ofbeth's 2021 goals

After everything that happened in 2020, and given that we in the UK are now in another lockdown and the drama of the Capitol Hill coup in the US last week, you’d be right to think that I’ve overthought about how to write this post and even thought about whether to go ahead with posting this at all. It’s partially why it's a little delayed (the other being me overdoing the research for it). However, I want to remain optimistic that things will get better and keep focused on furthering myself and my career. For me, as an organised nerd who likes routine, I like to plan and setting realistic goals is part of that.

Being realistic about setting targets means staying small. Whilst I used to dream big this did juxtapose with my mentality of living a day at a time. Perfectionism, the binary concept of success and failure, motivation and shame over being not as productive as one should or could be also do not help. I don’t want to change myself into a completely new person as I quite like me and I don’t think it would be good for me mentally. That’s not to say that I want a few new things to happen this year and for the good things that I went through last year to be a source of encouragement.

Whilst I have decided to go ahead and write this blog post, I know that some may not be setting goals or resolutions this year. That’s ok. You don’t have to, especially this year. I’d also like to argue that, whilst planning is something that is typically done either at the start of a new year in January or new academic year in September, it can be done at any time and at whatever stage of life you are at. But, if you do want to set yourself some ambitions and want to know how I do it and what I want to achieve this year, then read on.

Finding Inspiration

For me, and I think for a lot of people, finding inspiration is a lot harder right now. Ways that have worked in the past that can still be done right now in the middle of a pandemic include going on walks, listening to music, reading books or articles, listening to podcasts, teaching yourself or being taught by those you live with or someone online a new thing or writing. I even find social media to be inspiring sometimes! If we do arrive at a stage where we can be and live post-Covid, sitting In coffee shops and meeting up with other people will also create more inspiration.

Four people who I find really inspiring at the moment are Matt Haig, Marcus Rashford, Pooma Bell and Kirsty Hulse. I’ve also recently discovered Daniel Fryer through reading a lifestyle article on the Stylist website and went to Kirsty’s recent webinar on goals and motivation. Writing things down, something I’ve been doing for years, is also going to keep me focused and learning in and through the doing rather than the not doing. This includes continuing and repeating things done in the past.

New Year, More Refined Me

In preparation for this blog, I’ve been doing a bit of research. Firstly, whilst a resolution is a decision or commitment to either do or not do something, a goal is an idea of the future or a desired result that you plan to achieve. A goal can either be personal or professional and has theory behind it. One of the many things theoretically that were pushed at me during my undergraduate degree in media was having goals that were SMART (specific, measured, achievable, realistic and timely).

Another thing I’ve been thinking about and also did a bit of research on is that old saying of 'new year, new me' or 'new year, new you'. Sayings that are seen on many notebooks and planners and that are said on the internet at the beginning of each year by some people and various dieting or gym advertisers. However, there are plenty of people, including me, who see this as not motivational, tacky and a little desperate. Whilst change can be good, why is always related to a specific time of year and why does it always seem that you have to not only change a little or one thing but everything or all of you? It doesn’t make sense.

I’m a big David Bowie fan and I’ve been watching and listening to and reading quotes from him a lot over the last few days as it’s the fifth anniversary of his death. In his song Changes he sings “time may change me, but I can’t trace time”. Whilst we all may want to completely alter ourselves and our lives to get away from the world and the pandemic, being resilient and developing yourself a little bit more at whatever time of life feels right for you might be a better way. As Kirsty said in her webinar, “do it if you can, no deal if not”.

Another thing I’ve done and am doing is being more reflective. I’d rather use my past to evolve myself rather than dislike it. As Pooma wrote in an article, she “take[s] everything that has defined me – including the bad things – from the previous year and build on them”. I did this in my last blog post of 2020 (which you can read here) and will continue to do so in 2021 and at any point of life where something may happen.

My ‘Goals’

These are what I would like to achieve this year. It doesn’t matter if all of them are attained or none of them are or I fail sometimes – I’m going to allow myself to be inconsistent. The ‘goals’ are more individual and less themed than the ones I set last year (which you can read here). They are personal to me and a mixture of work and life.

Read books.

Find work or a job or internship to get experience in social media marketing and digital copywriting.

Utilise an email signature and redesign my email address.

Plan and continue to write blog posts on here

Use social media a little consistently.

Continue to write weekly to-do lists.

Take time for selfcare and have a proper skincare routine.

See people in the flesh (when we’re allowed)!

Maintain contact with people I already know.

Meet people professionally and socially (friendship and romantic).

Final Thoughts

I’d like to conclude this post with a quote from Bowie that you may have already seen over on my Instagram and LinkedIn – “I don’t know where I’m going but I promise it won’t be boring”. I think it's very apt and is where we're all at right now - we don't know what the future holds but that's ok. Uncertainty might be scary but, as 2020 showed, we can live with and through it.

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post, whether you yourself or your business are setting goals this year or not. If you are, let me know what they are in the comments or on my socials. Stay safe and big virtual love to you all.

Beth x