Setting 2020 Health Goals: Part 1

Part 1 (of 3)

You’ve got this ONE precious life — but are you using it to YOUR fullest potential?  

This is a question I revisit every time I complete a year in review. My natural tendency is to just keep moving. Evaluating, looking back, and reflecting are historically weak parts for me, BUT to know where you are going you also have to know where you have been. This is step one for setting smart goals for next year.

It’s important to look back, celebrate your wins, acknowledge your growth, extract the lessons and set the right goals for the upcoming year.

Not only are we coming to a close of a year, we are coming to the close of a decade. If I asked you to think back over this past decade what would you feel? Hurt, happy, proud, sad, regret, growth, all of it?

I don’t know about you, but a lot has happened over the last ten years. Incredible things, hard things, and things my 2010-self would never believe.

I often see people repeatedly overestimate making changes in their health. They want to lose 10lbs in one week, heal a lifetime of having a poor relationship with food in 6 weeks, they want years of bad habits to disappear magically, and wake up living the life they dream of overnight.

I wish I had that wand to wave for all of you, but life is hard and that wand, it just doesn’t exist.

Want to know where I see my clients struggle most? Getting started.

In my signature Be WELL method, the “W” stands for “Waken.” I refer to it as the auditing phase. I require clients to track and reflect to see exactly where they are and where they have been. (you can read more about my signature process here).

In honor of the new year (and decade for that matter), I want to introduce something special…

Your HEALTH- A Year In Review. It’s a 3-part series where you will use the untapped wisdom of your last 365 days (or 10 years) to help you make the next ten years your healthiest ever and set smart health goals for 2020.

My hope is that you will use this month as a time to reflect on your health (sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, etc.) and take a true honest look at what is working for you and what needs to change.

This is not your practice life.

Each post I release over the next three weeks is short and easy to execute. Think of these 5-10 minute exercises as a 2020 planning tool. You’ve got a year full of possibilities ahead of you, and this Year In Review will help you make the most of it.

Let’s dive in.

Grab a journal and pen, and follow the journaling prompts below to start setting smart goals.

Part 1: What’s went well 

1. Over the past year, what have you done for your health that you are proud of? 
2. What are the challenges you’ve overcome? 
3. What are some of the results you’ve seen or created?

Pro Tip: Pull out old calendars, journals, planners, emails, or photos to jar your memory. This may take some time, but it’s worth it. 

From the list above, what was most important?
Once you’re done, go back over that list and answer these questions: 

1. Out of everything you listed, what feels most important? (highlight, circle or underline it)
2. Why do you feel it was the most important?

When you know what made the biggest difference in the quality of your health, you’ll continue to build on that for motivation to create change in other areas.

Part 2: Your Knowledge

1. What have you learned new about your health over the past year? 
2. What wisdom has become super clear to you?
3. What mistakes/failures did you experience?
4. What did you learn from them?

Think through your sleep, stress, nutrition, movement…..write them all down (big or small).

What Was Most Important and Why

Look at the list you just created and ask these questions:

1. What lessons were the most impactful?
2. Why do you think they matter? 
3. What do you really want to remember as you set your intentions for 2020?

We don’t like to fail. We often cover it up and pretend it didn’t happen as a defense mechanism. I challenge you to really work through this section. It is crucial to understand your weakness to avoid mistakes/failures in this area again.

Awesome job! You’ve completed Part 1 of the Year In Review to set smart goals for your future. Stay tuned for Part 2 and Part 3 which will help you get your mind right to start creating your 2020 plan. Pro tip — bookmark this page so you can get quick access the second it drops next Thursday.

In the meantime, I’d love to know what you learned from doing Part 1 of the Year In Review! Share your biggest insight in the comments below.

Share as much detail as you can. Your story may be just what someone needs to know they aren’t alone and it’s not too late to turn their health around.

Your time matters. I’m a busy mom-preneur, I see you. That is why I made this a 3 part series, broken down into a 10 min task. So you can see how just showing up a little bit every week can make the difference that you are searching for.

By doing this kind of reflective work, you’re setting yourself up for 2020 to be your best year yet (regardless if its hard). Keep going, and honor your space for growth and change.

P.S. If you want to share your progress with me — @melharrisnutrition on social.

You’ve got this!

xo,

Mel