Happy New Year to everyone!
I wanted to check in to see how your first week of 2023 went. Some of you may have still been busy with holiday things or time off. Some of you may have jumped right into the year with intentions and goals. For some it’s just another year; big whoop.
I hit the ground running at work this week. Our year end is December 31st and we have three stat holidays to process in the next pay period with a bunch of other stuff going on. It was a stressful week. But I started my “31 Days of Healthy Habits” on Insight Timer. I got myself a Fitbit because I felt like I hadn’t been moving enough – and it works (for me anyway, I may have a little self competition bug in me)!
Did you know that 50% of people who do set intentions/goals/resolutions give up within the first month? And of the 50% remaining, only 8% actually stick with it? Why is that? Why do we, I’ll say it, fail at making change.
There are many reasons. Some being that we’re not ready, we do it because everyone else is doing it (oh, that peer pressure), we make it goal that are impossible to meet, we come out of the gate with too much too soon, or we fail to plan.
In my opinion, there are two reasons why most people fail.
First, they don’t make it a priority. If this goal is so important to you, you will prioritize it and change your schedule around to make it happen. If you don’t bother to prioritize it, then it likely isn’t as important as you think.
Second, it is a priority but we are paralyzed from taking action on it because we don’t know what to do so it’s easier to do nothing at all.
So, if you have some intentions or goals you have set, take a good hard look at how important they truly are to you and ask yourself if you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and make changes to help you accomplish this. Also, ask yourself why you want this? If you don’t have a good reason then you won’t make it a priority.
Some people tell me they want to be healthier. Well a goal like that is wishy-washy. What does that even mean? Lose weight? Fit into a dress? Have more energy? Sleep better? Have less pain? Have less brain fog? What does “healthier” mean to you? Lock that down so it’s real and measurable. We’ve all heard of SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (a time frame is included). Scientific studies show that when our goals have SMART substance to them then we are more likely to achieve them.
And then why do they want to be “healthier”? To look better naked? To be proactive in preventing diabetes or cardiovascular disease? To show that ex that they still look good? To prevent as many aches and pains each day? To be able to play with their grandkids? Once there is a why then it becomes real and we are better able to prioritize it.
Once we do this then we can enlist help. If you don’t know how to accomplish this thing then research (Google it!). Ask a friend, co-worker, health care practitioner, therapist or anybody that can help steer you in the right direction. Trust me, you are not inventing the wheel here – someone else has done this before and has guidance for you!
Even if we haven’t set any intentions or goals we may still want to get some s#it done! We may need to prioritize things we have to get done during our days so our bills get paid, our kids get to practice, we get enough sleep, etc…
I’ve created this little journal page to help you figure out what steps you have to take to get something done. It works like this:
- Determine what needs to be accomplished
- Write down everything you need to do to get it done in as much detail as you can.
- Write down how it will make you feel when it’s done.
A simple example would be this:
- Determine what needs to be accomplished
- Clean the house Saturday
- Write down everything you need to do
- Clear my schedule so I have time
- Make sure I have cleaning supplies
- Assign cleaning tasks to family members
- Make/Find “Cleaning Playlist” on Spotify
- Determine which rooms/areas will get cleaned and in what order
- Get up early and have a good breakfast so I have energy to clean
- Put on scrubby clothes and hit Play on playlist
- Fill water bottle so I stay hydrated
- Get out cleaning supplies
- Start with room/area one
- Drink water and refill water bucket
- Continue until done what you wanted to get cleaned
- Write down how it will make you feel when it’s done
- I will feel a sense of peace and calm after a mindful yet mindless activity. I will feel safe and cozy in my clean digs. I will love that we had family time cleaning our space together.
Take this approach to break down anything you want to get done. This will help you figure it out and prioritize. Step 3 is your why which will help you get to the finish line and enjoy the feeling of meeting that accomplishment.
Let me know how you’re making out and if you need any guidance from me as a coach or wellness guide.
I’ve also included a great article to read if you are looking to exercise more in 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/exercise-resolutions-expert-advice-1.6703887
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