The Basics: Goal Setting
Wouldn’t it be great to set a goal/intention/resolution and actually follow through with it?
Post previously published on, and in collaboration, with E+Rose Wellness Cafe. Edited for reposting purposes.
‘Tis the season for New Years resolutions! These goals often involve changing a lot of our typical habits all at once in the hopes to feel/be/live differently in a short time frame. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could flip a switch and the obstacles that were once in the way of achieving our goals were magically gone?! Unfortunately, it usually doesn’t work like that…so starting small, identifying solutions and addressing obstacles can be key to our success. In other words, make a specific and realistic plan!
Start Small
Instead of trying to tackle exercise, water intake, healthy eating, waking up earlier, meal prepping, etc all at once, pick 1-3 areas you would like to improve to prevent feeling overwhelmed, eventually discouraged, and lastly throwing in the towel. Once you’ve “mastered” those few areas, you can always add on to them.
Be Realistic, Specific & Positive
Get really detailed and be honest with yourself. If your goal is to “eat healthier,” identify what an improvement in your eating habits would look like because to “eat healthier” is vague. Maybe for you it means adding 1 serving of fruit at breakfast and 1 serving of vegetables at lunch Monday through Friday.
Notice this statement isn’t an “I won’t ….” Make your intention positive, consider it an addition to your lifestyle rather than a subtraction. A glass half full perspective like the visual of filling up your cup with E & Rose Wellness Café’s green Matcha goodness (above)!
Make a Plan
What steps will you take to make sure you get those fruits and vegetables in? Does it mean making sure you hit the grocery store on Sunday before the workweek starts? Prepping breakfast ahead of time to grab-n-go (like these Super Seedy No-Bake Almond Butter Bars – below – with an apple)? Or even bringing your fruits/veggies to the office for quick access. Figure out what’s going to make it easy for you to follow through with your goals.
Is this doable and realistic? You know you best. If it’s not, get back to the drawing board.
Know Your Obstacles
What could prevent you from following through? In other words, what are the obstacles that could get in the way of this plan? Identify those and come up with plan B. Maybe it’s going to the café down the street for breakfast because you know they offer balanced options with a serving of fruit.
Choose Your Reward
Other than food, how will you celebrate your success and in what time frame? A new cooking tool, running shoes, a massage…find something that will motivate you and pick a date. “If I’m successful for 3 weeks, I will do __ for myself.”
Write it Down & GO!
Write your goal or intention down and include your action plan. Pick a date and get started!
