Where Do You Begin?

Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.

Jim Rohn

Ok! Stop making empty promises to yourself. It has come time to do! So you say you want to get healthier? Great! Congratulations! That is a huge and very commendable goal. Now you just have to sort out how and where to get started, how to make your promises and vows stick. Here are some ways to get started.

Start small

While it might seem tempting to set huge goals like dropping 50 pounds, running a marathon or even going to the gym every day, those are exactly the types of large resolutions can so easily be broken. To make goal setting, and goal attaining, easier and more fun, you should consider setting smaller goals that will help you make steady progress toward your larger goal. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, consider setting your first goal as getting into shape to being able to run 5 miles well. Once you achieve that goal, you can up it to 10 miles or even a “halfway” mark of 7.5 miles.

Journal your current habits

It is very hard to know which goals to set unless you really know what needs to be improved in your life. It is also horribly difficult to establish your goals if you do not have a realistic idea of what these changes are going to mean to your whole life.

Try doing this instead: Commit to journaling your habits for one full month.

For instance, if our example is weight loss, what you eat? Do you get enough sleep? Are you feeling stressed? What is your work routine? How much time do you spend on fun? When do you actually get exercise? Document this information, without making any changes to your life. Document without any judgment and assess your routines and habits at the end of the month. Now you can clearly see where you can improve and how to go about it.

Talk to your doctor

Assuming that you have been going, your doctor has a good understanding of your current physical condition. Your physician can be an excellent resource of both dietary and exercise information. They’ll also be able to offer some guidance about how to get started on your goals.

Consider simple lifestyle improvements rather than lofty goals

Simple plans like drinking water during the day instead of diet soda can offer a huge health benefits and can be more challenging than you might imagine. Remember, you spent time journaling. Now, take a look at your habits and see where you can make some minor adjustments. If you normally don’t get any exercise, why not add walking each day to your routine rather than deciding you’re going to run 10 miles.

Do what makes you happy

What do you really enjoy doing? What is on your list of things you want to learn or do in your lifetime? Take one of those things, whether it is skydiving, quitting smoking, getting a dog or writing that novel – and do it.