Just.Start.Somewhere.
On SMART goals and building healthy habits this new year.
I never considered myself a perfectionist and I’d argue people don’t necessarily perceive me as such. If anything, many people have told me I’m laid-back, but if you truly know me, you know how debilitating my overthinking and perfectionist tendencies can be. I physically do not start any project because I just think about all the time it would take, all the things I’d have to do, how I would never be as good as X person at it. Yes, It’s something I’m still working on, but 2023 Gisela is far ahead from where 2019 Gisela was (yay therapy!).
So, I wanted to switch it up this year and make my 2024 less “perfect,” and more “authentic.” The phrase I’ll be adopting this year is: Just Start Somewhere.
When I use this tag phrase, I notice that I let down my guard and lower my expectations, and that things generally flow in the direction they should. If it hadn’t been for this way of thinking I sure as heck would have never started writing on Substack.
This new year, I invite you to do the same, to ignore Nike and Just Start Somewhere.
In the early 2000s, this time of year was flooded with Magazine taglines of “Eat like this and lose 10lbs in a week!” or “New year, new body!” and so on. Now, we get those messages at our fingertips on social media, so I’m here to remind you:
A. You don’t need to do the diet that the influencer is pushing. Fad diets will always come and go.
B. What I Eat in a Day videos are never the whole picture, and a snippet of a day tells us squat about a person. You could eat the same as they do and look totally different, and that’s okay!
C. You do not need to spend your money on this new supplement or wellness product- if it’s being marketed to you time and time again, you might not really need it, you know?
There seems to be this black-and-white thinking when it comes to starting the New Year. “If I don’t do this perfectly, then it’s not worth the try.” But remember that black and white leaves no room or space for the various tones of gray that make food worth tasting, moments worth sharing, and the wonders and imperfections that make life worth living.
Just Start Somewhere. Take small steps towards building healthier habits that will in turn help you achieve your goals. For example, the “I want to lose weight,” goal seems like trying to get to the top of the stairs without going step by step. How are you going to get there? What small steps can get you to achieve that goal? Try lowering your expectations and be precise about what you want to achieve.
When we get this peak motivation in January, we get super excited about planning everything to the T and make a whole list of goals and lists for self-improvement, and then some. This excitement can quickly turn sour into overwhelm and burnout if we try to tackle it all at once. Try setting yourself up for success by focusing on a couple of goals max. Once these become habitual, maybe think about tackling other new goals and objectives.
Creating a plan to achieve those goals is the next step. Find ways that make achieving this goal enjoyable. For example, if you want to work out more, and you know you really dislike going to the gym, why would you be one of the 1,000 people who sign up in January? You’ll probably end up being one of the 700 that leave by March! Move your body in ways that you like.
SMART Goals:
Be specific about what you want to achieve and how you’ll get there, I find using the SMART goals template can be super helpful. SMART stands for:
Specific: The process should be clear, and well-defined.
Measurable: How are you going to measure your progress? This can be number-based or based on a specific outcome.
Achievable (or action-oriented): Your goal should be reasonable enough that you are capable of achieving it. What are some steps you will actively take towards achieving it?
Relevant: Your goal should be closely related to your bigger objective.
Time-based: Create a deadline to help hold yourself accountable.
Let’s say Tommy wants to “BE HEALTHIER” this new year, that’s a pretty broad objective…He wants to eat healthier, still broad. He plans on switching his whole diet around, broad yet again!
Tommy wants to start by increasing his vegetable intake. He wants to add 2 cups of vegetables at dinnertime. He finds this goal to be achievable and will take action by adding veggies he likes to his grocery list. Tommy agrees to try to add 2 cups of vegetables at dinner for the next 2 weeks. Good job Tommy!
The next step would be to think about potential barriers. What would stop Tommy from achieving his goal?
Not having vegetables in the house
No time to prep or cook the vegetables
Skipping dinner because he had a late lunch
Tommy can try adding veggies to his shopping list and buy frozen ones for when he’s in a pinch. He can prep them as soon as he gets home or buy vegetables that are already cut or opt for bagged salads, and he can remember to incorporate vegetables at his late lunches.
Tommy agrees to add 3 new vegetables to his grocery list these next 2 weeks and will prep them on Sundays and store them at the front of the fridge to have them ready for the week. These other goals will help support his initial goal. Finding possible solutions to potential barriers can help set us up for success.
GO TOMMY!
Motivation and Other Strategies:
Setting yourself up for success like Tommy is doing, is key! For example, if you want to be more active after work but all you do is go straight to the couch and binge Gilmore Girls, maybe leave your workout clothes laid out on your couch so that when you get home you know it’s time to move, might help, who knows!
Or maybe try stacking your habits, say you’re looking to meditate more in the morning, but your morning routine looks like this, “Wake up, make coffee, run out the door,” try shifting that to “Every time I finish pouring my coffee, I will meditate for 5 minutes.” Building new habits by linking them to existing ones can help you stay consistent.
Remember, commitment > motivation. Motivation comes and goes like the wind, if it were up to motivation, we wouldn’t do half the things we have to do, like brushing our teeth or going to work. Commitment to your goals can help you find motivation, which can in turn lead you to take action. Remember to always approach health goals with both commitment and flexibility, no black-and-white thinking welcome here!
Life can be messy and get in the way, and if we always expect everything to align for us to achieve our goals, the minute something goes wrong we’ll just drop it all and forget about our past efforts. Say you can’t meet your goal of working out 45 minutes every day, because you only have time for 15 minutes on Wednesday, hey that’s okay! Those 15 minutes are still a step in the right direction and can keep you motivated to keep going.
So, leave some space for the grey as you work towards self-betterment this 1st quarter of the year. Embrace the imperfections as you tailor your goals and tweak them to be more specific.
Be SMART, be like Tommy.
And hey, I’m rooting for you this new year, remember to Just Start Somewhere!
Keep chewin’!
Just Start Somewhere!