New Year’s Resolutions…..

How does that term make you feel? Excited? Inspired? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Everyone has their own take on New Year’s Resolutions. Just do a simple web search and tons of articles will pop up discussing every possible thing remotely related to how to set them, why they are horrible, why they are the greatest thing ever, why you should do them, why you shouldn’t, and everything in between. Is your brain hurting yet?

That, right there, is overwhelming.

Just like with almost all health topics, you can easily find at least 10 articles that disprove whatever it is you are reading about. Ugh. 

Being healthy in today’s world is not easy. Not because we don’t know how, but because we are so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information out there - most of which is either someone’s opinion or just cleverly portrayed marketing materials designed to get you to spend more money. It’s frustrating.

Whenever looking at health information, I encourage people to take it with a grain of salt. Unless it’s peer-reviewed medical literature (which, unfortunately in recent years has also become anything but reliable in many cases), there’s usually more to the story. What is really important is how that information relates to you. Does it work for you? Will it fit in your life? What if it causes more harm than good?

People’s perspective on New Year’s Resolutions, I have found, is largely dependent on their experience with making and keeping them. Those who crush their goals often have a more positive outlook on the exercise, while those who have either given up or not reached their goals in the past have a more negative take. Neither is right or wrong. It just comes down to perspective. 

So, what are my thoughts on New Year’s Resolutions? Thank you for asking!

Well, you see….

It doesn’t really matter what my thoughts are on the topic. What does matter, however, are your thoughts. 

If you’re all in, great! Let’s get to it!! But if you’re a little more hesitant, keep reading. I have something special for you!

What I like to do with any wellness coaching client is start at the beginning. We begin by looking at areas of their life they would like to change and why. The key is the “why”. Then we talk about how their life might be different if they are successful with making those changes. Finally, we look at the “how”. How do we actually make changes? Then we work together to create a plan with actionable steps. 

It’s great to set a goal of losing 10 lbs, for example. But that’s usually where the planning ends. You know you need to start working out and probably eat better, so let’s do that! Great! But, how? Oh. That’s where it unravels quickly….

By taking the time to answer the basic questions, setting a goal really just becomes making an action plan. Take the example of losing 10 lbs. Here are questions I would ask this client to help her shape an action plan:

Why do you want to lose weight?

How will your life be different if you lost weight?

What date do you want to achieve this goal by?

Who can help hold you accountable for this goal?

What is one thing you could do THIS WEEK to set yourself up on the right track?

Then we would get into the nitty-gritty depending on how she answered those questions. Let me tell you a little secret. Setting a goal of losing 10 lbs in a month is not realistic. If that’s your goal, you’re already setting yourself up to fail. How about we reframe that goal?

Let’s try something like this:

Goal: Feel confident in the bridesmaid’s dress I bought for my sister’s wedding in May which is one size smaller than I am now. 

Those two goals may be very similar but the second one is much more “do-able”. What that new goal does is give a measurable goal (wearing the dress in the specific size) while also being realistic. It also gives us some wiggle-room. Losing weight is no longer the focus, even though that is, in fact, what this person wants. The focus is put on something more positive, feeling confident. Although that is not a measurable goal, it’s okay because the measurable part is the dress. It just makes it more positive. 

See what we did there?

It’s a little tricky to do this for the first time. It’s also tricky to do this by yourself. If you’re anything like me, you’re your own worst critic! 

Luckily for you, this is what I love to do! I put together a workbook for you to help you with this process. It’s totally free and all you have to do is click here to download it. This workbook isn’t just for New Year’s Resolutions either. It’s just Goal Setting 101. And it’s the process I use with my clients so I know it works!

If you’re not ready to use this workbook right away, that’s okay too! Maybe print it off or save it to your computer for a rainy day. 

I want to help you be successful! 

Remember, keep your goals realistic. No goal is too small. In fact, it’s those small goals that really help to build confidence and keep the momentum moving forward. 

Please reach out with any questions! I would love to hear how things are going for you as you make your way through the start of 2022. Keep me posted!

Cheers to a happy and healthy new year!

Peace, love & kale!

Lindsay