Where are You at With Your Goals for the Year? Six Prompts for Summer Solstice

Do you have a summer solstice ritual?

I have a friend in Portland who for years has marked every solstice and equinox by organizing a 10-mile group bike ride from North Portland to Kelly Point Park on the Columbia River, for a bonfire, picnic dinner and drinking and talking late into the night.

It's a wonderful time.

When I lived in Portland, I often went along on the Summer Solstice ride, since I’m a wimp and wouldn’t go out any other season when there’s a 96% chance of rain and cold.

Solstice bike posse, circa 2012 and I just realized I still have that shirt 😂 .

Here in Catalonia, we're getting ready for the Revetlla de Sant Joan, on June 23, another bonfire (or firework) burning night to celebrate the arrival of Summer.

If you've got solstice plans, or not, I've got something for you to add to the mix ...

Six prompts for reflection at this special halfway-through-the-year mark.

Why not take a moment to celebrate and refocus your year?

Feel free to follow these prompts exactly as written, or modify as you go along! I hope they inspire some new ideas in you.

1 — Celebrate! Grab a page in your journal or fresh piece of paper and divide it into three sections to celebrate what’s happened so far this year – in the larger world, your community (within family, for friends, city/town, workplace, however you want to define it), and for you personally.

Once you have it complete, enjoy it a moment. Express your gratitude, smile, shout hooray! However you want to mark it in your own way.

an idea for how your page might look

2 — 2021 is a unusual year, and this is a unique moment within it. Thinking about the idea of everything “opening up” or “going back to normal” — sit with your pandemic experience. Even get out your calendar or journal to recall what you’ve lived through and what happened, and how you coped and adapted.

What have been the hardest moments?

What have been the silver linings?

What have you learned from this time?

What might still need to heal from this time?

What do you want to keep with you from this time?

What do you want to keep building on?

What do you want to keep as a value and/or priority going forward?

3 -- Did you set goals for 2021 back in January? Or did you even just have some hopes and expectations?

How are you doing against these goals?

Are they still important?

What do you need to do to keep them moving forward?

Which ones are you ready to let go?

4 — Now looking ahead, in lieu of goals … If you could pick three wonderful things that would happen in the next three months, what would they be?**

Write them as if they’ve already happened. Such as …

I’m in such great shape, I ran a 10k with a friend!

5 — Decide on ONE habit or area of focus that you will commit to for the next three months that you know will take you closer to one of those things, or to having the IDENTITY of being a person with one of those things.**

Continuing with the previous example: I will run at least 20 minutes a day, and no more than 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week. This will take me closer to having the identity of being a runner, and someone who is fit and healthy at 40.

Then, set up a simple system for how you can keep track of this goal. It can be as simple as crossing days off on your wall calendar.

6 — To close, write a simple gratitude list. What five things are you grateful for?

Then, go light a candle or sparkler, dance or gaze up at the stars or do whatever helps you to connect to the simple wonder of being alive and celebrating yet another half-turn around the sun.

AND – if you realize now at this halfway point that you have some really important things in life that you want to make headway on now, before the end of this year, let’s chat!

I have only two more spots currently open in my Catalyst Coaching program. This is where I support you over four months to make sense of all your ideas, desires and hopes – and translate them into decisive, intentional action.

Want to learn more about how I might support you? Book a 20-minute complimentary call with me here. ​

In the meantime, Happy Solstice! 🔥

** These ideas are derived from the work of James Clear and his book Atomic Habits. I highly recommend his work for new, improved approaches to goals and building new habits.