The power of discussing your specific short and long-term goals and writing them down is unbelievable. What do you want for your life? Want to be more organized? Make exercise part of your schedule? Become a better cook? Learn how to meditate? Whatever it is, if you are intentional and clear about what you want to learn, improve your skills, or become, it’s absolutely possible with specific, small steps. You want an organized house and don’t know where to start? Start with one closet, one drawer, one bathroom cabinet… put headphones on, turn on a podcast/book/jam out and just get started. It’s literally the same in any scenario, just get started. Our coaching is all about small steps. You can try extreme measures with any goal and for very few, that works for long-term success. But most of the time, if we just start really small, like so manageable that the small step you set would be realistic for the rest of your life, we can enjoy the small changes that add up to a life that’s more fulfilling and a healthier and happier you.
However, big goals are important. If you don’t dream big, you’re limiting or not tapping into your potential. The biggest mistake our clients make is not celebrating small victories or noticing small changes in their behaviors. The process of waking up yourself into a life that challenges you is hard but rewarding. There are always setbacks or barriers that get in your way. But even being aware of them deserves some celebration. Realizing what gets in your way is the only way to strategize how to get around it or change it. Celebrate that! Celebrate when you struggle through a recipe that you didn’t initially have confidence to even try. Celebrate when you fit in a 10 min walk over your lunch break. Just because you initially planned on a 30 min walk doesn’t mean that that 10 min walk isn’t something to be celebrated. You can always build up your time but celebrate the fact that you’re making moves-you got up and got out there and probably inspired someone around you. Cross off that item on your to-do list, put a check mark in the box, and smile inside knowing that you’re realizing your worth and feeling more confident by making progress on these goals.
Setting some clear, concise goals for yourself can be rewarding and exciting but it’s crucial that you have people in your corner to cheer you on when it gets hard to stay on that path. Studies show that one of the most crucial components for improvements in health and maintaining long-term lifestyle changes is social support. It’s important to have family and friends that you know support you but I’m a huge proponent of using any available resource as social support. There are 5 million reasons to utilize any of those social support avenues and they change from conversation to conversation. Think about who you have in your life for support and additional resources that can help elevate you even more.
Besides getting hired for social support, another reasons clients hire us is for accountability. They know they will be way more likely to work towards goals if we’re going to ask them about it. We never shame anyone for not meeting a goal, that’s not helpful for anyone. But we will call you and hold you accountable for what you told me matters most to you and help you strategize to make that goal happen. You may not be ready to dive into coaching and that’s fine. Think of a friend or family member that you want to share your next goal with. Someone who is pretty non-judgmental, loves you, and also strives to better themselves. If you can’t think of a person, let’s work on improving our circle a bit. Simply tell your friend that you’re going to start walking 3 times/week and ask them to check in on you during the week at least once to ask how it’s going. Just saying your goal aloud to someone makes it more real and resonates in your soul if it’s something you truly desire. Saying it and having the accountability and support will bring the goal to the next level.
Andrea –
One of the goals I have right now is to build strength. That’s my general goal and there are a LOT of ways to do that. So I break it down into smaller goals to make sure I’m on track with making this a reality. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) goals make these big missions doable in small increments over time. My overarching goal is- build strength to improve my speed for marathon #20. It’s general as in I am building strength but I also have a purpose or reason behind it.
All muscles in my body work together to get me across a finish line so I can’t just focus on lower body. Right now, my small step is (after my at least 30 min of cardio) to incorporate at least 10 minutes of strength training each day in the morning, with a variety of exercises for all my muscle groups. Sometimes it’s more than that but it’s never less. That to me is doable, not overwhelming, I can commit to less than 1% of my day to build strength, esp knowing all the health benefits as well, I feel better/stronger, and it’s helping me with my goal of getting faster. You may think that sounds like a lofty goal or you may laugh at the small time commitment but the only thing that matters is that to ME, it aligns with my life, schedule, motivation, and I feel comfortable with it. And after keeping this up for 11 months now, I AM FASTER. I AM STRONGER. IT’S WORKING. And why? Because I made it realistic for ME.
Brooke –
My goal of 2021 is to make it a year full of joy and listening/strengthening my body. I plan to make this happen by practicing yoga and gratitude everyday. To ensure I set myself up for success, I will have my environment set up to support me – having my yoga mat next to my bed with my gratitude journal on top of it, making it the first thing I see when I get out of bed and reminding me to do get to it before I start my day. And unlike every other year, I will celebrate the days I succeed and give myself grace for the days I don’t, knowing that I’m human, and tomorrow is a new opportunity to make it happen. This year I am focusing on enjoying the process. I’m learning that life’s about the journey, not the destination.
If you’re not setting goals you’re not growing and if you’re not growing you’re not living. If you don’t have goals and are just coasting through life – what are you doing? Wasting time. We only have one life. What are you going to do with it? If you’re sitting around and you’re not happy with your life – you are absolutely in control. Sit down, give yourself 5 minutes to figure out your first goal. The fastest way to change is to take full responsibility. It may be overwhelming, but responsibility means you have the ability to respond – therefore you are in control. Reflect on what you want and don’t want and get comfortable being uncomfortable. Setting goals is a never ending process – and if you need support, we got your back.
Healing Food of the Week-
Looking for ways to boost your immune system this winter?
Oranges have the nutrients your body needs. Oranges are such a great source of vitamin C, consuming one will provide the daily recommended amount. The concentration of the flavinoid hesperidin in oranges helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭: Orange consumption has also been proven to reduce the risk of cancer and helps to fight viral infections.
𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐲:
IVY UNLEASHED
Behind-the-Scenes Video
3 Gold Stars
- Name an overarching goal and determine your first small step
- Schedule your small step in your calendar
- Tell your goal to someone who supports you
Ivy Reflections
- If I could improve one area of my health & wellness, what would it be, and why?
- What one small step could I easily add into my daily routine and what would that look like?
- What can I incorporate into my weekly routine that would keep me inspired all year (journaling, podcasts, books, Gold Ivy)?
Piece of Gold
You shouldn’t feel small compared to others, but you should feel small compared to your goals.
Jay Shetty
Andrea’s Top 10 Books of 2020
1. Elizabeth Gilbert – Big Magic
2. Dr. Wayne W. Dyer- The Power of Intention
3. Glennon Doyle – Untamed
4. Jay Shetty – Think Like a Monk
5. Shauna Niequest- Present Over Perfect
6. Robin DiAngelo – White Fragility
7. Tim Ferriss – 4 Hour Work Week
8. Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele – When They Call You a Terrorist
9. Jen Sincero – You are a Badass at Making Money
10. Alicia Keys – More Myself
RESOURCES
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘔.𝘋. 𝘑𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘩 𝘗𝘪𝘻𝘻𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘰 𝘕.𝘋. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘢 𝘗𝘪𝘻𝘻𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘰 𝘔.𝘈., 𝘓.𝘔.𝘛.
DON’T MISS OUT!
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Instagram – @pleasethankyougranolabars
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Listen to your truth and go chase your gold.
– Gold Ivy Health Co.
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