In this series on annual goal setting for The 8 Elements, we're taking a new approach to setting intentions and making plans for our year ahead. In a previous blog, I shared ideas about how to set goals around your personal feng shui element's Life Center. In this blog, I will be sharing how goal setting can be an important aspect of intentional self-care instead of just worldly success.
The last two decades of Mountain Earth energy have put a lot of pressure on people to do it all and perform at high levels, to achieve what society has decided marks the measure of success. Goals have been focused on being highly productive in order to produce tangible and impressive results. Many of the annual goals have been based on the acquisition of more and more money and having lots of material possessions. Much of the emphasis has also been placed on achieving a high level of physical fitness and sex appeal. This very physical and money driven energy has caused people to become burnt out and mentally fatigued. All this "doing" energy, that fuels taking massive and immediate action, has resulted in a loss of health and personal wellbeing. And many people have lost their minds, as well, over the past few years.
While social media is more of a Soft Metal energy, with its digital circles of "friends" and the vain and narcissistic facetuned "let me take a selfie" craze, the use of these platforms meets the needs of the Mountain Earth energy. The emojis, intentionally designed as a reward system for posting "what's on your mind", photos of "living my best life" or videos of well edited highlight reels, makes people addicted to checking their phones, scrolling and refreshing for yet another hit of dopamine. Again, this too is a Soft Metal energy, but the desired effect feeds the Mountain Earth element's need to be liked, approved of and accepted...at least in these superficial ways. Sadly, many people have come to measure their self-worth by the number of friends and followers, thumbs up and hearts they get on social media apps. And in the business world, bragging rights go to those who played the game well enough to win the prizes and have the mountains of money to show for it.
People have lived their life online instead of in the real world. They expend energy doing things they wouldn't do if they didn't need something to post that day. They spend hours filming things to create content they can monetize.
Mountain Earth needs an abundance...of everything. They need to have more than enough of all the things. They call it being comfortable, because only when they have more than they need, can they experience a moment of peace in their bodies and minds. Because of this, they tend to be hoarders and workaholics. If there is any area of life that is lacking in any way, they cannot be calm or content. This leads to the constant busyness that won't allow them to find joy in the journey or even pause long enough to celebrate their achievements. They're always on to their next goals that are bigger and better.
In the last two decades, people have not only monetized everything they do, they've productized their personal life and put it online as a consumable. Everything is content. They share their morning and evening routines, what they eat, what they wear, what they buy, what's on their bucket list, how they clean and decorate, how they plan and track their goals, how they budget, what they do to be productive, etc.
As we move into a new twenty-year cycle, the purpose of setting intentions will shift. Our approach to goal setting will change. And the way we measure success will be based on different priorities, like needs and values, and quality over quantity.
The Fire element will bring more consciousness to the goals we're setting, moving forward. Instead of working toward bigger bank account balances and bigger or more houses, we'll become more intentional about how we're spending our most precious assets, our time and energy. Instead of working hard to do more, get more and have more, we'll work on finding ways to meet our needs and honor our values.
No longer will our lives be centered around just making and spending money. No longer will we do everything or anything just for the money. No longer will we sacrifice our personal life, destroy our relationships and ruin our health to get ahead or keep up with other people. No longer will we measure our value by our net worth.
Over the next year, we'll be moving away from doing all the things and shifting the focus to our ways of being. Instead of focusing on what we have to do, we'll place our attention on who we get to be for ourselves and others. And to do that we'll feel inspired to attend to our needs and make choices that honor our values.
Needs
Instead of setting goals for doing more things and acquiring more stuff, make a list of your personal needs. Journal about what you need to take better care of yourself and feel better about yourself. Write about what you'll need to fulfill your life purpose, advance in your career or grow your business. And if you're ready to make some changes in your life, jot down anything you might need that will support you in following through on moving in a new direction.
Needs are the things that if they're being met, you have more access to your best self. If you're meeting your own needs you're honoring who you really are so you can embody your True Self. And if the people in your life are meeting your needs, you'll feel well taken care of, appreciated and loved.
There are a few approaches to setting goals that meet your needs. The first approach relates to achieving what Chalene Johnson calls a PUSH goal. The second approach is to review your life to see which areas you've been living without getting your basic needs met. Next, get clarity on who you need to be to fulfill your purpose, what you need to do to experience your desired feelings and what you'll need to have to live a full and happy life. Then, discover the essential needs for your personal feng shui element and find out what you need to stay committed to achieving your goals. Finally, determine what you need to start doing, keep doing and stop doing and design a life that allows you to meet your needs.
