Reevaluating Your Goals Is Not Failure

I like to think I’m pretty good at thinking things through. The overanalyzer inside of me probably gives me an edge up. I don’t like to start something I can’t finish, and I don’t want to be one of those people who makes some big announcement that doesn’t stick.

Especially when it comes to projects or goals, putting in the brainstorming work ahead of time is what allows me to be consistent. Churning out 1-2 blog posts a month, completing baby books, keeping the house in relatively clean order, getting dinner on the table each night, finishing my book (!!!)— all of it requires not just solid planning, but a certain level of compatibility with my personality and desires. Crafting relaxes me, so baby books are my jam. Eating around the table with my family is an important value, so I enjoy preparing dinner.

Forcing ourselves to hit targets that don’t truly align with us on a personal level usually ends in stress and disaster and failure.

Ex: If you don’t love to write, maybe producing a book isn’t the best outlet for your creativity! Sounds obvious, but sometimes it’s not.

About three months ago, I launched a YouTube channel. I thought this endeavor through— trust me. I love speaking (ding!), I am comfortable in front of the camera (ding!), and I enjoy editing footage thanks to a previous career that gave me those skills (ding!). I mean, it makes SENSE that I would start a YouTube channel as a fun creative outlet!

Ugh.

Then why do I dread it? Why haven’t I made a video in over a month?

Wellllll turns out I didn’t think through one key element: I hate getting ready. I hate makeup and putting on real clothes and brushing my hair. I mean, I do brush my hair because I’m not a monster, but it’s the worst part of my morning. Now, you could argue that I don’t need to get ready to make a YouTube video. Be natural, Shannon! Be real! But gosh people, let me have a little pride, would you? I care 0% what people in Safeway or at Anders’ school think of my makeup-less face and oversized sweatshirts, but if I’m going to present myself to the universe on the interwebs, I’d like to at least look kind of cute. Sue me.

Alas, this one piece of the puzzle really threw a wrench in this whole YouTubing business. I’ve been putting off reevaluating if this medium of creativity is really right for me, because I hate seeming like a flake. But when I honestly think about it, I know I’ve got to let it go. Not only do I not want to get ready, but filming generally needs to take place during the daytime for better lighting, which means a whole ordeal with Aaron trying to keep the kids quiet in another room. Not fun. On top of that, I don’t even watch YouTube, myself! So how can I get excited about presenting a medium that has never peaked my own interest?

Yeah.

But here’s the fun part about reevaluating: You can spin the dud to better align with who you are.

My friend Ashli talks about this in her Side Hustle course (she teaches about entrepreneurship), that if using your personal social media to market your product feels icky or uncomfortable to you, then don’t! You have to choose a plan that aligns with your interests and strengths, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Same goes for any goal. With my creative undertakings, I need to make sure the process aligns with my own preferences! I read books and love writing, so I wrote a book. I have this blog, I post lots of videos on my Instagram stories (yes, that can be a creative outlet thankyouverymuch), I organize my house, I make family yearbooks. All of these things make sense for me.

So I need to part with YouTube and spin those original elements that made me want to start a YouTube channel into something better. Something more in line with my own interests. I have a pretty fun idea, but give me a few more weeks of brainstorming before I announce anything!

Guys, I hope your life aligns with what makes you happy. I hope you think things through, but always give it a go. Because switching gears isn’t failure— it’s a form of sharpening your self-awareness and strengths. It means you’re DOING something, and isn’t that the best part of being alive?

And to those of you who watched my YouTube videos: You’re wonderful. Thank you for the endless support as I continue moving through life in the way I enjoy: Creating, sharing, and relating with all of you. <3