It’s January, and everyone is working on their new year’s intentions, and I LOVE it! I think New Year’s “resolutions” get a lot of shit, but I think they are great! Every change needs a reason, and if your reason is that you want this year to be better than the last. Awesome! I am right there with you!
But I do think it’s important to set these intentions (I like the word intention better than resolution…words have power) in the spirit that they are a guiding force that informs your plans and goals, not a measuring stick for failure. The plans and goals you set based on your intentions will require trial and error, learning, and unlearning. And this will REQUIRE moments of falling short and not meeting the mark. But it’s in these moments where success is actually created. In these moments, we learn HOW to be more successful in the future. We learn more about our triggers, our non-negotiables, and how to support ourselves better. But you have to allow yourself grace in your moments of not “meeting the mark” to evaluate what happened and why, so you will be able to take those lessons, and Know-better, Do-better next time.
And so maybe you have to keep learning that particular lesson. Fine, ok, good. This just means either you need to learn a different lesson for that situation (example: you need to learn more about your internal hunger cues, instead of having more “will-power”). OR you don’t have the right supports in places in place (example: you know you have the habit of emotionally eating when you get home from work to decompress, and you don’t have a de-stress plan in place before you start pursuing the pantry).
So Hooray to all of you who intend to have a fantastic year in 2022, where you will feel healthier, empowered, capable, content, abundant, and more! I applaud you for taking the first step towards your next level.
Now I want to help you get there!
I have a little exercise to help you gain insight and clarity around your intentions to stay motivated to make your goals a reality. This is a journaling exercise, so allow yourself 30mins – 1 hour (yes, you have the time. Make yourself and your aspirations a priority and find the time) and answer these questions.
Journaling Exercise:
- What do you want to change?
- How will my life be different when this has happened or started happening? (Take time to visualize yourself and your life in the future and write this scenario out)
- How did you FEEL in this new reality? Put your feelings into powerful words. (Healthy, Confident, Doesn’t-take-shit, Strong, determined, beautiful, Enough)
- Write an “I am” statement using those words. Example: I am a beautiful, strong, confident women who is determined and takes no shit (from myself or others), and it makes (my goal) happen every day!
Now, it’s time for action. Say this “I am” statement to yourself Daily! Regardless of how Cheesy you feel! The only reason why it feels cheesy and fake now is that it’s probably the opposite of what you are currently telling yourself on a daily, even hourly, basis.
If you want to make changes in your health and life, you first have to actually believe it’s possible and you deserve it. Because after all, what’s the point in working hard and being uncomfortable for a goal that you don’t believe is actually possible. With this daily “I Am” mantra, you are rewriting the internal script of how you see yourself and your abilities.
Next, set a goal and create a plan to make that happen.
What can you do every day for the next week?
Wellness goal ideas: Move daily. Get 10K steps daily. Eat more plants (fruits and vegetables). Cook more at home. Plan out my meals. Workout 3 x a week and movement daily. Eat less processed foods?
Make a Plan to achieve those goals.
Look at your upcoming week: WHAT will you do, and WHEN will you do them? Get as specific as possible!
Few important points:
- Be realistic. Start where YOU are. You can’t go from eating no vegetables to eating 9 servings of vegetables daily; maybe start with 1 meal/day. You can’t go from zero workouts to working out 7 days a week; start with 1- 2 workouts and try for 10K steps a day. Setting unrealistic goals is setting yourself up for failure. (These big goals are possible, you just have to work up to them)
- Be kind to yourself when you don’t achieve your plan. Ask yourself what will make it easier to achieve that goal next time?
- Build on your own action. Add on your consistent action every week until you are at the big goals.
- Believe. Say your “I am” statement every day, sometimes, multiple times a day, especially when your inner critic starts in. You are rewriting that old script. If you do nothing else, do this daily!
Ok, now get to it!
I KNOW you can do this!
