Monday Funday? A few Thoughts on Fresh Starts
Everybody loves a Monday. New week, clean slate, a great day to start over. While I often tell clients that any day is a good day to start living healthier, Mondays seem to be the preferred day to get our sh*t together.
That said, here we are, at another Monday opportunity. You may be excited about starting over and super motivated to get started. Here are a few tips to restarting, refocusing on your health goals. I’ve seen many clients bring the enthusiasm only to get frustrated and fizzle out by Wednesday. SO…take a minute and remind yourself that you are human. Not superhuman. Take a deep breath, and center yourself around the fact that you don’t have to do everything at once, today, and perfectly.
Some Tips Before You Jump In with your New (insert goal – diet, exercise plan, etc.)…
Celebrate your commitment. The act setting a goal, refocusing on something you want to achieve is something to celebrate. It means you are committed to being healthy. Woo hoo! High Five! Be proud of yourself for taking the step.
Next, let go of what’s gone wrong in the past. Holding on to feelings of past failures and missteps does nothing to motivate you to future success. Women especially like to hold on to and dwell on what we’ve not done well. Let that shit go. Today is a clean slate. Stop focusing on what you haven’t achieved and wrap your head around what IS possible.
Set a SMART goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant/Realistic and Time Bound. Committing to losing weight or eating better are noble pursuits but they aren’t SMART goals. Drill down, get really clear on what you’re going to do, how you’re going to do it and when you want to achieve it.
Identify what could go wrong. I know. That’s not optimistic but it’s reality. Poke holes in your plan. What will keep you from completing this goal? Then, come up with the solutions. If it’s lack of childcare for your evening spin class, talk to a neighbor about swapping childcare duties for each other. A goal created in a vacuum that doesn’t take into account real life is doomed to fail.
Identify your Support Network. You’ve got the goal, you’ve worked through the potential pitfalls. Now, enlist the support of 3 friends and/or family members to support and encourage you. They need to be prepared to give you some tough love when you veer off the course but also cheer you on when you cross the finish line.
Prioritize and Plan your Wellness. While our lives can be over-scheduled at times, busy women know that to meet the demands of career, family commitments and life in general, having a schedule and sticking to it is critical to success. Your health and wellness should have a spot on your daily calendar like any important meeting. As you look at your wellness goals remember the R in SMART – is it realistic with regards to the time you can devote? Setting a goal to work out 7 days a week sounds awesome but can it work with your schedule? Spend 15 minutes each Sunday to block the time on your calendar for your wellness goals.
Embrace imperfection. You’re a woman who’s likely being pulled in many directions. You need to be ok with being imperfect. That means, if you set up a schedule and you miss a workout, it’s not the end of the world. Pick up the next day where you left off and keep moving forward. Don’t dwell on the past or what you didn’t do well. That will just keep you stuck where you are.
Mondays are a great day to restart and refocus but remember that your health and wellness requires you to focus EVERYDAY for the long-term benefits.
Not sure where to start? Goal setting got you like…ugh? Let’s connect. My coaching is designed specifically for professional women and their unique schedules and needs. It’s nutrition, fitness and overall wellness coaching.
When we work together, it’s not a restart every Monday.