3 Brave Things: 3 Bite-Size Practical Goals for the New Year

Bite-Size Goal Setting

New Year’s Resolutions . . . they’re out the window by now, right? U.S. News found that 80% of resolutions have been blown by the second week in February. That’s why I chose this week to share my bite-size approach to goal setting, which I’ve named 3 Brave Things. I started doing this about 2-3 years ago, when I wanted to try something different for the goal setting. My new year’s resolutions weren’t any different from anyone else’s. I’d always loved the fresh start of the new year (and still do). I felt excited and hopeful about things I wished to accomplish in the coming year. I would spend hours planning it all out, lay out some enormous goals and resolve that this would be the year I would be persistent with my objectives.

The disappointment came when those ambitious goals never came to fruition and I ended up feeling shameful. I would start performing the negative talk in my head, which always led to the exasperated face-palm, followed by the lengthy lecture to myself of never being able to stick with a plan. Sounds like fun, right? There had to be a better way to set some goals without the gigantic feelings of pressure and fear of failure. Most of all, I wanted to acknowledge the progress and courage of working towards goals, even if I didn’t fully reach them.

This is how 3 Brave Things was born.

3 Brave Things

One rather large goal I had a few years ago was to complete a sprint triathlon (750-meter swim, 20-mile bike ride, 5k run), yet I was very intimidated by the swimming portion of the event. I grew up waterskiing and took swimming lessons every summer growing up, but had very little experience with swimming laps. Instead of talking myself out of the triathlon altogether, I decided to focus on a small piece of my goal. I signed up for private swimming lessons and learned how to swim laps. I still have never completed a sprint triathlon, but I do feel more confident in my swimming abilities and that’s something that makes me proud.  It was a bite-size accomplishment, as a result of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something that felt brave to me. You can read more about how 3 Brave Things all started here.

What 3 Brave Things Look Like

A brave action can feel intimidating, fearful, and uncomfortable . . . but remaining in your comfort zone for too long can feel worse. Sometimes my brave things were obvious, like sign up for that September art show, while other times I just waited for an opportunity to present itself. You know, those moments when an opportunity falls into your lap and you’re a tad bit excited and a tad bit freaking out?! I made note of those time when I felt called to “jump” on that opportunity because THAT was a brave thing . . . and brave moments call for happy dance celebrating!

My 2016 List for 3 Brave Things

Some years I write out all three brave things in January because I know exactly what they are, while other years I’ve written out one or two and just waited for an opportunity to catch the last ones. In 2016, I wrote down these for my #3bravethings:

• get a website up and running (happened in May)
• start prep work for an ecourse in 2017 (finished and launched 10 Paintings in Dec)
• get artwork into public location in town (my art has been in Holistic Yoga Studio for several months now)

My 2016 goals all had to do with my art business because I knew that would be the BIG year when I would be putting a lot of extra time and effort into my business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gratitude

3 Brave Things is a way for us to focus on the positive and have gratitude for all of our “wins”, no matter how big or small. I’m definitely guilty of spotlighting all the things I didn’t accomplish in my day and failing to notice the tasks that did get done and important positive moments. I’m in a small mastermind group for entrepreneurs and every Friday, we post our “wins” for the week. It’s been an incredible way to redirect our attention and take note of the bite-size goals that we scored on.

Ideas for 3 Brave Things

You might already know what one or all of your 3 Brave Things will be. Sometimes, it’s that nagging “idea” that we really want to listen to, but totally avoid because it’s scary, man! That’s a good indicator that it’s probably something you should consider . . . at least a bite-size chunk of it. If you need more ideas, here are a few:

• try a DIY project
• plant a rose garden
• write the letter to a friend you’ve lost touch with
• take a class to learn something new
• meditate for 30 days in a row
• volunteer
• see a movie by yourself
• share your talent with someone/group
• research steps to overcome your fear of . . . (spiders, snakes, heights, etc.)
• clean & organize a messy part of your home
• take a meal or gift to a neighbor
• change up your hair style or color
• spend a full day out . . . by yourself
• schedule 1-2 outings just for inspiration/peace
• learn how to fix something on YouTube
• do a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) for 21 days
• ride your bike once per week . . . no matter the weather (well within reason, of course)

More here: Brave Idea List from 2016

3 Brave Things for 2017

So many possibilities! I have a couple of outdoor fitness thoughts, multiple art business ideas, and some yearnings for more peace. I took some time and careful thought to mold them into #3bravethings. Often, I like to wait and see if some of these will just be a natural shift that happens in my life or if I’ll have to take some brave steps to make them happen. I went with my strongest feelings and choose:

1. Educate myself about long, multiple-day hikes
2. Plan 3 all-day outings, by myself, for peace/inspiration
3. Paint a series of outdoor/mountain/landscape type paintings

I will keep you posted about my progress and if any other brave opportunities present themselves over on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. While 3 Brave Things isn’t directly related to art, it’s part of cultivating an intentional & meaningful life, which is super important to me. I’d love for you to share your 3 Brave Things on social media (tag them with #3bravethings so I can find you). Do you have any immediate brave ideas after reading this? Let us know in the comments below so we can inspire each other.

Here’s to a thoughtful and BRAVE 2017!