The Power of a Pause

While January is typically the time we set goals for the year ahead, Spring is a great time to recognize how far you’ve come and how you’ve evolved already this year. So now is the moment to recognize the power of a pause. 

Let’s face it, it’s been a long winter. But now, the air is warmer, the sun is making its much-needed return, the evenings are lighter, the blossom’s out and the dawn chorus is in full song. The world is waking up, and it’s inviting you to wake up, too. 

It’s a time to reflect on what you have achieved in the last few months and check whether your goals from January are still aligned with your values and purpose today. 

If they’re not, then now is a chance to pivot and change. It’s important to remember that goals, while important for our growth and development, are not set in stone. Too often, life happens and distracts us!

Be Flexible 

Recognizing that plans will move and shift at your own pace is essential. It’s ok for things to be flexible and in flux. It’s never a straight line from A to B. It’s always a bit of a meandering route, a stop, a pause and refresh to replenish and reset. 

Spring is a lovely season to take this reset moment and get back on track if you’ve meandered off plan. 

Don’t feel you need to set too many goals. Don’t become overwhelmed by them. I’d say one or two is a good number to work on at any given time. 

You might have some longer-term life goals that are ongoing, but just for now or in the near future are the goals you’ve set for this year still relevant? If they’re not, then what do you want to add? 

Reassess, Reconnect, and Reset 

If you’ve completed some of your goals already, then it’s a good moment to celebrate that win and recognise your achievement. To keep momentum going, create new ones so that you know you’re moving forward. 

May feels like spring has sprung, right? It’s a nice point to reconnect with yourself. The weather is better, the days are lighter, and we can reconnect with nature. 

The change in season helps us with our own well-being and reminds us that there is a bigger world out there…

If we take the time to notice and care, we can create an even better environment for ourselves. Moving forward, we can look at what’s important to us. 

Lost Your Way? 

If you haven’t done what you said you were going to do, maybe it wasn’t the right goal for you in the first place. 

Stop and ask yourself, how much desire, commitment and belief did I have in when I set that first goal? How much do I want it? How hard am I willing to work for it? How open minded am I to be able to commit to doing it?

We must these questions ourselves, otherwise we might set ourselves up to fail. 

There’s usually a reason you haven’t completed a goal. Maybe it’s just not the right thing or it wasn’t the right timing for you. Being able to stop and consider the issue is essential for future success. I think that can make a big difference. Too often life takes over. 

For this year, I set myself the goal of writing a book. I was excited about this project, but I still haven’t completed it. I decided that from January to April I was going to absolutely give an hour a week to put something down and start to write it. I haven’t done it.  

When I recently stopped and reflected on it, I asked myself what stopped me from writing? And, well honestly, so many things have got in the way!

Was I committed to doing it? No, not really. I might have had the desire and belief that I can, but the commitment wasn’t there. Life took over, and that’s okay. 

Now I know that it’s not the right time for me to write a book. That doesn’t mean it’s never going to happen, but that I need to find the right time to do it and commit to it.

Remember to SPRING

Don’t berate yourself for not completing your goals for this year. 

Instead, ask yourself: Was this the right time to be doing this? What has got in the way? Is it still something I’d like to do?

If it’s ‘yes, just not now’ that’s fine. It doesn’t mean it will never happen, just that you need to revisit it at another point in time. Be gentle with yourself. 

We do love an acronym, and at Secrets From A Coach HQ  we came up with a great one to help you bounce back. If in doubt, remember to S.P.R.I.N.G. 

S: Stop comparing

P: Practice positive self-talk

R: Reduce the urge for perfection 

I: Invite feel-good moments into what you’re doing

N: Nurture your body 

G: Get outside and stay active

When we’re feeling confident, we enter this lovely self-perpetuating cycle whereby the more we do, the better and more confident we feel, and the more confident we feel, the more we want to do! 

Conversely though, a lack of confidence can lead to shying away from trying new things or not doing the things we know we ‘should’ be doing, which leads to feeling rubbish about ourselves, which leads to less confidence and even less inclination to get started. 

A great way to boost your confidence is to remind yourself of your strengths. What are you good at? How have you been resilient these last few years, and what have you learned about yourself? What gives you a sense of joy? 

Spring is the perfect season to really tap into that childlike sense of joy and wonder. It’s impossible not to be awed and amazed by the beauty of a spring day, by puffy candy-floss blossoms and singing birds and walks through bluebell woods.

If you haven’t quite hit your goals for 2024, don’t dwell on it or let distractions give you cause for self-doubt. Instead, pause, reassess, rewrite, and SPRING into action!

Debbie Green

Debbie Green is founder and wellness coach at Wishfish Coaching & Development and co-host of Secrets from A Coach podcast. For more information visit: wishfish.org.uk and secretsfromacoach.com