Why You Can't Hit Your Big Health Goals...
Hello Basically Nourished Family,
Here we are, just shy of 3 weeks into 2025...how's it going?
It's been a SUPER busy start to my year, marked by travel, a winter sports banquet, continuing education, and being a featured speaker at the Hidden Healing Summit... (deep breath incoming!).
But I'm curious about your upcoming plans for this year?
Did you set some big goals to start on Jan 1st, and find it's already kicking your butt to stick with these goals? Or perhaps you delayed starting your new goals until Jan 6th, or even waited until the kids were back in school?
New Year's Resolutions can be some of the biggest goals set, and they can also be some of the fastest ones to fail. But why?
It's not the goal itself that's creating the problem, but rather...
- Your inner confidence to achieve the goals (unconsciously doubting you'll be successful THIS time, since the last 5 years you've set - and failed to achieve - the same goal.)
- Creating a huge goal to focus on without setting smaller, bite-sized goals that help march you closer to your 'bigger' overwhelming one.
- Taking an 'all or nothing' approach, and punishing yourself for not being perfect on your road to achievement.
Let's dive a little deeper for a sec. The little promises you have made to yourself, but didn't keep, start to crack your self confidence when it comes to change, or achieving something 'new'.
This will happen every time you say you are going to get up in the morning to work out, but then sleep through your alarm and skip it. Or when you make a promise to drink 2 liters of water a day, but barely get through one. Over time, your brain (and your subconscious) begins to doubt your ability to follow through on a task, making it much harder for you to have the confidence to stick with your new goal.
You can reprogram your brain to feel confident in making changes if you can start to keep those small promises that you make for yourself. And YES, every time you say you will do something, you are making a promise with yourself.
To train your brain, complete small simple tasks consistently, before attempting larger ones. For example, if you want to start working out every morning, start by just waking up earlier every day (minus the workout!). Once you are consistently waking up early, then maybe you add in a 10 minute walk.
Building your self confidence will teach your brain that you CAN do new things!
Now, while it's tempting to create a long list of ambitious goals, this can often lead to feeling overwhelmed and quitting early. The research shows that in order to be successful in achieving your big goals, try setting smaller, short-term goals that contribute to a larger vision. This approach can make your journey feel more manageable and increase your chances of success.
If your goal is to declutter your house this year, start with one room first, and just one drawer or cabinet each weekend. Do this consistently, and before you know it, the kitchen is done, and you feel more light, airy, and can breathe a little easier!
Many high achieving women create huge goals to tackle all at once, which contributes to stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. (Silently raising my own hand). This can be a hard habit to break, but once you give yourself grace and permission to take things slow, you will start to accrue small wins WITHOUT burning your brain and body out.
Speaking of giving yourself grace...do you completely throw in the towel if you 'mess up'? You are not alone.
Taking an all or nothing approach when attempting new changes, will 100% lead to failure. Change is HARD. Your brain and your body are typically happiest to keep you right where you are, even if it is not serving you well, because making new neural pathways takes energy + work!
So give yourself a break if today wasn't a perfect day. The blessing of tomorrow is that it is a completely new day, and a new chance to do better. You don't have to wait until next Monday to restart. Just begin again, it's OK.
Maybe take a few moments to think about WHY you didn't follow through on your promise to yourself, and make a plan of action for the next time you might be faced with the same situation. You don't need to punish yourself with negative words, or give up completely. Think about how you would talk to your child, or a friend if they 'messed' up, and use that same grace on yourself.
Lastly, remember that progress is a process. It's okay to have big dreams, but don't forget the power of small, daily habits. They might seem insignificant on their own, but over time, they can lead to significant changes.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this week's topic. What are your small, achievable routines for 2025? And what topics would you like me to cover in future newsletters? Reply to this email and let me know!
Live Basic + Stay Nourished,
Krissy Ford
---
I hope this helps! Let me know if you need any more assistance.
Responses