Another year, another adventure!

A brand new year! What a time for reflection, progress checks, and planning.

I got my new planner (adore), signed myself up for some challenges, and set some goals.

One concept that's been going around is to choose one word that will define the next year. I chose "Free." I want to be free from doubts, free to pursue my goals and dreams, free from chains that bind, free to do what I want and love within my career, free to make choices, free from negativity, free from bad habits or addictions... I just want to be free :)

I also set some goals, breaking them into smaller pieces, to help me improve physically, spiritually, academically, and in my career and marriage. I love the planning stage, where I get to think about an area in which I would like to improve (for example, building my endurance and physical capacity), set a measurable goal (complete an olympic triathlon), make myself accountable (sign up for the race, tell my family about it), break it into achievable pieces (sign up for a sprint halfway through training season, write myself a training program, oogle new gear), and get started on the first few little steps. It's not too overwhelming, but it's so fun to dream of the possibilities :)

Rolling with the punches...

When it comes to exercise, I’m a planner. I like to write out programs, planning out weeks or months ahead the systematic progressions I want to make.

This makes it hard when interruptions (inevitably) happen.

Like my car accident.

Like my surgery.

Like little things like invitations to go on trips or make evening plans or being extra-tired on the evening a workout was scheduled.

And once one day/plan/workout is interrupted, it can feel like a domino effect where suddenly the workouts for the rest of the week are thrown off. And if I don’t complete the workouts for the week, then the month is thrown off. And then I might as well cancel my plans/race registration/dreams and hopes.

Extreme, right? Well, yes, of course, and it’s not all that bad, but it can sometimes feel like that.

I’m trying to have a better, healthier attitude. Rolling with the punches is an important way to handle all of life’s ups and downs, and it definitely applies here. In the grand scheme of things, what is one workout? Will I really be ruined if I sleep in one morning? Will my whole training program be thrown off if I miss one run?

No. Of course not.

Keeping that in mind makes it a lot easier to say yes to fun dinner plans, scuba diving at the Crater with my love, and sleeping in on the mornings where I can tell me body really needs it. And I’m a whole lot happier for it :)

Making Progress

Progression. It's so hard to wait for it. I used to be (and still am, in some areas, although I'd like to think I'm getting better) sooo the kind of person who decided she wanted to do something, threw herself into it 110%, and then watched as it died off quickly because she didn't become a fabulous ballerina/marathon runner/poetry writer/master scriptorian/yogi immediately.

It's hard to start at step one. It's hard to wait for visible results. It's hard to do all this work for what seems like such little pay-out.

I see this all the time at work (I work in corporate wellness and fitness)... Either: 1) people who want to lose weight come in, set some really high goals, throw themselves into it for anywhere from 2 days to 4 weeks... and then we never see them again or 2) people who come in 1-2 times per week and take it really easy while they are there, and several months later they wonder why they still haven't lost the weight.

Seems like the problem usually lies with the level of effort put into reaching their goals. If they put in too much effort too soon, they burn out. If they don't put forth enough effort, they don't burn out, but they really never get to where they want to go.

Whatever our goals may be, these problems seem to persist. We either want immediate progress and get frustrated when things don't work out, or we just kind of coast along and don't push ourselves hard enough to make any change.

So how do we find that middle ground? The level of effort that sparks progress but doesn't sap all motivation? Unfortunately, there is no right answer. Fortunately, being mindful and aware can work WONDERS. Take mini self-assessments on a regular basis. If you feel yourself burning out, take a break, take smaller steps, switch something up to make it more interesting... but don't keep dashing forward, full speed ahead, because you're destined to crash. On the other hand, if you're feeling great but feeling like you're capable of more, then it's time to see what you can (safely and intelligently) step up!

Something that I see as being very beneficial is having a plan. A physical, written-out, step-by-step plan. Whether it's a workout plan for the next several weeks/months, a page of broken-down goals for the number of essays/articles you would like to read/write, a running plan that progressively increases your volume or intensity, or a plan to help you build and develop a certain skill (plug for pistol squats, mostly because I love that she's broken down the progression), it is so helpful to have a way to measure your progress and see if you are staying on track.

We are capable of so many fabulous things, but unless we're smart about them, most of us won't ever reach that amazing potential.


cheesy, yes, but so true

New Year's Resolutions --- Setting Goals

This is the time of year that everyone sets new goals. I mean, it makes sense... it's a built-in cutoff point in time where you can measure your progress. As much as New Year's Resolutions get a bad rap, they can be beneficial... if you go about them in the right ways. One thing we focus on at work are the SMART guidelines for goal-setting...

By keeping your goals within these bounds, you are so much more likely to actually achieve them.

