March – you’ve arrived!
Thank goodness you are bringing warmer weather – by the end of the week we’re looking at high 30’s and low 40’s here in the arctic tundra! It’s going to feel like a heat wave ๐
Over the weekend I did some goal setting – yes again – but I made my goals more realistic and attainable. Tony gave me some good advice: you are such a dreamer and I love it. But I think sometimes the reason you don’t follow through on certain things is because you have so many balls in the air. Start small.
Hmm.
I hate to admit when he’s right, but his words got me thinking.
So my monthly goal is to do something active every day – don’t worry, I won’t be blogging about every step – I will, however, let you in on any unique activities or tid bits of advice that help me; like for today – how to stick with a goal.
5 Ways to Stick to It
1. Start Small. Fortunately for me, these words came from my husband, but they are probably the most important piece of the puzzle when creating a goal for yourself. In my case, trying to get back in running shape; I’m starting with a goal of running twice a week; it may be a mile or five miles at a time. For someone who used to run five days a week, it’s hard to stomach that as a goal. But, being realistic, I don’t run anymore & I don’t want to set myself up for failure.
2. Visual Aids. This may not help everybody, but having a visual schedule in front of me every day helps. I love the satisfaction when I check a box or cross off. Whether this is in your iPhone calendar, planner, or to-do list, when seeing something tangible, it may help with accountability.
3. Make the Time. For me, time is always my biggest excuse; I have to get dinner ready, I have to grade papers, the laundry needs to get done, etc… Did you know that an hour is only 4% of your day? That stat makes me shutter – there’s NO excuse that 4% of my day can’t be used for working out. If you’re goal is to simply take time for yourself or to eat better, that hour can be used to plan, reflect, etc… 4% people – think about it.
4. Add some fun. Whether it’s changing up a work out, recipe, or activity for yourself – make it fun! Our goals don’t have to be burdens. They don’t have to be something we dread doing. My goal of becoming a runner again isn’t going to happen overnight and won’t happen just because I say it will. I need to make it enjoyable to continue the process. Once and a while I may do sprints, or a brisk walk with Ace, but I’m looking forward to finding what works for me.
5. Give Yourself a Break. One of the main reason I fall of the wagon when trying to stick with a goal is giving up when things aren’t going perfect. My first thought is always, ‘well, I already ate junk food today, so what’s the point in continuing? I already failed.’ Wrong answer. We will have our moments of weakness or a day where we just can’t make it work, but guess what? There’s always tomorrow.
What do you do to stick to a goal? How will you achieve what you want most?
Happy Tuesday, nuggets!