1) Write down what you would need to fulfill your annual goals. For example: If you want to buy a house, you'll need a down payment. Do you need to make more money or save more money?
2) Write down what you need to be at a state of "fine", having enough of everything you need to live a good life. Of course, throwing money at problems can resolve most of the ones that cause much of people's worry and stress. Go ahead and write down the ones that require or cost money. Just make sure to include things that you can do that provide a good return on your investment of time and energy, as well.
3) Write down who you need to BE to fulfill your life purpose or soul mission. Which qualities would you like to have access to more of the time? What aspects of your True Self do you need to tap into, embody and express?
4) Write down what you need to DO to feel your desired feelings? What can you do or choose not to do that will make you feel the way you want to feel? For example: Water elements value their inner peace. They do the things that provide inner peace and don't do anything that might disrupt that state of being.
5) Write down what you need to HAVE to live your best life? For example: If you want to feel well, you'll need to have good health. Do you need to have higher quality food, purified water or whole food supplements to improve your health? Do you need a team of holistic practitioners to guide and help you on your health journey?
6) Write down your personal feng shui element's essential needs. For example, Hard Metal elements need respect. So, how can you show yourself the respect? What can you do to earn more respect? To learn more about your element's essential needs, contact me to book your 2023 Intentions Setting Session.
7) Write down what you need to stay motivated to keep working toward your goals. For example: Soft Metal elements need rewards. So, how can you reward yourself for accomplishing daily tasks and achieving weekly or monthly progress? How will you treat yourself along the journey and plan to give yourself a bonus at the final destination? The 2023 Guide to Setting Goals, customized for your personal feng shui element, includes what you need to keep your commitments to yourself.
8) Write down what you need to start doing. Instead of writing down just a big goal, write down the actions you can start taking that will help you accomplish your goal. For example: If you are creative, artist or writer, start taking yourself on Artist's Dates once a week.
9) Write down what you need to keep doing. Goal setting tends to ignore all the things we're already doing every day that go unacknowledged and under-appreciated. Make a list of all the things you are doing consistently or well.
10) Write down what you need to stop doing. Review the list of what you're currently doing to see if there is anything that no longer needs to be done or could be done by someone else.
Once you have your list of needs, categorize and prioritize them. Put a check next to the ones that are currently being met. Then, review the unmet needs to see which ones you can meet yourself. Take note of the ones you need other people to meet for you.
This year, make a commitment to yourself to get your needs met. Design a life in which you can meet your own needs. And have a Needs Conversation with the people in your life who love you and are able, willing and happy to meet your needs.
Before the end of the year, set some time aside to journal about what you would do with your time and energy if you had all the money you would ever need. Give yourself permission to explore what your life would look like if you had true financial freedom. Where would you live? How would you spend your days? What would you create? Who would you contribute to?
This year, consider setting annual goals that meet your personal needs. Do the things that will meet your needs instead of the meeting the expectations of others. Commit to having more of what you need in 2023!
In the next blog, I will share about setting value based goals for the new year!
If you’d like some personalized guidance with setting goals for the coming new year, contact me to book your 2023 Intention Setting session. You’ll receive a 2023 Guide to Setting Goals, customized for your personal feng shui element. In a private coaching session, we’ll talk about how to set intentions that will meet your needs and honor your values. I’ll share how the Soft Wood energy may affect you, your life and your annual goals this year. And I’ll provide insights into the annual energy visiting your personal element’s best directions and how it may affect those four key areas of your life.
2023 Intention Setting Session
• 2023 Annual Intention Setting Guide (PDF customized for your personal element)
• Private Coaching (1 hour session)
$150
CONTACT DARA
If you’d like to learn about how to honor and balance your personal energy and customize your goals, based your personal feng shui element, read about my signature coaching package, Feng Shui Yourself.
Read the other blogs in the Annual Review & Planning series:
Getting to Know YOU!
Getting Clarity on Your Goals
Getting to Happy
Annual Goals for The 8 Elements
☯
For personal energy or relationship dynamics coaching, contact me!
Or, read about my coaching packages.
If you’re ready to get professionally feng shui’d, read about Virtual Feng Shui Consultations.
To read more about The 8 Elements, subscribe to the Feng Shui Yourself blog.
Learn about my other Inner Chi Mastery offerings.
Subscribe to Feng Shui Yourself on Substack.
If you enjoyed this publication, please like, comment and share!
