Setting Attainable Goals Written by Julie of Eggs and Herbs
As January comes to a close some of you may have already left those New Year’s Resolutions in the dust. Many times the problem with the resolutions we make are that we create a goal that is too unattainable in the short term. We set BIG goals for ourselves and when we have SMALL setbacks we give up. While some people may be able to set a goal they know will take months or possibly even years to accomplish and plug along without thinking twice; most of us need short-term attainable goals.
Today I want to to revisit those resolutions or intentions you’ve set for yourself and then try to break them down into more attainable bits.
Here is my BIG goal for 2012: Lose 30 or more pounds.
Is this goal possible? Absolutely!
Will I reach it in a month or two? Not likely.
Will I have setbacks? Probably.
So how can I make my goal to lose 30 or more pounds more attainable? For me what works is setting SMALL goals that will eventually lead to a better/healthier lifestyle and I include a reward when I reach that goal.
Here are my SMALL attainable goals:
Goal 1: Drink AT LEAST a liter of water every day and avoid soda.
Reward: At the end of the week (if I have reached my short term goal) I allow myself to have one glass of Soda as a treat. If I have not – I skip the reward soda.
Goal 2: Work out at least 3 times a week.
Reward: Each time I work out using a prescribed plan I pay myself $2.50. If I maintain my workout plan I should have saved enough money for a one hour massage at my favorite spa at the end of February. If I haven’t reached my goal – no massage!
I believe that by making these small changes I can eventually lose the 30 pounds I wish to rid myself of while at the same time changing my life to allow me to keep those 30 pounds OUT of my future life!
As this month comes to a close, don’t disregard the resolutions you were not able to keep. Instead, reevaluate them and set new, smaller, more attainable goals for yourself.
Intentional Resolutions {New Year, New You} Written by Heidi Clark of The Busy Nothings.
I hate New Years Resolutions.
I took a personalty test last fall and discovered my driving force is passion… followed closely by rebellion. Wait- what? Rebellion? How is that… good? SO… I’m passionately… rebellious at times and one of said times is around New Years when everyone around me is cheerily listing all the things that they are going to do better at in the New Year. Exercise, eating, you name it. I rolled my eyes at them. It seems so cheesy and like everyone puts off doing what they know is right until January 1st, then are overwhelmed with all the change at once and when they stumble or fail, feel bad then scrap the whole deal. It always seemed silly and I have obnoxiously told people in the past I made a resolution to never make a resolution.
But then, I realized I HAD been making New Years Resolutions, hypocrite that I am, just subconsciously over the year and in my own passively rebellious way:
– I started the Couch to 5K in November. I am not a runner and always spouted off that people who liked to run were probably running from some major issues in their lives. The fact is that I like to challenge myself and I wanted to see if I could ever run again and actually enjoy it too. I don’t really enjoy it yet, but I love the feeling of accomplishment that I have gotten from this fairly easy program. It’s amazing! Part of the reason that I started it in November was because my 61-year-old father told me he was training for a 5K. I was like- “Ummm- NO way my old dad will be in better shape than me!” and now we have a playful competition in which he’s totally smoking me… The other reason I decided to start running in November was to be ahead of all the people who were going to start in January. Wow. My lack of maturity staggers me at times. There’s that little rebellion with equal parts a competitive nature.
-I have not purchased new clothing from a store in MONTHS and have decided not to as long as I can, which is a part of a lot of people’s Resolution- to spend less. This has been partly because my husband lost his job last summer so I couldn’t afford to and partly because I thought it’d be a challenge to scour garage sales, local thrift and goodwill stores and see if I could still look trendy. Plus- I can buy MORE clothes for less money! Yes, an obvious fact to many! It’s a lot more fun of a challenge now that my husband has a job again! This has become a regular series on my blog as I find new ways to re-use old clothes, upcycle and accessorize cheaply.
-I have gone Gluten Free. OK, that is not a new thing actually. I cheat occasionally, but overall I’ve been Gluten Free for over a year now. What IS a new thing is trying recipes that involve some “from scratch” cooking. Don’t get me wrong- I cook from scratch a lot but when it comes to *baking* Gluten Free I’ve been a ‘from the box’ kind of girl. I baked some things from scratch that were horrible and some (a few) that were great and this year is about trying new things and experimenting in the effort to be healthier and save money. Failure is OK, I’m not perfect, (is what I keep telling myself).
-and speaking of FAILURE, I’ve started counting calories. This year. This could be viewed as some as a New Years Resolution… but it isn’t. It’s simply a decision that I made the first week of the New Year. Weird coincidence, huh? 🙂 This is hard for me- once again my rebellious nature growls at the shackles of restriction, especially in an area that I love: FOOD. But what I’ve found out almost 2 weeks in and 4 lbs less, is that it WORKS. There is freedom in self control that I have found more liberating than a bag of chips and spinach dip ever did. Barely, and not every day, but I’ve realized that I actually enjoy food more now! My goal is to be at the place where I’ve learned portion control, but in my busy, emotional eating world, counting is helping me a lot right now.
The last few year I’ve felt reactionary to everything. My husband, my little boys, and LIFE. This year I want to be more intentional- and it starts with taking care of myself. This list may seem a little selfish to some but it’s when I’m whole and healthy that I can pour out to others in a good way and my family benefits the most. I am rebellious and committing to change can be hard for me. I may joke around a lot, but the fact is that I passionately love life and want to live it in the fullest possible way and that does start with change. Which I’m making in a very non- New Year’s Resolution kind of way. 🙂
I’m Heidi, I’m a thirty-something wife and mom. I’m passionate about my boys, one of who has a rare genetic disorder which led me to cook much healthier and gluten free. I love being real and writing about my couch to 5k journey, finding fashion from thrift stores and garage sales and occasionally picking up a good DIY project. I decorate and free-lance write in my spare time. You can read more about me on my blog The Busy Nothings.
