Okay, friends, have you set a goal to reach yet? There are plenty of amazing bloggers out there sharing with you how they reach goals. (I also might have an eWorkbook available at the end of this series too! It’s ready for ya!) Anyway, now that you have been thinking for a while what you want change or upgrade in your life, let me share with you five HORRIBLE things you are going to experience on your journey. I have personally experienced these more than once, and even more recently with my goal of writing a book. Now, this post is not meant to worry you, it’s meant to give you a heads up, so that you are ready and stronger when it happens. Because YOU are #goals and it’s that part of you that inspires people!

Now, honestly each of these could be their own individual blog post but here (in a nutshell) are five horrible things that happen when setting and reaching goals and what to do when they happen:

#1 Pain: Sometimes this is a physical pain, a mental, or emotional pain. This can and will literally cause someone to stop in their tracks if we don’t have a plan to continue on our journey. Pain makes it hard to breath, hard to think and process and pain makes it hard to know what to do next. So when you are facing pain: Step one: Breathe, then proceed with caution, the pain could be a sign to reevaluate the “reach-ability” of your goal. Step two: I highly recommend talking to a friend, a mentor or a counselor depending on how much the pain affects you. Always increase your prayer life! Talk to God when it hurts. Step three: Continue on but take care of yourself as you go.

#2 Loss: We may loose friends, money, time, but in that process we may also loose the wrong ideas of who we are and what we are worth. Loosing lies to gain the truth is worth the loss of worldly benefits and concerns. Is it just me or is it always the worst experiences that teach us that? Also, loosing weight can be a good thing when it’s done in a healthy manner. What we should focus on isn’t what we are loosing, but HOW we are loosing and what is REPLACING that loss. Step one: Evaluate am I loosing in a good way? If not, adjust your goal & plans to reach it. If so, Step two: Replace the loss with taking more time to worship, pray, read your bible and spending time with Christian friends who can support you. (If you have none, find a church and make new friends! Yes, it’s hard and awkward, but the Devil is a jerk, and I’d rather have awkward over defeated.)

#3 Insecurity: Those nagging questions like: What if I reach this goal and I’m still not where I want to be? What if he/she/they don’t like me? Or, that has accomplished this goal? What if I actually can’t do it? Step one: Recognize these are just ideas. Step two: Evaluate to make sure you haven’t set a goal that is too lofty at this time. Adjust as needed. Step three: Ask for input. Step four: Keep going! Don’t allow insecurity to hold you back. Be brave!

#4 Frustration: The frustration of being stuck, or wondering why something didn’t work, or why it’s not working fast enough can cause a loss in momentum, especially if our emotions are no longer “inspired.” Step one: Take a break. Stop to breathe. Get inspired again. Step two: Look for a different perspective with the goal you have set or how you have decided to reach it. Step three: Get back to it! Don’t break too long and allow your frustration to demotivate you. 

#5 Overwhelm: You feel all of these things are happening at once. Or, there are just to many things you want to see change in and too many areas to set goals in. Step one: Write down a list of goals, or where you’d like to grow. Step two: Pray ask God to show you which one thing you should go after. Step three: Make a plan to go after that one goal. Step four: Once you have achieved that goal revisit your list and ask God what is next? Proceed. Go slow if you have too. Take your whole life to accomplish this goal if it’s that big. Step five: Regularly stop to be proud of yourself and celebrate your progress.

All of these things individually or all together can all lead you to find the end of yourself. Which can be a blessing-in-disguise because that is when you can begin to see where Jesus Christ can move in your life as you continue to take the right steps and respond to his grace and mercy. Sometimes it is truly his loving-kindness that keeps us going until the point that we reach a goal. While sometimes it’s his compassion for us that helps us evaluate and reset the goals, making them a little bit more realistic as we learn. Either way, it is us doing the hard work of continuing on.

Because I am a deep thinker I have the tendency to get lost in thought and those thoughts can go down dark roads that have no sign showing me the way out. I have learned to talk to myself and tell myself to stop and think about something different, which is hard because like I said there is no way out and I’m on a one way road.

It is in times like these I remind myself, “I am in charge of my thoughts and I am making God in charge of my entire life right now in this moment” I have to tell myself to breathe, I turn on worship music and I go over these bible verses until I can control my own thoughts and they don’t run my mood.

I can do all things through Christ. Philippians 4:13

I am the head and not the tail. Deuteronomy 28:13

His grace is all sufficient for me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I will not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Romans 12:2

When the time comes that you feel pain, loss, frustration, insecurity or overwhelm I’d like to encourage you to do the same. Slow down for that day or that weekend, remember to rest your thoughts, even if you can’t slow down your schedule. Remember to eat well, cherish the relationships you have with your co-workers, roommates and family. Look back at what you have already accomplished in the last few days or the last week. Print or screen shot these bible verses, tape them to your bathroom mirror or save them as a wallpaper on your phone. Keep these in front of you so that you can keep growing! It is always okay if your pace changes as you run after a goal.

Remember, YOU are #goals even when, and especially when, you are facing horrible experiences. How you face them is what inspires the people around you. It’s the part of the story where God gets to work miracles. Welcome the horrible situations by having an attitude of faith. I am believing you can reach the goal you have set for yourself! Because YOU are #goals.

P.S. Check out my resources page for some free downloads and spotify worship lists for more support! xo, sa