motivation

Happy 2021 ! It is that time of year again when we all start to contemplate a New Year’s Resolution or “yearly goal”. This year might be starting off a little dark and dreary amidst a global Pandemic, but wanted to share 5 tips for keeping your motivation going this year!

1.START SMALL! Set a goal that is achievable and specific. Making small daily changes or changes gradually over the year are a lot easier to do than something radical and drastic to your regular every day life. It is okay to set phases for your goals, pro-athletes train in phases, why shouldn’t you do things in steps as well? Being specific is critical as well to make sure you know what your goal is clearly, “drink 100 oz of water a day” or you can even be specific with some room for variation such as, “30 minutes of exercise a day” or “one act of self-care a week”

2.WRITE IT OUT! Make that goal visible to yourself every single day. A few perfect places we frequent every day might include the refrigerator door, bathroom mirror, background to your phone, in your car, work bag, and computer desktop. You could even get fancy and frame your goal. Your goal could be written out in words, a positive affirmation, a mindset, a single word, or even a symbol or picture. Having daily or weekly reminders to yourself on your phone or calendar may be helpful as well. The more you are able to see and think about your goal, the more you are reminded to stick to it.

3.SHARE & FIND FRIENDS! Once you have made up your mind tell your friends, family, dog, significant other, the neighbors, coworkers, just anyone you speak to regularly. The more people who know, the larger your support team will be. It may seem strange to reach out to people, but honestly do it, there are so many other people who would like outside help as well. You might be able to find an accountability buddy within your immediate circle, but if not, try virtual. Finding online groups can be extremely beneficial during this time of social distancing. Having someone to answer to on a regular basis, share progress/setbacks, and is working with you makes things seem a lot easier when you are not alone. If you still insist on being shy, try an app, there are plenty out there to help give you guidance for keeping you on track (click here for an article for goal apps).

4.SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS! I sometimes find this to be the most crucial part of staying on top of a goal. Plan, plan, and plan some more. The prep work is what makes the actual work a lot easier. Think about doing everything possible to put yourself in a good position for success. If you are working out in the morning, set your clothes out the night before, prep your coffee and food, get your equipment set up. If you are going to work on stress management, get a good night sleep, avoid doom scrolling, cut out the negative people in your life. Look at your schedule, plan things out and prepare for things ahead of time. Also, keep a plan B because we all know how well 2020 went to plan, things happen and be prepared to easily adapt to any changes in your plans.

5.SET THE MOOD! This sounds cliché but honestly, there are professionals who specialize in setting up the perfect mood for every scenario, dinner, work productivity, relaxation, it’s a thing, trust me. Create an environment for success. If you need peace, make that perfect oasis in your home. Find a room and fancy it up to your liking, good lighting, a diffuser(any type of aromatherapy), organize it with everything you need, put inspirational photos and quotes up. If you need silence, find silence, or noise cancelling head phones can be a great substitute. If you need a view and don’t have one, create one virtually with YouTube videos or Google Pictures. The right spot for you might also be outside, there are SO many trails, beaches and outdoor places in the area that are great for exercise, mediation, and general enjoyment. The right environment should be rid of any distractions, such as clutter, people, noises, etc. If there is any new gear that will assist you in this environment, such as special pens, a good desk, running sneakers, outdoor raingear (but you should really have this already by already living here), a new playlist, basically anything that will help get you get excited to work towards your goal, do it, invest in yourself. (Note* Money does not need to be spent, looking on second hand sites such as Offer Up or Facebook can provide free and extremely affordable items).