Getting Back on Track - how to achieve your goals in 2020

I love January. I know for some it is a dreaded month. However, it is a month where we all hit reset on our lives. We have blown out over Christmas and New Year, and most of us have this new found motivation to be the best version of ourselves - the ‘new year new me’ blah blah.

There is something about going into a new year, not much changes, but it does feel like a fresh start. I know it is cliche, but I say ride with it, the impact of making a new, healthy start can only effect you positively. I say, utilise whatever motivation you have, at whatever time it surfaces, this doesn’t have to apply to just January - but this is a time when most of us are in the same boat.

Now, for getting back on track, it is important that you do not adopt an all or nothing approach. For example, if you are someone who never goes to the gym, then in January decides to go 6x per week, come February, you will be back to square one. That is just not sustainable. Remember it is a marathon not a sprint. Start slow, maybe go once or twice a week, and build up from there. I guarantee this will be more effective, you will actually enjoy going, it will then become a long term habit, not a chore. The results you see will be much more significant. You can build up to the 6 times a week, but don’t start there. You don’t make it to the top of the mountain without climbing it first. This applies to anything you want to start, not just fitness. For example with me, I need a serious reset after Christmas, but I am not doing anything that I don’t usually do in my normal routine. I am just eating and training the same as I normally would. I am not placing any food restrictions on myself. I have just decided to cut out refined sugar and alcohol. Which for me are do-able (the sugar part will be hard, just as I have such a sweet tooth, but I eat too much of it and I am aware that I need to change, my skin is telling me this). I am cutting out alcohol purely because of the amount I consumed over the holidays, my body just needs a break. These two things I am only doing for January, and after that, I will do my best to practice moderation.

This brings me onto another point, as you can see, my changes are not drastic, but the changes I have made, have a reasoning behind them. Really figure out your why when it comes to habits you want to make or break, so when it gets tough, you can go back to your why and re-spark your motivation. It will be tough, be aware of this. Especially if you are looking to break a habit that you have been a slave to for years. This brings me onto my third point…

Get yourself some support. Say your new year goals out loud, tell your family and friends, write them down. You are far more likely to achieve something if it is actually written down in front of you and you have said it out loud. Telling your family and friends means you are now accountable to someone else, and if you do'n’t manage to achieve what you set out to do, you will feel like you have let them down. So this is a good motivator. Me and my family have created a Dry Jan Whatsapp group (lol) because we are all doing it together, and it really helps. Just small things like checking in at the end of each day to say you have achieved your goal for the day, and others are there to support and encourage.

Lastly, If you are like me, a new year is not just about what behaviours you want to change for the month of January. It is a chance to look toward the whole year and set some long term goals. For me personally, I have certain business goals I want to achieve within my industry, as well as personal goals and fitness goals. I think it is important to write these down, daily if you can. If you want something, be clear on what that is and keep it in your mind, because what you focus on will grow. I do believe it is manifesting your own reality to an extent, however the more you think about something, the more you are likely to take action on it. So it is ultimately down to you and how you choose to behave to get to where you want to be. So be clear on what you want, and implement the steps to get there. You will surely have to step out of your comfort zone, as no one has ever become a better/more successful person by staying in their comfort zone, but it will be worth it. Don’t think about the fact it is scary or uncomfortable, just move, and think later - I guarantee your thoughts after you have stepped out of your comfort zone will be totally different to the thoughts you had before doing so. Action over thought.