Plans & Reflections: Dream Big in 2022

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

With unprecedented urban wildfires in Boulder, record snow in the mountains, a surging omicron variant of the corona virus threatening our health and so many other countless challenges worth contemplating it’s hard (at least for us) to go into 2022 without thinking, will this just be the third iteration of 2020? How can I make any plans with the amount of uncertainty and lack of predictability that exists out there right now?

Although we can’t predict whether or not your big winter race will happen this year, or whether schools will shut down or travel restrictions will be put in place, it’s almost certain that spring, summer and fall races will happen. For us, that provides at least a dim, shimmer of light at the end of the long tunnel that has been the last two years, and we’re going all in.

And what if those finish lines weren’t guaranteed? What would you do with your one wild and precious life? Will you look back and think Yeah, I really gave my best and committed to living each day in a way that aligns with my values? Or, will you say That’s too scary and vulnerable, better play it safe.

Our challenge to you: in times of uncertainty, lean into, and not away from the things that bring YOU joy. Running, community, your dog, whatever it is. Even if it’s small and silly, this life is way too precious to be wasted living from a place of fear, rather than loving and running with intention.

When things get challenging, DREAM BIG

Put a race goal on your calendar, go all in on a project at work or extra time with the family, plan a vacation — whatever it is, having something to look forward to is important.

Talk with your coach or a mentor to plot your course of action toward that destination.

Deliberate practice, the small steps you make every day, pave the way to big dreams and can give your life purpose and meaning, upping that joy factor during tough times.

Daily plans are the key to working toward and achieving whatever you are dreaming. Think of your plan as a gentle guide or blueprint that helps you stay in alignment with the kind of life you want to live. One that reflects your values and expresses who you are.

PRO TIP:

When life happens and it’s tough to stick to a plan or you find yourself off course, try to frame what you are doing today as an investment in what you want to do better tomorrow, or in one month, or one year for now to keep things in perspective.

Reflect, Predict and Act.

The process of setting goals as a new year begins and sticking to a plan can be a challenging one, but what helps is taking time to reflect, predict and then act.

First, make sure you spend time reflecting on your rose, bud and thorn from the previous year. Ask yourself, what went right? What didn’t go as planned? What can be improved upon? The art of reflection helps build awareness and important insights. That self-knowledge is valuable in making good, supportive decisions as you work toward new goals in the future.

The second part of this is all about taking your rose, bud and thorn and using that knowledge to predict or visualize what challenges might occur in 2022. Ask yourself, what things have hindered training in the past, how will I work with or through those challenges this year? Thinking about what may happen is an important part of the process because it encourages us to take responsibility for the decisions we make in the present moment and it allows us to be better at responding to adversity when it does occur.

The third part of this process is taking action. All the awareness you’ve built in the first step, all the self-knowledge and insights you’ve accrued to help you respond intentionally to moments of adversity that might arise in 2022 are all worthless unless turned into better decisions and other supportive actions. Ultimately, that knowledge should help keep you on plan, working toward the goals that reflect your values and who you are. The more time spent here, the better, because that’s where all the joy, color and context in life happens. This is the good stuff!

Let’s make this the best freaking year yet!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

-TJ & The Microcosm Coaching Team