk to clear my head, buy a special at-home facial mask or that once a week indulgence, that I truly treasure, my mani-pedi.  During this time, I either completely shut off and rest my eyes (as my Mom always called it) or plan my week of work and family schedule.  It’s just time for us to be kind to ourselves and make us aware of the importance of this ritual. 

1. 15. Actively spread kindness. I think this is such a beautiful and easy thing to incorporate in our daily lives and it has changed my mindset on how easy (and important) it is to make others feel good but also helped me how to take compliments.  I wish everyone would try this because we never know the struggles others have in their daily lives.  Whether it’s a simple compliment on someone’s hair or outfit or mentioning a positive trait they display It cost nothing to you and could possibly change the mindset of someone struggling.

1. 16. Let go of the ego. Oh boy, this is hard for so many but once you begin the process you will immediately see that shift in mindset. Meditation has absolutely helped me with this and helped my spiritual growth.  Ego can result in the need to always be right and never backing down.  Don’t get me wrong, there are healthy aspects of ego, and this doesn’t mean for you to become a pushover. It means you must decipher the good and bad parts and let go of the parts that are not allowing you to make decisions based on control or lack of self-confidence.

1. 17. Practice self-reflection. I love this one because I feel when I practice it, I learn so much not only about myself but about the relationships in which I cherish.  It’s good to take stock of who you are and even more importantly how you react to situations.  Have you ever had an argument with a loved one and it weighed on you for days, months or even years? Usually when that happens, it does not mean you were wrong but could mean you were wrong in the way you handled it.  Ego (see above) can play a huge role in this.

1. 18. Meditate. There are so many versions of what this means.  What is meditation?  It’s a practice to mentally clear and emotionally calm.  There are many different techniques, but the intention is the same.  Some people do it every day, multiple times or once a week.  It’s the ritual, to me, that is most important and sometimes the hardest, but when I’m committed, and I give myself that time I feel my best.

1. 19. Forgive. One word but wow, the impact it has on not only the one forgiven but you. There have been times in my life that I (and my ego) just couldn’t forgive someone for something they had done.  What I have learned is when I am in that space of holding on to something or cannot get over an act, I have given so much power to not only the act but the person that has wronged me.  Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you must continue the relationship with that person or just “take it”, it means you have made the decision to forgive the action and allow yourself to move.

1. 20. Unplug from technology. This is another one I must remind myself constantly especially being a content creator. There are so many times I have the urge to “capture the moment” to share with others but doing that, sometimes, you miss it.  I want to be a role model for my children and over the years I’ve created a successful business and have shown them through hard work and dedication anything is possible. I have also had to remind myself that while that is extremely important, me spending time and being present with them is priceless. Dinner time is for eating and talking about our day’s highs and lows – no phones, anymore, at the table for us.

1. 21. Stop being so hard on yourself. I think we have a built-in system that just makes us immediately go into beat ourselves up mode.  I hate this and I always speak to my clients and friends about this. I always explain that it’s harder to access each situation and work on how we could have handled it better rather than only see the bad. When we do this there is no room for growth, only feelings of failure and self-loathing.  Try and work on this and really get into the habit of seeing the big picture.  Next time this happens, I want you to say out loud what worked and what didn’t.  This will stay with you for next time and you will instinctively repeat the good aspects and try and replace what you felt was negative.  No one is perfect and stop comparing yourself. You’re doing great!

1. 22. Breathe! One of my favorites and something I tell all my clients and friends.  When you are stressed, upset, angry or just out of sorts….breathe!  Think about it this way. Every system in your body relies on oxygen.  Scientifically the benefits are immeasurable. You instantly relax your muscles; you release endorphins which improve your wellbeing and state of emotions, and you decrease your blood pressure and heart rate.  On top of all of this, when I take that time and really focus on my breathing it allows me to relax and reset and focus on the bigger picture which as a result helps me find solutions in a relaxed state of mind.

So here they are.  22 spiritual goals or resolutions for you.  Use this as a reference or guide and again don’t put too much pressure on yourself.  Pick and choose what works for you and what you feel can serve you best at that moment in your life.

I always go into each year filled with optimism and hope for what is to come.  We all endure challenges and obstacles along the way but if we set our intentions and really focus on the positive in our lives, I truly believe we can achieve our life’s true purpose.

Larissa

Xoxo