With the last 2 weeks of the year ahead, I wanted to share some actionable strategies to start implementing this week to set yourself up for success next year.
ACTION #1:
SET-UP YOUR PHYSICAL SPACE TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY HABITS
Our daily habits are so engrained in us that over 90% are actually unconscious. By setting up your physical environment, you are adding visible reminders to engage in the healthy habit. You can also hide or remove unhealthy habit cues to reduce or eliminate a habit.
Below are some questions to get started in physically setting up your environment for success:
What can I stock up on to encourage healthy eating? This could be going online to Thrive Market or your favorite store to restock your pantry staples - like smoothie ingredients, clean pasta sauces, and low-sugar snacks for you and your family.
What can I put out visibly to remind myself of something to do? This could be placing your supplements by your toothbrush, your journal on the bedside table, or your large water bottle by your coffee maker.
What can I remove and replace from my environment to reduce engaging in an unhealthy habit? This might be replacing holiday sweets for a healthier version, wine for a yummy seltzer mocktail, or phone on your bedside table for a new good book.
ACTION #2:
SCHEDULE YOUR WEEKLY WELLNESS APPOINTMENTS
One tip that really works in getting clients consistent in their habits is creating weekly "wellness appointments" for themselves.
These are appointment(s) that are pre-planned, on your calendar, and non-negotiable, just like any other appointment.
Examples of these could be:
a weekly hot yoga class with a friend,
food shopping on a specific day and time on the weekend,
meal prepping on Sunday, or
a sweaty workout on Monday morning.
These weekly wellness appointments will build in automatic momentum towards your goals and allow you to increase your confidence by engaging in these activities. I typically recommend starting with one wellness appointment per week to start, then once that becomes automatic - you can add in another one.
ACTION #3:
PLAN FOR DOWNTIME TO AVOID BURNOUT
This will be a fun one to put into action: Vacation/relaxing planning, here we go! To keep your motivation up and your chance of burnout down, start thinking about some upcoming downtime that you want to schedule into your year. These do not have to be an out-of-town vacations either - it can include no-cost activities that are scheduled on your calendar - like a fun hike with friends, a beach day, or home spa date.
Are there special times of year where you want to block your calendar to allow for creative thinking and schedule-free days?
Is there somewhere you want to visit that will encourage being present and nourish your soul?
What chunks of time do you want to free up to allow for celebration and fun with family and friends?
Have a happy and healthy holiday season, and let's get ready for 2023!