By Melissa Brailsford
Melissa Brailsford.
It’s January 1 – you might be reading this from your favourite spot on the couch. It’s late afternoon, you’re still wearing pyjamas, possibly rewatching the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special and browsing the Facebook pages of local takeaways to see which ones are open (no judgement here).
And amidst finishing off the tub of Celebrations (why do people always leave the Bountys?) and your Apple Watch pinging reminding you to “Stand”, your New Year’s resolutions might seem like a distant glimmer.
You’ll start on Monday, right?
Because you’ve made your mind up that enough is enough.
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You’re fed up of feeling a certain way and want to start making some positive changes to your lifestyle. And you’re determined to make THIS the year that you’ll actually see it through.
Because you’ve maybe been here before.
Perhaps this has been your train of thought as every new year has rolled around for as long as you can remember and yet nothing has changed.
Motivation dwindles as the first few weeks of January pass and those actions that felt like a priority in the beginning now feel like a chore and get pushed to the bottom of the to-do pile.
So I want to share something that might help transform those resolutions into reality.
I want to help you give your temporary health-kick the boot in exchange for long-lasting habits.
I want you to think about setting some goals. The more specific the better.
Because if you’ve something tangible to work towards that’s measureable this could make the difference in unlocking limitless amounts of discipline to get the job done rather than just going through the motions and inevitably failing.
And when setting goals I want you to think about your “why”.
So rather than just thinking “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get fit” start considering WHY this might be important to you.
Melissa Brailsford.
It should be something that means so much to you that it gives you butterflies. It makes you think about the future version of you.
It gets you excited about life.
And, if you’re doing this right, it should make you cry.
Because if you can get some emotion behind the desired outcome you might find it easier to stick to.
It’ll be your driving force to get up and get things done on days that you’d rather just press the snooze button.
It’ll be a reminder of what the sacrifices are for.
And the more consistent you are, the more likely you’ll be to see some results. So, how do you find your “why”?
Melissa Brailsford.
A good place to start is asking yourself some questions:
• Why is this outcome important to me?
• How will it change my life?
• How will I feel when I achieve it?
• What kind of person will I become and what things will I say about myself when I look in the mirror?
• What kind of freedom will this allow me?
• Who am I doing this for?
Think about the things that are most valuable to you and see where they align in your goals. It could be your health. Or your family and relationships. Or perhaps achieving this will impact your confidence in your role at work.
Try writing some things down and see where it takes you. Keep your notes visible as a daily reminder of what you’re working towards.
For me, my “why” is simple.
I want to continue inspiring my teenage kids.
I want them to see me exercising and eating a healthy diet (most of the time) and know that it’s the norm because it’ll encourage them to do the same which will impact their health as young adults.
I want to be able to kick a ball with them or bounce on a trampoline for years to come without fear of injury or getting out of breath.
Melissa Brailsford and her daughter Frankie.
I want longevity.
I want to lead a balanced lifestyle that means I don’t over-restrict and know I can still enjoy pizza night with my loved ones.
I know doing these things will help me feel confident in my skin as a 40-something-year-old, excited about making future plans and enjoying living life to the full.
And that gives me a lump in my throat.
So when you’re setting your goals for 2025 don’t just make temporary resolutions. Really consider what they mean to you and WHY they are important. And if they make you cry there’s every chance you won’t need to make new ones next New Year.
Melissa Brailsford is a Forres-based personal trainer, coach of “Shift in 6”.
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