Ok you guys, I can't tell you how many times I’ve woken up on January 1st, excited to make ALL the changes - bought the new gym clothes, new running shoes, healthy grocery shop... and after one week of trying to reach my New Year health goals….I’ve fallen off track…..can you relate?

WHY does this happen every year? Well it’s because…..New Year’s Resolutions…..don’t work! 

Most people don’t know where to start and end up setting unreachable goals. They don’t have a clear cut action plan or lack the support they need to stay on track. 
 
This doesn’t mean that reaching your health goals is unachievable - it’s just that you need a new approach to setting realistic goals and putting them into action.
Over the years I’ve become obsessed with figuring out how to achieve my goals. And today I want to share with you 5 ways to help set you up for success so that 2020 is the year you finally reach your goals!

1. Write down your goals. I know what you’re thinking…..but I know what my goals are…they’re in my head. It doesn’t matter…..you gotta put the pen to paper. Studies show that when you write down your goals you are way more likely to accomplish them. So go get out your fancy new New Year’s notebook or planner (I know you have one) and write them down!

2. Dream big……but then break down that big goal into smaller more attainable goals. Recently someone close to me once said (half-jokingly) that their goal was to win the lottery…. as much as I would love for that to happen…the chances…..are very slim. 

Plus there’s not a lot of action steps you can take to accomplish that goal, except….buy a ticket and cross your fingers. I generally like to focus on goals that the success is a little bit more in my control and I can make a clear cut plan to work toward achieving that goal. So go ahead……set that big goal for the year but let’s create smaller actionable steps to get there. Let’s say your health goal for 2020 is to lose 20 lbs. I want you to break down that big goal into smaller achievable amounts. Maybe 2lbs a month is a more attainable goal in which you can definitely accomplish. When you set unrealistic expectations you are more likely to give up sooner because you are not getting the results you want. 

3. Know you’re why. When you are setting your goals it’s important to write down your why behind why you want to achieve them. For example, instead of just saying: I want to lose 20lbs, include your why for wanting to achieve that goal. Such as, I want to lose 20lbs so I can have more energy to keep up with my kids. Having a deep reason why brings an emotional layer to the equation and is helpful to re-visit when you are tempted to give up or fall of track. (quote Tony Robbins) 

4. OK so now that you have your goal….you’ve broken it down into smaller attainable goals……you now know your why….It’s now time to make a plan. You may have heard the quote “fail to plan..plan to fail” and you guys this couldn’t be more true!! Let’s go back to our weightless example. We’ve already broken down our big goal of losing 20lbs to 2 pounds a month….now is the fun part….the how are we going to do it. Of course everyone's ‘how’ is going to look different but there are a few things to consider in setting you up for success. Are you someone who would benefit from someone holding them accountable? News flash most of us fall into that category. If you are wanting to stick to a workout routine, maybe you might want to hire a trainer or find a friend who has similar goals to help keep you on track. If your goal is to lose weight or change your eating habits maybe you might find it useful to hire a nutritionist to help get you started, show you how to meal plan and prep and hold you accountable. Sometimes asking for help from a professional, family member or friend may be just want you need to staying on track. The next part of the how is the action plan. This is where a lot people get stuck are not sure what to do. I want you to pick 3 (yes only 3) action steps you can take in reaching your goal. Again if we looked at our weight-loss example those 3 action steps might be: drink more water, cut down on sugar, include more fibre. While you are working on your 3 actions steps I want you to re-evaluate at the end of every month to see if they are actually helping you get closer to your goal or if you need to re-evaluate or re-work these actions steps. And remember keep the action steps to a minimum because having too many can feel overwhelming and may set you up for failure.

5. Visualize daily: Visualization has been a tool that I’ve used for many years in achieving my goals. It only takes a few minutes a day and I like to do it first thing in the morning and right before falling asleep. Aim for at least once if not twice a day and visualize yourself reaching the goal. How would you feel, how do you look, what does your life look like after reaching the goal? Taking time to visualize daily will help keep you on track in attaining your goal. And remember ‘when you see it you achieve it’. 

So there you have it…..my tips on making 2020 the year you finally reach your goals. 

I hope you found this episode helpful and if you did I would be forever grateful if you could share this episode with a friend. 

And….If you haven’t already….hit subscribe down below. So excited to continue bringing you health and wellness tips every week. Thanks for listening to The Wellness Life Podcast we’ll see you next week!