You know how it goes. You started the year strong with good intentions, bright new year’s resolutions and a plan for your health, self-development and positive thinking. Pretty soon you are running into all kind of bumps in the road and screaming ‘I haven’t got any time’ cuts you down to barely making a gym session a week.
The truth is, every single person starts out on the exact same level playing field of 24 hours in their day. It’s what we each do with these hours that makes the difference to achieving our goals. Plans and goals work if they are followed by consistent, planned action.
Read on for 5 best follow-through tips to achieving your goals
1. Create habits using your calendar
Sometimes we can barely remember the date of our next hair appointment let alone the address of next month’s work conference. Make a habit of pulling out your calendar every time new information is given to you. Schedule your gym days, friend meet ups and grocery shopping days. When an event or to-do item is in your calendar the action is real and you see your life from a realistic view. You’ve taken action to block out time that is truly important to you. Use a calendar that you can carry around with you and update on the fly like Google Calendar. It’s free and it can be synced across all your devices.
2. Note it down
Don’t let the same memo circle around over and over in your head. This is just a waste of time that creates overwhelm and unneeded brain baggage. When new ideas come to mind pull out a single note maker system. I use the Wunderlist App, and I can access the lists from my phone and laptop. If you are currently using multiple lists or haven’t planted your ideas down in awhile you might be well overdue for a brain dump. Have you been meaning to call a friend or pick up your dress repairs for longer than you can remember? What do you keep saying you want to do or get done?
3. Say no more often
Have you ever helped a friend moved in exchange for your much needed down time for the sake of being a good friend or partner? When you are saying yes to something or someone what are you really saying no to? In reverse, by saying no to something, what opportunities might open up for you? Take a look at your calendar and your to-do list. What have you accepted and taken on in your life that causes tension or overwhelm? Are there any events in your calendar that are not aligned with your goals?
4. Accountability
Now that you have a calendar and to-do list with only the important notes and dates do you feel ready to tackle your tasks problem free? Probably not, we tend to ignore our own deadlines, appointments and break our own agreements we set for ourselves because, well who’s counting? You have only yourself to answer to and next week can easily end up as next year. We are not natured to do things on our own. Take a look at our ancestors and further back in the primal era. We have always been supported and held by a community of people coming together. Call upon a work colleague to become your accountability buddy for a project. Work with a Health Coach to help facilitate holistic health goals and nutritional support or sign up to your local gym to work with a PT. These people in your life can provide you with a point of reference for regular check in calls and help facilitate what you are committed to accomplishing.
5. Take action
Don’t trick yourself into believing you are in motion. Too many people think or talk about what they are going to do with no action. There is never a good time to start something, however small steps with consistent action will propel you forward. If we improve by just 1% every day, in just over 3 months we will have changed or improved 100%. Just go, make time for what’s important, throw yourself into it and see how you can be pulled forward.
No matter whether you want to run a marathon, eat with harmony, start a meditation practice or other new years resolution, you are much more likely to be successful if you follow these 5 steps. Good luck!
Berleena Eberle is a intuitive eating coach and runs the Cake Without Chaos health program to help you start to eat intuitively and without guilt. This month, Berleena is offering 1 lucky winner the chance to book in a complimentary health coaching session – click here to enter!
Berleena operates out of the Kings Cross clinic or online, if you want to make a booking with her, call 8354 1534.
