I WILL...!

After almost 38 years, I am finally content with who I am. My body isn’t perfect, I have cellulite and some rolls around my waist, but I am healthy. I still struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time, but I know how to manage my anxiety. My mind still wanders during meditation, but I meditate regularly. I have really tight hamstrings, but I still practice yoga almost every day. My relationship with my husband is fantastic and I love my job. So all in all, I am really happy with my life.

But I don’t believe that being happy and content means that everything should stay the same. I definitely do not want my life to become stagnant. I want to learn new ways to eat fresh, local produce. I want to finally kick my caffeine habit (oh Dr. Pepper how I love thee!). It would be great to lose a few pounds and I would love to finally nail sundial pose. So while I am finally confident in who I am, I also desire more. And I think that as human beings it is really healthy to regularly strive to challenge ourselves intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Every day, I want to be an even better version of myself. I know that I am not alone. So if we all honestly desire to better ourselves, then why does that new gym membership go unused, why are we still making poor food choices, and why are we still staying up late to watch TV or answer one last email when we know that we will only feel lousy tomorrow because of it? I believe that while our intentions, goals, and resolutions come from a place of genuine desire to be our best selves, we spend too much time wishing things will change without actively making the necessary changes required to reach those goals.

We must first begin by setting clear, actionable goals. We must actively make changes to our diets, lifestyles, relationships, schedule, etc. in order to affect change. Hoping for change just isn’t going to cut it. How many times have you said “I wish I could lose some weight,” “I would love to meditate every day,” “Wouldn’t it be great to get more sleep?” Wishing and hoping for change without action is a total waste of time. What if you instead stated your goals as such: I will lose 10 pounds; I will meditate every day; I will get more sleep. Do you see how that changes the goal from a hope to an action? What is your “I will…” statement?

Secondly, true habit change cannot happen without slow, steady progress towards your goal. When we bite off more than we can chew, we usually end up feeling deprived, frustrated, overwhelmed, and/or exhausted. That is why gyms lure you into signing a contract: they know that after the first month’s enthusiasm wears off, you will stop coming and that is when they make a lot of money. Instead, focus on making small manageable changes that move you closer to your goals. Sounds simple, right? It is! And then, once that change becomes a habit, move onto the next small change. It can take a long time to form a habit, so think long term success here. Take small steps towards your goal and frequently reward yourself (healthy rewards of course, like a massage or a small piece of really decadent chocolate) for making progress. This is the key to forming good, healthy habits that last long after your 10 class yoga pass has expired.

Once you have your “I will…” statement, you can then decide how to best break the goal down into small steps. I will lose 10 pounds by eating 1 cookie a day instead of 2. I will meditate every day for 1 minute. I will get more sleep by going to bed 10 minutes earlier every night this week. Then once you become comfortable with those changes, take it to the next step. For example; I will meditate every day for 2 minutes. Remember, by taking small actionable steps you will reach your goal and will have developed a sustainable new habit in the process, win-win!

Go ahead and take a few moments to write down your goals. Circle the one that will have the most profound effect on your life. Remember to limit it to just one goal for now to prevent feeling overwhelmed. Then translate it into an “I will...” statement. Finally decide what small step you can take to get you moving towards you goal.

I want to support you in becoming your best self because most of us also need a third element, accountability. Comment below, email me (beth@bethmarek.com), message me on Facebook, or better yet, click the link below to schedule a free 20 minute strategy session (This is normally worth $50!) with me in order to start working towards your goals. Let's do this!

Schedule a FREE! 20 minute appointment with me: https://www.timetrade.com/book/1FD6R