I love the hustle and bustle of this time of year! Instead of running to the bakery between shopping sprees and getting kids from one Christmas program to the next we are running towards a better version of ourselves. We set goals, and actually step foot into a gym, and hope for a brighter future. We make changes and plan for success. It’s so fun! Often times, patients will ask me, “where do I even start?” There’s so much information out there it’s hard to know where the best starting point for a better self is. Well, this month I’m going to encourage you just to START. Here’s how.
Do a passion road map. If you’re like me, I have a million things I want to accomplish in a very short amount of time. This year, I’m hoping to double my practice, write a book, finishing all my sports diplomate requirements AND start a bee hive and continue my garden! I used to cringe at the thought of creating a spider-like map of what mattered to me, until I bought my very first Passion Planner. It’s easy! Make a wish list with today’s date in the middle and draw a circle around it. Draw four lines off the circle and at the end of them write ‘three months, one year, 3 years, and Lifetime.’ Several life coaches tell you to set a timer and brainstorm for 5 minutes and ask yourself the question, “If I could have anything, be anything, or do anything what would it be?” Pretend that everything you write on this paper can come true. I personally, never set a timer, I like to specifically describe all my hopes and wants for the future. Next you go through each section and circle the ONE goal that would make the most positive impact on your life. These are your priorities. Ta-da!
Next, start small. Last year, my husband and I signed up for a Dave Ramsey class. Love him or hate him, the principle of paying off your smallest debt and working up from that WORKS! This works with things other than debt. If your goal is to lose 100 pounds by this time next year, that’s daunting. So, start with going to the gym 2 times per week and only have two pops instead of the usual 5. If you start with baby steps you can take larger leaps in a matter of months that don’t seem as difficult. When I’m encouraging a wellness member to cut wheat and dairy out of their diet, we never START with taking this away. We start with ADDING one healthy food to each meal. Adding healthy habits is easier than taking away bad ones. When Brad and I were trying to cut back on frivolous spending we started out with a larger spending budget and slowly backed down so that we could get used to spending less instead of feeling like we had to “cheat.”
Finally, create some action steps towards success. If your biggest resolution is to lose weight, your three action steps should be more activity, less calories, and either more water, sleep, supplements and for sure seeing your chiropractor! More activity leads to sore joints. Shameless advertising I know. Create just a few steps that you could implement immediately that’ll send you in the right direction. If your goal is to save money, make a plan to only get coffee or lunch out once per week instead of three times, but don’t stop there! Ensure that your coffee maker at home works properly, pack a lunch the night before you leave early for the office so you’re not scrambling and forget it all together. Action steps sometimes need action steps.
New Years can be fun if you set yourself up for the results you’re hoping for instead of getting frustrated when you have a difficult morning and fail. First decide what matters with a passion road map, start small and then decide what you can do NOW that will make a large impact later.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Inhulsen
