It's Wellness Wednesday!

We're back with another tip on how to LIVE WELL + Maximize your life from within. Today we're talking about the Mid-Year Refresh!  Now is just as good as any for a good 'ole RESTART.  The goal is always to live a healthier lifestyle! These are just a few tips to help you get started making subtle changes that matter. Let's dive in, but be sure to let us know which is your favorite!

Can we let you in on a little secret?  It's never too late to start over.

You may have heard people talk about the "Mid-Year Refresh" and thought to yourself..."I'm too busy", or "It's too late in the year to try and start my health journey.  I'll wait to the NEW YEAR"— DON'T WAIT, START TODAY! 

You can always start small and celebrate the smallest of wins, refresh your goals, and set intentions for the remainder of the year.  Your goals aren't as far off as you think!  Here's a few tips to get you moving!

HOW TO REFRESH YOUR GOALS

1. Re-visit your previous goals for this year

If you set goals for yourself earlier this year, take a look at them now. Be objective and look with fresh eyes. How many have you achieved? Are you part-way to reaching some of them or have they gone no further than just scribbles on paper?

• Is there a reason you’ve been successful with all, some or none? Do you notice a pattern?
• If you haven’t been successful, is it because they weren’t realistic or were they reliant on other people or factors beyond your control?
• Did you have an action plan to put them in place or did you just say you wanted to achieve X, Y or Z – a big target without breaking it down into manageable, bite-sized, accountable steps?

If you set goals but didn’t reach them, it’s always a good idea to work out why and asking yourself these questions might help you understand why.

2. Define your priorities to check your goals are still relevant

One of the other reasons that we don’t keep up with our goals is because they don’t matter enough to us.

For example, it’s all very well saying you want to get fit, but why? Is it to run a marathon and raise money for a charity whose work you support, or is it to be able to have fun and play football with your children?

Do you want to lose weight or eat healthier? It’s hard work doing that and although there can be flexibility, it can come with other hassles. Ask yourself why? To know your "WHY" is to have a reason not to quit.

To be focused and motivated to achieve your goals, they have to be important to you and evoke an emotion. We base many of our decisions (and actions) on our emotions so if you want to do something, it’s often helpful to feel a reason for doing it.

And that’s where setting goals just once a year can cause problems. Life can change at the drop of a hat and what you wanted in January isn’t the same as what you want in September or October. We change, our responsibilities and priorities change. Your goals need to change sometimes too.

Ask yourself whether the goals you have set yourself STILL matter. If they’re no longer relevant to you right now, change them. You can go back to them at a later date. Choose goals that matter and are a priority to you right now.

You might find it helpful to make a list of all the different aspects of your life including home, health, financial, work, family, friends, leisure, hobbies, relationships, social, emotional, spiritual. What do you want to develop or what needs work? Which are most important to you right now? What takes up most time in your thoughts or in your day?

3. Identify your next 3 goals and be specific

Having thought about your current priorities, the next step is to choose just 3 goals that focus on those priorities you chose above. You can choose less but I wouldn’t suggest over-reaching and choosing more. You need to feel that your goals are achievable otherwise you might feel disheartened if you don’t achieve them and that’s not very motivating!

Choose 3 goals and write them down. Be specific. Be positive. Give yourself an outcome that’s measurable and a completion date that’s realistic.

4. Make an action plan to achieve those 3 goals

For your goals to take shape you need to break them down. Small goals, but particularly big goals, are best achieved when you have a plan to make them happen. Include things like what you’ll need to make them happen

For example, to run a marathon you might need some clothing and suitable trainers. You’ll also need to make time in your schedule, a fitness program to keep you on track, maybe a friend or coach to keep you accountable. Perhaps you can think of other things. Whatever your goal requires,  grab a cup of coffee or tea, set it down in writing next to your goal with an action plan of how to make it happen. Your action plan will look different depending on the goal you’ve set but these action steps need to be simple and precise.  

Enjoying Wellness Wednesday's? Then comment, like, and share this post! Look out for the next week's Wellness Wednesday for more tips on how to live well and MAXIMIZE your life from within.