Dear Mommy,
Well, were here. 3 full weeks into this New Year and well, frankly, it feels like so far we never really left 2020. In Israel we're back in a more or less full lockdown (some flexbility...) And were all still struggling with our mental, physical, and emotional health and well being. Actually, maybe more now than we even could have imagined.
3 weeks ago we were full of excitement, full of reassurance that 2021 would bring about a great wave of change. The pandemic has to come to an end eventually. Politics and government world-wide, let alone in America, and here in Israel, have major obstacles ahead of them. And we all set resolutions, goals, wishful thinking,, that seemed realistic or like a great idea at the time.
Here we are, 3 weeks later. Studies prove that most of us drop off with our goals/resolutions from the New Year right about now. The fire burns out. The excitement surrounding ideas of change takes a turn. More importantly life brings us back down to Earth and to reality. I've been sick more in 2021 than I was in all of 2020. But I would also beg to argue, that I am actually taking better care of myself now than I was in 2020. My goal of self care and keeping down time for my activities and things that make me happy, feel accomplished, joy, etc... so far, I have stuck with that, even through the ups and downs of some wicked illnesses.
So what is it that makes sticking to our goals so difficult. According to John Beradi, founder of Precision Nutrition, we have adopted this mentally of the all or nothing when it comes to goal setting. And the problem with this, is once we have a minor setback, we assume all of our work is lost, and we might as well give up on our goal/s right then and there. Something that I constantly preach to my clients is balance. Finding this level of balance, of moderation in our lives is so important. And it relates to everything we do. But more importantly than finding balance, it is accepting that balance and knowing that just because we were off for 1 day, or for 1 week, its how we take back control. We set the record straight. We control the outcome.
My goal for this year was pretty generic. And even more than that, covered a huge variety of concepts/activities that I could allow myself to find success. Self care can be in the shape of making sure Im getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night (and yes... lately, I've found that that is my magic number). It could also be calling a friend to catch up and say hey. But I think my favorite one so far is reading more, and social media less. When I wake up in the morning, I take a few minutes to decide what is it that I need to focus on for that day in order for it to be successful for me, but more importantly, how I can make sure I am at my best so my clients can reach their ultimate success.
Whether its getting back to working out, balancing nutrition, getting on track with sleep, or adding more meditation or mindfulness into your life... start with one area and focus on how you can slowly either add that in, or start taking something out to help you best reach your goal. But going cold turkey and all or nothing, isn't something that is going to stick. They say it takes 30 days to make a habit. Well lets start by making better habits. Start small. Dream big. And let's enjoy the journey along the way.
I hope you all are doing well! Staying safe, smart, and warm! We finally welcomed in winter this weekend In Israel... mid 60s and a little rain here and there :) Time to pull the puffer jacket and UGGS out of the closet for the mornings and evenings. Start slow. start small. Create a habit. And then slowly watch it grow as you get stronger, smarter, and more confident.
Take care, Hoping to see you all one day soon! mask up. stay fit. stay healthy.
xoxo JMW
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