I think it is safe to say, that most people are gun-ho at the thought of a new year.  It’s our chance to leave behind the issues of the past year.  Bury a few bad experiences, perhaps recovering from a big loss in our life, we are ready to wash away all of the grit of the previous year.  Then we get busy planning out all the things we are going to accomplish in the coming year.  Losing weight, eating healthier, getting out of debt are just a few things that come with planning out our new year.

Then February hits, and you are nowhere near beginning any of the goals you have set for yourself a mere 31 days ago, let alone a possibility of reaching a goal.  All you can think of is how busy you were last month recovering from Christmas, reorganizing your household, getting the kids back to school, then the bills start coming in from all of the money you should not have spent on Christmas.  And then financial stress hits, then the “clean eating” plan goes out the window with the bowl of ice cream that comes your way, then you start to become the grumpy wife and mother you promised yourself you would not become.  The downward spiral begins, the vicious cycle of life takes over.  You have been sucked back into your old ways, that comfortable/uncomfortable place that will keep you captive for yet another year.  Ugh.

Let’s have a conversation today about setting goals and how to reach them.  First of all, you have to be VERY specific about your goals and they must be MEASURABLE.  For instance, to say, "I want to lose weight this year", we both know it will never happen.  Plant this in your mind, I want to lose 20 pounds by August 31, be specific.  That is 2.5 pounds a month (if you begin in January) and is 0.625 pounds a week.  When you break it down, the 20 pounds has now become slightly over ½ of a pound a week.  This will make the goal less intimidating and more achievable.

We are not stopping there, the next step is to make an ACTION PLAN for the goal of losing 20 pounds by August 31.  HOW are you going to lose the weight?  No excuses!  It is easy to get in a funk and say something like this, “I don’t have enough time to work out, I am too busy”, well that is simply bull, I don’t buy it.  We all have 24 hours in a day, and have the opportunity to fill those 24 hours with what is important to us.  If it is important enough, you WILL find a way.  If you have time to peruse social media, you have time to exercise.  If you have time to watch Netflix for two hours in the evening, you have time to work out.  If you have time to play games on your phone or device, you have time to work out.  My point is, if your goal is big enough in your heart and soul, you will find a way to make it happen.  If you want something badly enough, it WILL happen.  Set your mind to succeed.  Make a choice of water instead of soda, fruit instead of a candy bar, take the stairs when you can instead of the elevator, this list can go on and on.  By making simple choices you will begin to lose weight.