Sheri here –
Well here we are, well into the new year and a new decade.
Did you decide where you were going to start?
Write SMARTER Goals
Did you write any SMARTER goals? As I mentioned last week SMARTER is an acronym, which sets out the actions for goal setting:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time-Bound
E – Evaluate
R – Readjust
These have a higher success rate than New Year’s resolutions.
Where to begin? Frequently losing weight and reducing debt are two that are high on the list.
These both have a lot in common. They require focus, intentionality, and tracking.
Goal Success Requires Focus; Maybe New Habits
With food, some of the best success rates that I’ve experienced have come with daily food tracking – either in an app such as My Fitness Pal or the old fashion, manual diary.
The most important thing is to keep track of what you are eating, then followed by PLANNING what your food consumption will look like.
Oh my, does that sound like a lot of work or what. Well, if you are just starting, yes, it is work, because you are changing patterns – creating a new habit. Changing habits is frequently at the heart of weight loss and fitness.
Even the commitment to do exercise daily or 5 days a week may be a change in pattern for you. I know it is for me. It starts with desire and intentionality. Being committed to achieving your goals, whether it is weight loss or just to feel better.
It does take effort.
Changing your spending patterns are much the same. It takes a written plan (aka budget) and tracking your actual spending daily.
This can also be done using an app, manually on paper or even using a spreadsheet. It takes a commitment to do the work to make a change.
As you track your daily spending, you get a LOT of information about how you spend money. You may begin to see ways you could reduce what you spend – either in cash or on credit – and make real differences in your life.
Adopting new habits, no matter what they are – changes in eating, exercise or spending requires some dedicated focus. It might also require a coach, a trainer or an accountability buddy.
Change Requires Action
Many of our goals requires change. Wishin’ don’t make it so – changes require action.
Are you committed to change, thinking about it?
What changes are you focused on making? Share with us in the Facebook Group Reinventing You, just click here!
Nothing changes until something changes. It can be a dream, that becomes a goal, that becomes an action. It can be one small step on a journey that will, over time, change your life.
Need some help – all you need to do is ask…
Ciao and hugs,
Sheri
P.S. If you really want to change and you know you need some help, let’s talk, you can schedule some time to chat right here with this link.
