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How To Set Yourself Up To Win

Happiness | Lifestyle

At the start of the year, I announced to the world my intentions and goals for that year. 2012 was going to be MY year. I was going to lose weight, find myself and take it all on. Even master Crow Pose. Fast forward to almost the end of the year – my inspiration board that I created to help me visualise my goals sits propped behind my computer monitor, I haven’t REALLY achieved much on my list and I still feel as lost as I did all those months ago.

My mistake – I forgot that life gets in the way

OR – shit happens. Meaning that you can’t EVER plan for everything, despite your many goals and desires. I am happy that I have them there, but if there is anything the year has shown me, it’s that life keeps going and things get shuffled around. Bigger priorities come into play and the little things don’t seem to matter so much anymore. I’ve been feeling that same restlessness I had at the start of the year – difference is the level of optimism and motivation.

My husband wisely said – “You have been so focused on one path, on something that doesn’t even make you happy anymore. You have so many other options there – look around and do what makes you happy.” Perhaps I got a little goal-happy with my inspiration board – not saying I don’t WANT to achieve everything I have there – I just think I need to redefine them a little. Open my mind up to other possibilities.

Achieving goals is HARD. It takes patience and self-discipline – two things I know I struggle with constantly.

But sometimes to achieve these goals, I think it’s totally ok to step back and realise when things aren’t going to plan. To change direction slightly or to refocus your energy to keep that internal motivation going.

I have a few simple steps to help me (and you) refocus:

1. Break Down Your Rules

Revisit your goals and break them down into smaller more achievable tasks – Every little action or choice brings you that one step closer to your goal and it doesn’t seem as daunting.

2. Stop Procrastinating

Quite funny since one of my goals WAS to stop procrastinating. Epic #FAIL. Just get started – making that first step will get you set in the right direction and create a momentum to keep you going forward. Often, it’s the first step that is the hardest to do. If it is fitness or yoga related for example – make a deal – “Just do 15 mins”. More often than now, you will find that those 15 minutes will fly by and you can keep going. If you only do the 15 minutes – then you have done what you promised in the first place. Win-win.

3. Keep track of your progress

I am guilty of letting my goals slide and before I knew it, a few months had passed by and I had barely done anything. Having regular monitoring will keep you focused and moving in the right direction.

4. Reward yourself

Set milestones and then incentives to reach them. I feel like it really helps to have that tangible reward to keep you going – for me, it could be spending money on new workout gear at Lululemon without feeling guilty or a trip to the salon to spend some moolah on getting my toenails sorted. Find your sweet spot and WORK for it. It’ll make that reward feel even better deserved.

Keep it simple and focus on the now, the things you can do RIGHT NOW and not worry about the future. There is still some of 2012 left!

And hopefully finally master that Crow Pose.

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