"The only thing standing between you and what you want is the willingness to try."
-Tony Robbins
Everyday life is full of distractions. The best way to get back on track and reach your goals is to put some distance between yourself and the busy day-to-day chaos. Whether it’s a camping trip, a road trip, or even just visiting a new spot in town, time away from work can help destigmatize sacrifice and help establish healthy boundaries for yourself. That being said, not every goal requires such extreme dedication: sometimes routine changes are enough. For example, I recently found myself looking at the clock on a Friday evening to see that I only had 9 minutes to get myself ready for work. I couldn’t believe it! In my head, my weekend was already packed, life was hectic and things were going as expected… Except then I remembered what my goal was: to spend more time with my family.
Starting your day off on a positive note
The preceding sentence might sound strange… It’s true though: the best way for us to set the tone for our entire day is by starting out on a positive note. A great way to do that is by simply focusing on the things we love about ourselves and the people around us. I’m a big fan of self-love, so I find it helps me to remind myself that I have a loving and supportive family who loves me. This simple act of reminding myself of this fact helps me feel more relaxed and less pressured throughout the day.
Another way to start your day on a positive note is by focusing on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses. One great example from my own life is being able-bodied. While I still have some challenges that come with having this particular disability (such as needing more strength and balance on my left side), I chose to focus on the things that make me strong. For example, I would often challenge myself to go for a walk or run (even if only for 5 minutes) instead of putting my energy towards sitting down and resting. While doing this was not always easy or pleasurable, it helped to reinforce the idea of fortitude in my mind.
By doing anything that makes us feel better about ourselves, we create a more positive attitude towards our lives. This can serve two purposes: 1) Everything will feel easier, and 2) By making the most of your strengths (which should be used instead of our weaknesses), we’ll have an easier time refusing to give up on our goals. An easy way to do this is by embracing the details; it doesn’t take a genius to realize that small successes add up over time. Even if it means just going for a simple walk or enjoying a chocolate bar, those little things count!
Memorize & Review Your Goals
One thing I love about the book The Secret was its statement "What we focus on expands.”If we want to improve our lives, it’s important for us to focus on positive things; this helps to keep us in a positive state of mind. If we take a moment to collect ourselves and think about the things that matter most to us, this focuses our mind on that important ideal.
One of my favorite ways to achieve this is by writing out my goals in a journal. This simple action helps me to clarify my goals and reminds me what I want out of life. In the morning, I use this time as a warm up: I start the day with something fun while also reaffirming my goals.