I don't know about you, but the year just goes by SO FAST these days! I'm so busy with the day-to-day that I rarely remember to poke my head above water and have a look around.
To keep those years from slipping away out of my control, there's a thing I've started doing with my coaching clients, and I love it so much I wanted to share it all with you.
Every six months, we do a Mid-Year Check In.
Give Yourself Credit
I encourage my clients to pause and think about everything they've learned, and everything they've accomplished. Just in case they don't realize how great they are (they usually don't) I add in a few more wonderful things I have noticed they did. Studies show you make more progress on goals when you stop to appreciate your small wins and accomplishments, so see, it's science!
Set Goals
I ask them to set ONE goal for each half a year (somehow, 6 month goals are more immediate and seem more likely to actually happen than goals for a whole year.) I always try to get them to set realistic goals that will push their normal limits without brutalizing themselves or setting themselves up for guilt trips (I don't always succeed, but I DO always try).
What Do You Want to Learn?
After that, I have them identify where they want to learn or grow in their writing next, so I can build curriculum for them! You don't have a book coach to build you classes, but it's surprising how much it helps to get SPECIFIC about what skills you'd like to expand in your writerly toolbox!
I'm always surprised at how much I enjoy this check-in with my clients, and how it gives us an opening to pause and talk about the big picture.
If you'd like to try this, I'm embedding a copy of the worksheet I developed so you can have a little New Year's Check In with yourself!
Maybe a 1:1 Book Coach isn't in the cards for you, but if you'd still like some support and accountability in achieving your writer goals in the New Year, check out my JaNoWriMo Writer's Group!
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