Setting up 2019 for success
I hope everyone’s 2019 has started well. We’ve been enjoying family time in Jindabyne for a triathlon camp with the wonderful Energylink Coaching community.
Some quiet moments in between training and hanging out with the boys has provided me with some reflection time to look back on 2018 and set some short and long term goals moving into 2019 using my goal digger journal.
I used one of these journals last year and found it really helped keep me on track with goals and good habits. This included a daily meditation practice which made me feel calmer and more centred as the year went on. Each week you state what you’re grateful for, your habits, goals and things to do.
I bought one of these for my god daughter who thought I’d originally said ‘gold digger journal’ and after googling gold digger was wondering why I was going to coach her to become one 😀
Part of the pre planning stage includes thinking about ’10 things I want to see, do and experience in 2019′. What would yours be? Mine include, seeing and feeling snow, a mountain cycle in Cyprus, climbing the York walls and running over warden hills when back in the UK and taking in a WA sunset. I’m grateful for having ticked off one item already, climbing up to Thredbo from Jindabyne on the bike and enjoying the thrill of the descent.
Looking back to 2018, a highlight included some r&r in December with my mum at Billabong Retreat. We enjoyed a couple of night’s away without the kids, mobile reception and wifi with twice daily yoga, meditation and delicious wholesome foods.
The theme of our retreat was yoga and in a workshop, we learnt about the eight limbs of yoga* which I thought other’s might find of interest.
I hadn’t quite appreciated the deep philosophy of a yogi lifestyle before this and was very intrigued.
Here are the first two limbs of yoga we learnt which I thought were a lovely set of ideals to live by if not already. We did an exercise, reflecting on how we can introduce these practices into your life in 2019.
Yamas (Limb 1)
- Ahimsa – Non violence – to live in a way that is gentle, loving and kind (thought / action)
- Satya – Truthfulness – only repeat things you know to be true
- Asteya – Non-stealing – to give more
- Brahmarcharya – Right use of energy
- Aparigraha – Non-possessiveness (physical and emotional)
Niyamas (Limb 2)
- Saucha – Cleanliness – food, mind, speech, action
- Santosha – Contentment – choice
- Tapas – Discipline
- Svadyaya – Self study
- Ishvara Pranidhana – Surrender
The remaining limbs were:
- Asana – Yoga postures (Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa)
- Pranayama – Breath control, controlling the vital energy
- Pratyahara – Withdrawal of senses (stage one of meditation)
- Dharana – Connection with an object (stage two of meditation)
- Dhyana – Sustained concentration (stage three of meditation)
- Samadhi Enlightenment/ complete union
* I understand the eight limbs of yoga are just one interpretation and there is a plethora of thought, material and reading out there. Intrigued, I bought a book containing a summary of the yoga sutras to learn more. This will form one of the 52 books I’m planning to read in 2019 with my book a week buddy Myza (you can follow our reads via this google doc here if of interest). As brain coach Jim Kwik says ‘Leaders are Readers’ and what a cost effective way to develop yourself and also switch off with fiction before bed each night 🙂
To commit to a more regular personal yoga practice in 2019 I have ordered one the beautiful beach themed Yoga everywhere mats to inspire me (thanks mum and dad for the Christmas gift!)
What are your intentions for 2019? I would to hear some of your goals to support each other. Haven’t set any goals yet and struggling where to start? Have a think about some focus areas, for example: Health and Fitness – Learning and Career – Family and Friends. Try and make them SMART too – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely
The Goal Digger journal I have quotes “People with written goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than people without written goals. Telling a friend increases this rate to 78%”. It also states, goals:
- Gives you direction
- Helps you focus on the important things
- Helps you build self-belief
- Increases your odds of success
- Motivates you to be your best self
To finish with a wrap up thought from our wonderful Billabong Retreat instructor Sarah:
Enjoy your life, look after your body, help others
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and productive 2019 ahead.
Dani Matthews 
Thank you for sharing Dani. It’s been a busy 2019 and you have inspired me to take the time to explore my goals for 2019. Loved the yogi limbs explanation xx
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