Showing posts with label new years resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new years resolutions. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

New Year, New You???

Every year, media tells us we need to become a different person in the new year. If that's what you want...then go for it! Give it all you've got and don't stop until you're reached your goal! But I'm pretty happy with who I am. :)

Of course, there are some things I'd like to strengthen though.

Health and fitness always seems to be everyone's top resolution. Which sometimes only lasts for like a month...two tops. I've been making gradual changes for years, and I'm pretty happy with where I am. I came to a realization within the last year that I was unwilling to accept at first. But I am now better off because of it (Getting old SUCKS! But it's inevitable).

One change I have made is to accept life and not punish myself with food. I did a restrictive diet earlier this year because I was in a very desperate place. But it made me miserable. I woke up and now I do my best to plan out a healthy diet. I follow the moderation rule and have no qualms with splurging and eating things that make me happy. On occasion. I refuse to call it "cheating". I think the term "cheat day" is awful and no one should use it. It implies guilt. Cheating is not a positive term.

So this year I plan to nourish this plan for moderation and well-balanced diet and life :)

I plan to do find ways to work within my limitations when it comes to exercise. I can't be the person I need and want to be if I'm laid up on the couch because I'm in pain.

I will cultivate the relationships in my life, spend more time with the people that raise me up, who love and support me, and give less time-including my mental time- to the ones who don't.

Continue to plan fun family events and cherish the time I have with my kids, but no longer let others make me feel guilty for spending adult time with my husband and friends. My kids are important, but I need adult time too. I am a better parent because of it.

And of course, I have big plans for my career! If things go well, this will be another stellar year for me!

Happy 2015!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Reaching your New Year's Goals!

January is the month of setting goals. Everyone makes promises to themselves, or to others, for how they will change their lives in the new year. But so often those goals get pushed aside by the end of February. Why? It could be laziness or lack of time. Lack of motivation, support, money.... There are lots of reasons why people fail to carry out their goals.

Here are my list of Dos and Don'ts for keeping your New Year's goals!

DON'T make unrealistic goals. If you aim to get to the gym 7 days a week and lose 5 pounds a week, well, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. It's good to aim high, but in order to keep yourself from getting disappointed, start small. If you're joining a gym for the first time, aim for 3 days a week. And 1 pound a week is a healthy weight loss goal. You'll find it easier to reach goals if you start small and adjust your goals as you go along. And the small accomplishments will energize and motivate you.

DO adjust your priorities. If your goal is to write more in 2014, well, that takes time. And as everyone knows, time is precious. There's only 24 hours in a day, and that time has to be divided between jobs, kids, spouses, chores, eating, and of course, sleeping. How great would it be if we could sleep 1 hour and be completely rested?? But until science invents some kind of magic pill, we all need a good 7-8 hours a night. So the only option for eeking out more time is to give up some of the other ways we spend it. Do you really need to watch that TV show? Is it all that important to sit on Pinterest for an hour? An hour to write, or work out, or do whatever other goal you have, can be a very successful hour.

DON'T let others discourage you. It happens. People try to pull you from your goals for whatever reason. I think family is the biggest culprit for this....and the guilt we feel. The kids want to play, the spouse wants to snuggle. Stay strong! Talk with your family and make them understand your goals and how important they are to you.

DO let yourself off the hook once in a while. Life can throw all kinds of things at us. It's okay to step back and take a break, rejuvenate yourself. Pushing on when you're clearly tired, burned out, under the weather, stressed, etc... is asking for disaster. Step back, fix whatever is going on, then get back to your goals. And it's okay to play with the kids and snuggle with the spouse. Enjoy your life too. It's all about finding the right balance.

DO find a support system. Having friends to reach goals with is a great way to keep yourself on track. Not only is it good to have someone to celebrate the highs with and commiserate the lows with, having someone to keep tabs on you will help keep you motivated. It's easy to fail when there's no one to hold you accountable but yourself. But if you have to check in with a friend, you will be more motivated to do something. Find friends in real life, or friends online. Support is so so important

So there it is! Good luck in 2014! And if you want to chat about goals and making the happen, tune in tonight at 8 EST on Twitter for #ChickLitChat!