By Susan K. Edwards, Licensed Spiritual Healer-Coach, Reiki Master, Ho'Oponopono
It’s that time again. Oh, joy. It's frustrating and disheartening when you've made the same resolutions year after year after year and the issue is never resolved. Brush off the past and employ these 3 simple hacks to take your success rate from dismal to exceptional.
Hack #1
Whose goal is it?
I find if your goal starts with a statement like, "I really need to...." it's usually NOT your goal. It's someone(s) goal FOR you. Whether it's a specific person, self-inflicted criticism, or society in general, if it's not your goal, you will fail. While we all feel pressure to conform to certain standards, if you really want to be successful in making a change, the goal needs to be yours. It needs to be generated by a PERSONAL desire to change. Do you want to lose 10 pounds because you want to please someone or does it please YOU?
Hack #2
Clarify if is it REALLY a goal or just an activity.
Most people mistake an "activity" for a goal. Let’s explore the differences between a goal, objective, and activities.
Goals tend to be broad general sweeping statements of what you'd like to accomplish. For example, a goal might be, "I want to be healthier this year."
An objective then supports that goal. It is specific, measurable and it has a deadline. If your goal was to become healthier, then an objective might be to lose 10 pounds in 60 days.
Many people mistakenly think that losing weight is the goal, but in fact, the goal is to be healthier.
Activities then support the objectives, which in turn support the goal. Let's use our goal, "I'm going to get healthy." One of your objectives is to lose 10 pounds. To support that objective, you commit to the activity of exercising.
Activities are very specific. The activity “exercise,” then needs to define how many times will you work out, what type of workout will you do and how long will you work out.
In our example, let's say you decide that you’ll go to the gym five times a week for an hour. You purchase an expensive membership and go to the gym the first time. It's hard, but you do it. You go to the gym the next day. It's not nearly as easy. You go to the gym the third day and the fourth day. And by the fifth day, you're like," This is just not working." And you quit. And you feel like a quitter.
Go easy on yourself. All you've done is misidentify an activity as the goal and discovered you don’t like that activity. Maybe your likes or lifestyle doesn’t support going to the gym five times a week. If you still want to get some more exercise and lose that 10 pounds, change your strategy. Pick a different activity to accomplish that objective. Perhaps try the activity of walking a mile a day or taking a hike once a week.
For me, I don't like going to the gym, but I will spend 20 to 30 minutes in the morning and do my yoga-inspired stretching and some light calisthenics. I live in a two-story house, so I use the stairs as my StairMaster. I do modified pushups and modified sit-ups and I enjoy those activities. I've been able to stick to that routine for years. It's a winning strategy for me. I don't like running and I don't like going to gyms. So it would not be wise for me to assign supporting activities I’m not good at or don’t enjoy as my strategy to get more exercise.
Hack #3
Skip the Guilt. Simply Reset.
Look at your goal or resolution and identify, if it is an activity, an objective, or is it the actual goal. Once you understand the difference between the goal, the objective, and the activity, it gets so much easier. If you don't like the activity, throw it out and don't feel bad about it. Celebrate you've tried something new and discovered it's not something you like!
If you don't like going to the gym, don't go to the gym. If you still want to incorporate exercise as part of your strategy, go walk or run or play squash. Do whatever activity you enjoy that supports your goal and objectives. You don't have to abandon your resolutions just because you don't like your first (or second, or third) strategy. You just need to understand the difference between the goal, the objective, and the activity, and make adjustments as needed. And that hack will keep you on track!
I hope that little piece of advice turns this year around for you. I'm wishing all the best for you. And I do hope that whatever your resolution was for 2022.
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The Rock Shop, sells healing crystals, books, aura cleansing salt soaps, aura scrubs, aromatherapy, and candles for any of your ritual needs. Contact the shop or stop in for more info. Susan is a Licensed Spiritual Healer Life Coach, Reiki Master, Certified Ho’ Oponopono Instructor, and Light Worker. She and her husband own the Nice Rock Shop at 311 Broadway Street, Paducah KY. Subscribe to her YouTube channel, Nice Rock Shop, follow her on social media, or contact her at NiceRockShop@gmail.com. The website is NiceRockShop.com.
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