Written by: Jen Landry, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Every single night my girls and I say “No Dream is ever too big, if you dream it, you can reach it!”. I want to instill in my girls that nothing is off limits and they can reach the goals they set, even when the goals seem lofty and far away. However, it is also important to teach them to understand when to shift the course, when to hold steady and when to recognize the goal may not be good for right now.
When it comes to health and fitness, goal setting can really make or break progress. Therefore, it is important to ensure the goal is well thought out and matches your current“season”. This leads me to my 3 step process for the ultimate goal-crushing experience!
Step 1 – is to start SMART. I’m sure most of you have heard of using a SMART goal technique. A SMART goal stands for Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely. For example, it is the difference between “I want to lose weight” and “I want to lose 5 pounds in 6 weeks”. I love having clients start here when goal setting. It lays a foundation and enables you to really think about achievable goals and put it out there. It is a great motivator for getting started.
Step 2 – is to define your why. Using the same example, “I want to lose 5 pounds in 6 weeks”, we need a deep, feel-it-in-your-bones kind of why. Losing weight because you will look good isn’t going to cut it, your brain sees right through that. It needs to be something that is a win-or-go-home deal, or there is no other options kind of why. How will it make you feel to reach that goal? How can it change your life? What fears and doubts are fighting? Is the reason for losing weight something that really means something to you? For example, I want to lose 5 pounds in 6 weeks because I am getting blood work done in 6 weeks and my last round of blood work was not good, or maybe because the last time you were 5 pounds lighter, playing with your kids was easier.Sit with it for a while, you are going to have to examine some layers and push through the surface stuff, but it will be worthwhile.
Step 3 – may be the most important and often the most forgotten. Examine your season. I don’t mean spring or the holiday season. I mean your life season. Take inventory of your life as it is today. Think about the hours you are working, the time you can spend on yourself, the time you are spending on others right now, and even the support you may or may not have. If you are trying to lose weight but you are a single mom with three kids and you work nights, give yourself grace. That is a very difficult season to lose weight. However, it might be a great time to work on getting a new job or finding support for you at home. Your BIG goal may still be to lose those 5 pounds, but you might just need to do a pit stop. Think “I need to find a new job first so that I can then work on losing 5 pounds later”. Adjust the goals accordingly. Maybe your youngest kid started Kindergarten and now all your kids are in school full time and you don’t work or you work part-time from home. Now may exactly be the right season to work on losing the 5 pounds. For example, “I need to lose 5 pounds so that I can keep up with my kids and their growing schedules”.
It is relatively easy to set a SMART goal. However, it can be challenging to find a deep, well-meaning why and it can feel almost impossible when done in the wrong season. If you can take notice of the stage of life you are currently in, the stage of life you are hoping comes next, and allow yourself some grace and forgiveness then no dream will ever be too big.
Jen Landry, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jen Landry is a leader in functional fitness. She specializes in pregnant, postpartum, and everyday women. As a mother of two little girls and two pregnancies that left Jen feeling weak, broken, and in need of answers, she discovered the Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Certification. Obtaining this certification changed the way Jen looked at pregnancy and postpartum fitness as well as female health in general. It ignited a fire to help as many women as possible, so they could avoid what Jen experienced. She is the CEO and Owner of Moms Fit Life. Her Mission: Teach Moms they can trust their bodies again and rock mom life with confidence!
