Failed Goals Don’t Diminish Your Progress

Hi Friends,

Today, we are being vulnerable.

The last post I made, I started a challenge for myself by setting goals which I wanted to accomplish within this month- but I quickly realized that I may have been overzealous with the amount of things I wished to accomplish and change about myself within the span of the month. I truthfully have been hard on myself the last few weeks, but the month of July was absolutely insane for me.

One thing I truly feel the worst about is the simplicity of not reading books, not writing, and most importantly, not keeping myself in the Word of God. I continued to pray, but I lacked with doing more to further my relationship with Christ which is something of my highest priority currently. To top things off, my job has been a huge stressor, leading me to want to do absolutely nothing when I have time out. Ultimately, I have been struggling with concentrating on tasks, especially ones that can be mentally stimulating or emotionally tolling since this last month alone was full of that.

As the month passed, I realized it was not possible to accomplish all of the goals that I had set, which sent me spiraling into believing I should just give up. I unfortunately have always been the type of person to give up when things get hard, but I keep telling myself the only way to be better is to do better.

I originally began to be so hard on myself for not being able to follow through on all my goals, but then when I reflect on the entirety of my month, I think of the happy moments I have had with friends and family- fellowship is something that matters the most to me on this planet so that alone is a win in my books.

I got to hang out with my best friends, share many meals between our group, spend time with my friend’s newborn baby, have swim parties with the girls, support my local community at different events, and celebrate my sister’s 30th birthday! The most draining but also fulfilling thing of this month by far was coordinating and hosting the largest jet boat race in the area (with the help of my dad who is a racer and founded the event).

On another important note, I reflected on the goals I did accomplish. I began fueling my body better by hydrating more and eating better. Even in the days I ate out, I watched what I was intaking. At the end of the day, my body is a temple for the Lord, meaning everything I put in it matters, as well. I also found myself being more grateful of the things I do have. Living alone is a gift every day, but sometimes the world becomes overwhelming. Anytime I found myself down, a little voice in the back of my head began to speak up on the good in my life. In moments I felt alone, I was able to think of the friends and family who showcase their love for me every day. In moments I felt like I was far behind, I was able to be grateful and thankful of everything which I have already overcome. When I felt like a failure, I was able to remind myself of the goals I have accomplished that I once thought were never possible. I overall tried to stay positive by simply giving the Lord gratitude for every blessing which He brings to my world every day.

While these things brought me great fulfilment, I still found myself drained, lacking something- and I think it was deep down I knew that I could be doing better. I knew I could be reading, writing, or praying instead of scrolling on my phone. I knew I could be moving my body instead of lounging in bed. I knew I could be cooking (which I enjoy) instead of eating out. I knew I could be working harder at my job. I truly just knew that deep down inside I am not fulfilling my potential, the potential that God gave me.

But the only way to do better is to be better.

So, this is me doing my part to reach my potential.

I pray that this month brings me more peace and continued fellowship. I pray that I am able to push myself to be better without getting so in my head when I do need a break. I pray that work begins to become more stable again. I pray that I continue to turn to God on the good days and the bad. I pray that I can implement healthy habits that will last me a lifetime.

I really do want to continue to push myself to be better. I am 23, and I have my whole life ahead of me- which is exactly why I want to start these habits now. I want a life I am proud of living. One that I am happy to tell others about. One that will benefit me in the future. One that I believe will make God proud of me.

To those struggling, feeling like a failure, feeling behind in life, or anything else under the sun, just remember you are not alone in these emotions. People, like me, battle with this every day. I encourage everyone, including myself, to turn to your friends and family, and most importantly, turn to God when you are in need of support. It is easy to get caught up in the stress of life and throw out the goals you set for yourself, but there is no better way to remind yourself of the gift of life than through fellowship (at least in my opinion).

I hope that this post can make at least one other person feel seen and heard, because I know sometimes that is all a person needs in order to bounce back.

So, here’s to growth, change, and the continuation of rooting myself in the lord!

Love,

JessC