Is 2023 “Your” Year? Where to start? (5 steps to help you achieve your goals)

“This year is going to be my year. I can feel it!”

How many times have we all said it??? (Don’t worry, I’ll wait)

Each New Year is filled with the promise of new possibilities and new hopes for the future.

We each have goals and milestones that we would love to achieve in our lifetimes. (besides winning the lotto)  

What holds each of us back from our personal goals? It’s a serious question.

What stops you? What is REALLY holding you back???

The answer may surprise… and possibly anger you.

It’s YOU

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Hard Truth

Yep, I said it… YOU (don’t hate me)

It’s true, we can be our own worst enemy for sure.

And NO… I am NO different. I am also to blame. Take me for example, one of my biggest goals that I would LOVE to achieve is running a full marathon. I sign up for one every year. Lay out the perfect training plan, buy all the fun shoes (because I totally need more of those) and then… life gets in the way.

5K. Half marathons… no problem…

But that “Marathon” training is so much more stringent and the suddenly…

I am tired

It’s too cold to run today.

Work was too stressful, I just want to sit down and relax.

My work schedule gets too hectic

Or I catch a cold and “couldn’t possibly catch back up”

I can be the queen of excuses, if I want to be.

We all can.

But the fact of the matter is that there is never going to be another “today.” You will never be this young again. There will never be a better time to start. Maybe it’s the decade I spent working in the Emergency Department that has given me the “life isn’t promised” attitude. But the simple truth is…

It’s not.

Not even just a little bit.

Not to be too grim, but honestly death comes for us all whenever the hell it wants. You don’t have to be sick, or even ailing. It can come in the form of a bus crossing the street. Or wrong place, wrong time.

Each of us are blessed! Beyond blessed. You get to wake up every morning. You can walk out your door. You have air in your lungs, and your eyes can see the sunrise and sunset. For me, it’s the feeling of my kids in my arms, and the look in my husband’s eyes, that reminds me that life is so precious.

Seize the day

So what goals do you have you been sitting on? What have you always wanted to do? Take that trip. Pay off those bills? Lose that weight finally? Is your goal to…

Eat Better?

Be Better?

There is no better time than now. And here’s a wonderful, not-so secret… if you fail, you simply wake up tomorrow and start AGAIN.

That’s right! Try again!

You only truly fail if you stop trying.

And you are WORTH it!

You, my fellow child of God, are worth anything you wish to achieve.

You only have to believe it.

So….

Where would you like to begin?

5 Easy Steps to Goal Setting

Step 1: Set a clear goal and write it down. Be specific

Make sure that your goal is challenging, but attainable, measurable and has a deadline.

 (For example: I want to be ready to run a full marathon by Memorial Day 2023)

I have placed two of my favorite planners to get down all the details below

Step 2: break that goal into smaller “bite size” attainable and measurable chunks

          I will train 4 days per week

          I will be up to “x” miles by the end of this month (and so on)

Step 3: Make a plan for each of those chunks

          Pull out your calendar and plan out your days (which days are for running and which are for cross training)

          Meal planning to fuel your progress appropriately

          Are you going to do this with someone to help hold you accountable?

Step 4: Visualize yourself achieving your goal!

Take a moment each day to feel how it will feel to have accomplished your “win.” Confide your goal and intentions to those who you trust.

Step 5: Celebrate the small wins.

This is the most important part! Big goals can be long and arduous to achieve. Some take months or even years to attain.

And most importantly, remember to give yourself some Grace and celebrate the little milestones along the way.