Look Inwards in the New Year

I hope you have all had a wonderful, restful festive period. Now Christmas is behind us, it’s time to turn to the new year ahead of us. It’s certainly one that, for many, holds uncertainty. However, we can all narrow the focus onto ourselves and our family to be the best we can be. And spread that sentiment outwards like ripples in a lake. It starts with you. Look inwards. Think of goal setting along the lines of unleashing your creativity, enhancing positivity and supporting a growth mindset for the coming year.

3 Great Books to Help You Set Inward Looking Goals

I have a few favourite reads that are great for focusing on setting goals and looking inwards that I want to share with you. The first is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This book helped me realise that I am what and who I am, and trying to be something else really shouldn’t be a goal. It’s a book that has stuck with me over the years. It might actually be time for a reread.

My second recommendation is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is a book that will inspire you to dig deep and make the most of the creativity inside of you.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is my third reading tip if you are looking to change the path you are on next year, or are simply looking to unleash the creative beast inside of you. As I made my way through this book, I realised how much I wanted to play the piano. It was a totally random realisation prompted by completing the morning pages!

There are more top tips over on the HSK Storefront.

Tool to Help Children Set Goals

There’s no reason why goal setting should be restricted to you, to the adults. Children can set goals too, or just one goal even. Big Life Journal has great kits for goal setting for the coming year (currently 25% off if you are quick). Pick a goal you’d like to work towards as a family, or one individual goal that is achievable that will make a difference to your child. Having a goal to strive for can increase resilience, self-confidence, motivation and determination – all great for HSCs.

Attach Meaning to Your Goal Setting

Highly sensitives place a high value on actions having meaning. Examples are having meaningful work, discussions being meaningful and not just general chit chat, quality over quantity when it comes to friendships, having a positive impact on society or within the local community. It is therefore important to set goals that means something to you. Align goals to your values and emotions – what will bring you joy?

Think about goals aligned to unleashing creativity, supporting self-care or your emotional well-being, or improving self-confidence. A goal doesn’t have to be life changing, it can simply be a positive nudge in the direction you want to go.

Pitfalls of Goal Setting for Highly Sensitives

Highly sensitives are often perfectionists. Goal setting can therefore become yet something else to stress about. A HSP or a HSC can end up being hard on themselves if they do not achieve their goal. So my main tip is make sure the goal you choose is achievable, don’t try to set the world on fire, just commit to taking a little step forward. Set realistic goals.

Goal Ideas for Highly Sensitives

• Say no more often, learn to protect your boundaries and set goals to help your children do the same
• Set a reading goal, join a book club
• Get more involved in the local community
• Join a class or group that encourages you to focus on self-care – a yoga or meditation class, for example
• Join a creative class or course – art, poetry, sculpture
• Commit to getting out in nature on a weekly basis
• Set the goal to scroll less through your social media, set goals with your children around less screen time
• Commit to taking time for yourself daily (encourage the use of ‘bucket time’ within your family)

Reading Tip: 50 Ways for Highly Sensitive People to Unleash Their Creativity

Main Takeaway

Make the goals you set meaningful and achievable. A little change can go a long way.

Over to You

Share in the comments: do you set goals each year? What kind of goals do you focus on? Do you focus on one goal or a set of goals? Or does setting goals stress you out?

*For your convenience, this post includes affiliate links to products useful for the HSK community. They cost you nothing more to buy, but I may get a small commission, which goes towards costs to keep the HSK site running.*