For instance, if your goal is "2014: lose weight," well, that doesn't mean much. How much weight? How are you going to do it? What happens when the temptation to be lazy or to double fist Chungas burritos comes up? If you modify that goal to say that you're going to lose 10 lbs by June 1st, so you are going to try and lose 2 lbs a month, and you're going to do that by cutting down to one dessert a day and going to the gym 3 times a week, and you're going to weigh yourself every Sunday to make sure you're on track and write it on your calendar so your significant other can see if you're sticking to the plan.... suddenly your goal has a lot more meaning and direction. You've set yourself up for success, rather than setting yourself up to quit by March.

My company's wellness committee sent out an email with a strategic way to prioritize your goal-setting (which I will include below). I really liked how they emphasize that the things that are your highest priorities should be taking up the most of your time. It's great to say that your spirituality, your spouse, or your passions are highest on your priority list... but how much time are you actually spending on them (vs things that aren't on your list like Facebook or shopping or playing)? It's important to set your priorities, take a look at your life and see where you're actually spending your time, determine what changes you would like to make, and set up a plan to help you get there successfully.

Here's to New Year's Resolutions that actually stick!!!







Eight Steps to Writing a Strategic Life Plan

STEPS ((EXAMPLES))
1. What Matters Most to Me?
List all the aspects of your life that matter most to you. ((Spouse/partner, children, career, personal enrichment, health, spirituality, friends, finances, community and etcetera.))

2. Determine what you really want.
Prioritize the list of what matters most to you. Do this without judging yourself. ((1. Personal Enrichment 2. My Spouse 3. My Children 4. Paying off college loans/finances 5. My Career))

3. My Current Reality - Where are your efforts currently directed?
In a typical week, on average how much time do you spend on activities associated with each of the aspects listed. Rearrange the ordered list for the current reality. ((1. My Career 2. My Children 3. My Spouse 4. Personal Enrichment 5. Paying off my college loans/finances.))

4. Envision your future - What's your "big picture?"
Write a vision statement for each of the aspects of your life in your 2014 vision above. These statements describe what your life will be like when you achieve exactly what you set out to achieve. You may want to take baby steps and start with the top one or two. The remaining aspects of your life can be addressed once the action plans for your top priorities are nudging in the desired direction. ((1. Personal Enrichment. I am going to spend more time on activities that fulfill me like spending time on my hobbies and do more volunteering in my community. 2. My Spouse. In 2014, I am going to improve my communication with my spouse so we can connect more deeply and appreciate each other more. 3. My Children. In 2014, I am going to improve the quality of my relationship with my children so we have a more satisfying home. 4. Paying off my college loans. In 2014, I am going to pay off $7,000 worth of college loan debt.))

5. Create an Action Plan with S.M.A.R.T. action steps for each of your top 2 life areas. What specific steps do I need to take to ensure I reach my goals?
*The key is to write them so they meet the S.M.A.R.T. criteria for effectiveness (each action statement uses an assertive tone to describe a specific, measurable action that will be taken within a realistic timeframe. Plug them into a graphic organizer, print and hang it up where you can literally cross off the action steps as they are completed.)
For Example:
((My Spouse.
In 2014, I am going to improve my communication with my spouse.
• I am going to use 30 seconds of slow, deep breaths to prevent raising my voice with my spouse when we are talking through issues.
• I will schedule 2 date nights/month in our calendars through Q1.
• The night before our date night, I will write down 2-3 questions that we can answer together over dinner.))

6. List any Obstacles/Hurdles to your goal in each of the life areas.
For Example:
((My Spouse.
• The kids' extra-curricular activities schedule may prevent us from getting two nights to ourselves.
• I'll be too tired, unmotivated to think of discussion questions.
• I'll be overwhelmed from my day and commute and snap before I remember to 'breathe'))

7. Create a Support System to hold yourself accountable to completing the action steps. This system may include tasks as well as people that care about you; stick with you; and believe that you can achieve what you want in life. They will help you deal with setbacks if/when they occur.
((• I will put action items in my calendar.
• I will set recurring, quarterly calendar appointments of 1 hour to review and reflect on my plan and current path.
• Each quarter, I will review, revise and/or write a new list of 5-7 specific objectives for the next 90 days. These will be the most important things I can do in the next quarter to move toward my 'big picture.'
• I will print my life plan and share it with my best friend....giving her permission to check in on my progress throughout the year.
• I will network with someone who is already balanced in this aspect of their life.))

8. Identify a reward for the completion of each action step and goal. The size of the reward can be based on the size of the goal and the size of your budget, but it should be enticing enough to keep you motivated.
For Example:
((My Spouse.
Reward: Once I successfully use the buffer of deep, slow belly breathing consistently for one month, I will plan an overnight getaway for the two of us.
Paying off my college loans.
Reward: Once my loan is paid off, I will buy a new mattress (using a cash payment).))