Can you believe we are only a couple of weeks away from the turning of another calendar year? Us neither. But pretty soon, we'll all be putting away holiday decorations and unwrapping a fresh calendar for 2022. And with that, we will likely begin working towards new health and fitness goals as well.
But you don't have to wait until January 1 to start thinking about the next steps in your wellness journey. December is a great time to reflect on the past year and consider what worked well for you (and what didn't). For example, maybe you tried evening workouts this year and discovered it was much more difficult to get your body moving after a long day at your desk. Or perhaps you tried using your smartphone for an alarm clock and learned that you end up scrolling late into the night if your phone is by your bed.
Remember that health and fitness are all about trial and error. We're all learning here, and there is no one right or wrong way to do something. The biggest mistake we can make in our journey is to judge ourselves or others. Instead, we can be gentle and kind to our minds and bodies and use goals to help us figure out what works best and make us feel like our most vibrant selves.
With that in mind, here are a few tips for setting new goals for the new year:
1. Create a list of everything health and fitness-related that worked well for you in 2021--and also what didn't. Separate these into two columns.
2. Consider what needs to change and what doesn't in 2022. Make notes and brainstorm actionable tips for these changes. For example, if you found yourself drinking more coffee than preferred this past year because you now work from home, brainstorm some replacement beverages, like hot lemon water or caffeinated teas.
3. Use the calendar to create small benchmarks for your changes. If you'd like to start exercising 4 days a week in 2022, start small and set a date for when you'd like to achieve that by. Perhaps you start with 2 days a week in January, 3 days a week in February, and work yourself up to 4 days a week by March 1.
4. Finish your list with positive affirmations and gratitude statements. Goals can be so wonderful, but it's also essential that we praise our minds and bodies for all they are capable of. For every goal on your list, write one thing you are thankful for or one thing you already love about your health and fitness journey.
Have you started thinking about your goals for 2022? Share with us on Facebook and Instagram!
