Plan A Successful New Month and Unlock Peace Of Mind | 4 Simple Steps

Wellness

Sep 29

Written By Jennifer Liwanag

There comes a time when we all wake up one day and realize “dang, I’ve really fallen off track…”

Clutter piles up.

You haven’t worked out in 4 days.

Fast food feels like the easiest option in-between working, running errands that have piled up, and trying to keep everything together in the midst of time flying by.

You feel like you’re racing the clock to get everything done… only to end the day feeling like nothing got done.

I get it… because I’ve been there way more times than I’d like to admit!

…but because I’ve been there, I’m happy to share that it doesn’t have to be your reality forever! You can always bounce back and get back on track!

Today’s post is all about picking up the pieces and learning to organize + prioritize your life so that you can begin feeling back on track.

“I’m really off track… How Did I Get Here?!”

I’m sure if you’re reading this post right now, you’ve had to ask yourself this question at least once (…or 100x if you’re an overthinker like me).

When life is going great, all it takes is one small trigger to unravel your whole system.

It’s like a domino effect - once one falls over, it knocks down the next with it.

Schedules get shifted.

An unexpected illness may have targeted your home..

You may feel called by the procrastination monster.

Seasons change.

Your environments change.

You’re in a new season of your life.

Things and/or feelings may pile up on your plate.

You took a vacation and never truly had time to catch back up.

Life Happens.

And at first, we think “No big deal - it’s just one week without meal prepping. I’ll just improvise this week and hop back in next week”.

But then it becomes two weeks.

Then, our workouts become sporadic and inconsistent.

Then we stop drinking our water.

Then before you know it, it’s 6 months down the line, you’ve lost most of your muscle mass and have gained 10+ lbs more than your starting weight.

So what do we do about it? How do we get back on track of our fitness goals this month?

Step 1: Clearly Identify Your Intentions

As excited as you may feel to jump right back in, it’s important to clearly identify the intentions and aspirations you’re looking to achieve on your journey. Doing so will help you take purposeful action steps that truly align with our goals.

A great example would be the popular goal of “lose weight”.

Losing weight quickly to achieve a low body-fat percentage and compete in a physique competition is a completely different goal and requires different action steps, levels of accountability, and strict obedience in comparison to losing weight to increase the quality of your life and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.

Specifying our goal root from digging deeper than surface level.

When we take the time to get specific with our goals, we can also create realistic expectations for the journey. Most of the time, when people feel discouraged by their progress, it is usually due to unrealistic expectations which usually are the result of a lack of clearly identified goals.

Drawing back to the example of “lose weight” - It’s easy to browse social media and compare yourself to others who are also on a generic weight-loss journey. But, when you clearly have identified your goal, it’s easier to remind yourself “Although we both want to lose weight, we still have different goals that require different action steps, timelines, and experiences. Just because I am not progressing as fast as this person does not mean I am not progressing well towards my goals. It just means we have slightly different goals and a different method - and that’s okay!”

Take Action NOW:

What do I hope to achieve by the end of 2024? Why?
Why do I think I have been struggling with consistency? Are their expectations that are unrealistic or unsustainable for my personal lifestyle/needs/preferences? What barriers or resistance are holding me back? What realistic action steps can I take to mediate this?
What is a realistic, measurable, and achievable small goal I can work towards this upcoming month? This week? Today?

Step 2: Create Your Weekly GYST Ritual

One of the best ways to stay on track is to plan for success.

It’s unrealistic to expect yourself to do perfectly every single day and sometimes life gets away from you - throwing your routine a little off track. That’s okay.

Creating a weekly GYST Ritual will help you reflect on the previous week and realign before starting the next week!

A GYST Ritual is a to-do list or routine created to help you get your sh*t together. Typically you practice this ritual once a week (usually Saturday or Sunday) and can include any actions that will help you catch up from the previous week and prepare for a great upcoming week.

In regards to your fitness journey, some examples may include:

Create A Menu For The Upcoming Week
Grocery Shopping and/or Meal Prepping
Clean Out The Fridge
Washing Your Workout Clothes
Charging Your Electronics (Apple Watch, Fitbit, Earphones, etc.)
Visiting Your Local Supplement Store To Stock Up
Taking An Active Rest Day or Complete Rest Day
Creating/Adjusting Your Workout Plan For The Week
Checking In With Your Coach
Looking ahead at your calendar and identifying any scheduling barriers that may make it difficult to workout, creating an alternative plan to keep yourself on track as best as you can, and executing that plan.

To keep yourself accountable, schedule time on the weekend to practice your GYST Ritual.

Take Action NOW:

What weekly actions can you add to your GYST Ritual? (p.s. Keep it simple and realistic!)
How will each of these actions bring you one step closer to your goal?
What day and time will I dedicate to practicing my GYST Ritual?

Step 3: Create Your List Of Daily Non-Negotiable Tasks

Part of creating a habit is doing meaningful actions frequently and consistently.

Creating a list of daily non-negotiable tasks takes the guess-workout of “What should I do today to reach my goals?” and keeps you accountable for those actions.

These are tasks that, no matter what is happening in life, you vow to keep yourself accountable for the actions that are directly aligned with your goals. Start small with just one task a day and as you become more comfortable, add more tasks on.

It’s important to remember that showing up for yourself and keeping yourself accountable is not an all-or-nothing experience. Working out for 15 minutes one day and 1 hour another day is still working out. The intensity has changed, but you are still present, moving through the motions, and showing up.

Some examples to start with include:

Spent 30 minutes moving my body
Add one serving of veggies into every meal
Include one serving of protein in every meal
Dedicate 15 minutes every morning to writing in my journal to support my mental health
Start my bedtime routine at 9 pm so that I can ensure a full night’s sleep
Eat Breakfast Every Morning

Take Action NOW:

What is ONE daily non-negotiable task you can add to the upcoming week?

Step 4: Be Kind & Patient With Yourself

It is very easy to get swept up in excitement, create high expectations for yourself, and feel burnt out by the process. We want to see ourselves achieve great things - it’s only natural!

Unfortunately, when we create too high of expectations too quickly, we can become discouraged or disappointed in ourselves if we are not progressing quickly enough or struggling to stay on track.

Flowers do not bloom overnight - and we don’t expect them to. Be kind to yourself and trust the progress. Any action - even the baby steps - are still steps towards your goals!