How To Set Successful Resolutions

The New Year is just days away and, like most people, I've been thinking about new goals and reflecting on goals set years ago.

It's interesting to see the things that I was successful at achieving and the things I fell short of. It became even more interesting when I realized the differences in my successes and failures came down to 4 simple things:
•My "Why"
•My Plan
•My Support System
•Grace

The things I achieved, had a rock solid "Why" behind them. My superficial goals like "look good in a swimsuit" never really motivated me because I will, in fact, always choose a donut over a flat stomach. But, my goals like "Live Healthier" worked out because my "Why" was about my ability to do the things I love and setting a good foundation for my kid's health and self-image. The whole idea that your kids are always watching and learning from you, really helped me kick my butt in gear.

In addition to a solid motivator, my successful fitness goals always had help from professionals. The times I tried to come up with my own plan, I would fall flat. I spent more time questioning the plan and tweaking it than I did sticking with it. By working with a trainer and a macro coach who knew what they were doing I felt much more comfortable trusting the process, and results came faster.

I also was far more successful with my goals when I had a support system. If I'm being honest, I'm a settler. I like to stay in my familiar bubble, and I revert to old habits very easily. Luckily, I am friends with a lot of reachers who challenge me to work hard and not give-up. Without their pep talks, tough love, and accountability I know I wouldn't be as far in my progress as I am today.

But the last and most important difference between failure and success was the grace I showed myself. As I mentioned, I'm a settler. A backsliding, excuse-making, pity-party throwing, good-enough-is-good-enough, settler. When I slip and fall short of my expectations of myself, one of 2 things happens; I either get so mad at myself that I throw in the towel and quit, OR I show myself grace.
I allow myself that moment of weakness. I remind myself that a poor choice doesn't have to ruin my progress. I don't let my self-talk turn negative. Then I pick myself up and keep moving forward, because forward, even slowly, is how I get where I want to go.

So, to my fellow donut loving, comfort zone living, settlers, I hope something in this helps you in your 2019 journey.
You are worth every hour of time and every ounce of effort you put into your goals ❤

Comments

When Insecuritues Control You

Have you ever thought about the power you give to your insecurities? I remember one day a while back, I was getting dressed for the gym and I realized all of my leggings were still in the washing machine. My only option for the leg-day ahead was compression shorts. I died a little inside thinking about how people might judge the cellulite on my legs or think i was too big to be wearing shorts at all. Why couldn't I have been born during a time period where curves and rolls were attractive? But, then again, booty shorts wouldn't even be a thing in that day and age, and I surely would already be dead from small pox or stoned to death for one sin or another by now. I digress. I closed the drawer and decided I could just skip the gym that day. And then it hit me. I was so insecure about other peoples opinions of MY body, that I would rather stay home than risk someone thinking something negative about me. What kind of life is that? What kind of example was that setting for ...

Autism and Christmas

🎶 It's the most wonderful time of the year🎶 Or is it? Go talk to any family who has a child on the spectrum or who struggles with SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), and they will tell you that this time of year is ROUGH! I think sometimes we get so caught up in the spirit of Christmas and the traditions, that we forget this time of year is stressful for some people. Let's take a second and go back to the basics of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or SPD. These kids usually struggle with lights, sounds, noises, textures, and people. That is literally what Christmas is!! Put yourself in their shoes a second. It's flashing lights, and mobs of loud people and music all crammed in one spot so you can go sit on some weird old dude's lap, whose wearing a suit that feels strange, and you're in clothes that aren't comfortable. He's asking you what you want and if you've been good -- and for young k...

They're Listening

"Ugh, I suck. I'm the worst. I'm not good at anything." I've gotten on my daughter 100 times for talking to herself like that. "Would you say that to your friends? Then don't say it to yourself." I just could not wrap my head around where my confident daughter was learning to talk to herself like that. And then I heard it. On my last hunting trip, I was lucky enough to have a friend record the hunt. At one point, things weren't going the way I had planned. I remember mumbling to myself how upset I was. I remember jokingly saying I wasn't as good as we thought. I remember calling my husband, still breathing heavy from the hike, and joking that I was too fat for this. When we retrieved the elk, I remember being congratulated for the shot, but wondering if I could have done better. I was hard on myself for needing help with field dressing. I was physically ill that night because I was so worried I might not be strong enough to pack out...

Tales Of The Wild Things

Search This Blog