We are already into the third month of the New Year, and spring is just around the corner. This is an excellent time to reflect on your resolutions for 2021 and take an honest look at how you’re doing.
Are you making progress toward your resolutions? Or are you feeling discouraged about what you haven’t accomplished versus celebrating what you have accomplished?
If just about everything you resolved to do has fallen by the wayside, don’t lose heart! Remember that spring is the season of growth and renewal, making it the perfect time to tackle your goals—the right way.
First, you need to feel a passionate connection to your objective. Pick a specific goal that’s in alignment with your values, and you’re much more likely to see it through. Write down that goal: the act of putting it on paper, or keying it into your computer or smartphone, affirms and focuses your intention.
The most effective goals are SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time Dimensioned
If your goal is, “Get Healthier,” be very specific about what you want to achieve. Lock in specific action steps, like, “Get up 20 minutes earlier to meditate every morning,” and, “Exercise at least 30 minutes every day.” The more specific you are, the easier it will be to stay on track.
By taking time to set measurable goals right from the start, you’ll be able to monitor your progress in real and tangible ways.
A common tendency is to set completely unrealistic goals that are impossible to achieve. For instance, if on a daily basis you love to sink your teeth into a giant burger, chances are your desire to “Go Vegetarian Starting Today” is not going to happen. Instead, starting with one meatless day the first week, and gradually increasing the number of days every few weeks, gives you the opportunity to realistically and permanently change your behavior.
So let’s say you’ve strategically set SMART goals, you wrote down specific action steps, and you’re starting to see results. It’s time to celebrate!
While stopping to congratulate yourself on your progress might seem unnecessary or premature, it’s actually one of the best motivators. In her book, The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, Harvard Business School Professor Teresa Amabile, Ph.D., shares her research on this topic. She proved that marking minor achievements is the most effective way to inspire people to continue on track for achieving other objectives, both large and small.
Also, celebration is a spiritual discipline. Enjoying the fellowship of like-minded people, expressing gratitude for your achievements, and sharing the fruits of your labors enriches your spiritual connections to everyone and everything in your life, and to God.
Learn how to set SMART goals for yourself by spending time with us at the Optimum Health Institute. Our caring, dedicated team can help you attain your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual goals for optimal health. Visit our website at www.optimumhealth.org, and call us at (800) 588-0809 to make your reservation.