Was 2021 the Perfect Year?

Welcome back ya’ll! I am so excited to share yet another post on perfectionism. When I wrote the first post on this topic I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to talk about this, but somehow the ideas just kept coming. I have several drafts just waiting to be published! Why did I all of a sudden get this burst of passion for such content? It could be because of my experience with perfectionist or it could be that God has put it on my heart for one of you lovely people. Whatever the reason, I am excited to continue this series as long as it takes me to get it all out there because I think we need to deal with this issue as Christians.

So how do you define what a perfect year is? Would you say this year for you was perfect? For me, since my definition of perfect isn’t really reality, and I’m assuming yours isn’t either, perfect means I am content and satisfied with the results of a particular outcome. 2020 was not my idea of a perfect year, but I did learn quite a bit and started walking in the direction I felt God has created for me. 2021 on the other hand, could be very well identified as a perfect year.

What made me content and satisfied with this year? Pretty much everything actually. There is not much I would change if I could go back. As I’ve been thinking about next year, 2022, it has forced me to think of 2021’s resolutions and goals. For the first time in years I can honestly say that even though some of the results were not what I was hoping, such as lose 50lbs. and run a half marathon, many of the others were beyond my expectations! Last week I shared a little bit about how you can let go of perfectionism and one of the keys for me was surrender.

“The key to accomplishing our New Years Resolutions is letting go of perfectionism and the key to letting go of perfectionism is surrender.”

God loves to work in the impossible and when we come to the realization that we in our own selves cannot accomplish our desires, surrendering them to God, I’ve noticed that is when, as we obey and follow Him, He can work in ways that can blow our minds. Even the goals we didn’t accomplish can be turned around. Like instead of my losing 50lbs, I gained muscle and strength, lost about 2 inches and 20lbs and I feel much better. Instead of me running a half-marathon, I ran a full and had a blast conquering something I thought was completely impossible for me.

So what changed in order for me to accomplish most of my goals in 2021 and not years prior? Actually I believe it was using perfectionism to my advantage. I began dreaming about my perfect day, my perfect morning and evening routines, my perfect year, job, future visions I was setting out to accomplish, etc. Then I took each day and tried to make it a perfect day. I knew this was impossible so I had to be flexible and just go onto the next task if it flopped. I never had a perfect streak and I still don’t but that is where I need to remind myself that perfection does not exist. I have started multiple new habits that are not completely ingrained but I am consistent with them and that is what is important.

Going into the New Year I want to find two more goals to make eight total. So far I have:

Start my first group in the B2B program in April,
Eat to Fuel my body,
Run a half marathon in March,
Run a full marathon in October,
Read through the entire bible, and
Publish one blog post a week for you amazing people.

Though I hate putting time slots with goals since life can get so hectic, I have found that remaining surrendered to God and being flexible while keeping my “Perfect Year” in mind, may be my top success tip for accomplishing our dreams. As we surrender to God and learn to delight ourselves in Him, He will change our heart and give us His dreams in a way we’ll be confident He’ll enable us to accomplish them! So get out there and start dreaming again!! (And I created a fun quiz for you too, which you can access right here!)

I love ya’ll and pray you have a blessed New Years Eve and Day! It’s time to dream again, so don’t be afraid to sit down with God this weekend and write down what it is your heart truly desires. Then surrender it to Him and prepare for the greatest rollercoaster ride ever!

Until Next Time, Happy Running Ya’ll!