It’s important to start your year out on a good note. It can be discouraging at times for those of us who look at a list of things we have yet to do or all our failed resolutions from last year. I have friends who had ideas in their minds of where they want to be in 5 or 10 years and when they reach that point, if they have not met those goals they view it as failure. What if we changed the way we look at new year’s resolutions? What if we created a vision or plan for our life, but didn’t pencil in timelines? Instead, what if we list things we want to accomplish or work towards and then underneath each item we list all the steps we can take to get there?
For example, let’s take a common new year’s resolution such as losing weight. What if we changed this resolution to the goal of becoming a healthier you. Below I will outline some ideas of steps you can take to move towards that goal.
Goal: Become a healthier you
Possible steps to work towards this goal:
Schedule two days per week of committed exercise
Add one fruit to my diet
Add one vegetable to my diet
Eliminate one sugary or carbonated drink
Increase water intake by 8 ounces
Walk outside at lunch time
Schedule a wellness visit
Find a health coach
Find a friend to exercise with for accountability
You can use the beginning of the new year to re-assess where you stand on your goals or you can keep this list on the fridge and re-assess it regularly. Trying to jump into something big spontaneously may set you up for failure. Taking small steps every week or every month is a more realistic way to address your goal. You are not a failure if you have not met your goal because it is a work in progress!
Here is another example:
Goal: Learn how to schedule free-time for self-care into my life as a new mom
Step to take:
Find a babysitter or family member that can help watch the kids
Put self-care on the family calendar for yourself and every person in your household
Leave the house for at least 30 minutes on your scheduled day regardless of how the day is going
Look into Mother’s Day Out programs in your area so you can drop your kiddo off one day per week
Talk with a good friend and figure out one day a month you can share the responsibility of watching each other’s kids
Deal with feelings of guilt related to investing in yourself
Have a friend hold you accountable to making time for yourself
New Year’s is a time to reflect on the past year and see what you would like to indulge in for the new year. Look at it as a time to see what works and what doesn’t work for you and your family. Having vision and purpose for life makes life more enjoyable. Spend the beginning of the new year creating a vision for your year or your life. Figure out what you are good at or what you are passionate about and start taking steps to make it happen. Is there a dream in your heart that you have not shared with anyone, but has always been one of your deepest desires to see come into fruition? Could this be your year to make it come true?
If health and wellness goals are in your list of things you would like to accomplish, then please reach out to us at The Fit Pelvis and let us join you on this journey. Our multi-disciplinary team includes Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Wellness, Health Coaching, Yoga, and Birth Prep and Pregnancy Classes.
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