baby steps

I have been thinking a lot recently on making life changes and getting things done, as anyone with a little one (or a generally busy life) knows it is hard to fit in positive changes, the lasting sort that make a difference in the quality of life. The most common changes I hear people wanting to make are losing weight and getting healthier. First off you need to decide exactly you want to accomplish because no one gets anywhere with vague ideas. Then come up with a realistic plan to get there, I think the main issue is people start off thinking too big. Like if you think of getting more fit and decide to work out for an hour every day, you might keep it up for couple days but then life happens or you get busy and the workout gets postponed, often indefinitely. 

 The truth of the matter is that you get there one day at a time, that person who lost tons of weight did it one pound at a time, that Olympic rider got there one ride at a time, and that marathon runner certainly didn’t start out running a marathon.

It is easy to make excuses for not doing things, everyone does. I believe it is important to make changes you can stick with, it might not look as impressive but you will actually get somewhere. You have to make things as easy on yourself as possible and that doesn’t make you a bad, lazy or weak willed person, it’s just being practical. I know I have a very short attentions span and get bored really easy, if I don’t work with myself on making changes that are easier to stick with then I would never get anywhere.

The biggest things that help me to make positive changes are small bites, peer pressure and planning.  For example it is much easier to follow through with a plan of writing two pages a day (or one, or ten words, whatever works for you) rather than saying “I am going to write every day”. Break it down into a small goal that you CAN achieve realistically and then do it, this keeps you from being intimidated.  Peer pressure helps with keeping you on track, if I tell my husband that I am going to do ten minutes of Pilates a day and I know he will ask me later how I am doing with that then that is motivation to keep at it. Telling people your plans and goals go a long way to keeping you on track, which is why people working on weight loss often do better when they have an accountability buddy or  group to keep them on track. Strangely I have become a big fan of planning, it helps so much in keeping me focused on a daily basis. For example I have a theme for each day so I know where to put my energy. Planning on a short term helps as well, especially after having a baby since I can plan on doing Yoga while he is napping for example.  I don’t enjoy cleaning the house so I find it necessary to schedule it in, otherwise I know I need to do it but will find new and interesting ways to postpone and put it off.

Mondays are errand days, it helps save gas when I am not running into town constantly (and lists help me remember what we need when I get there) Tuesdays are house cleaning days since I dislike cleaning I have to schedule this. Wednesdays are outdoor chore days, unless weather is awful but I can always find things that need to be done. Thursdays are additional errands or outstanding work day. Fridays are fun project days. Weekends are play or work days depending on weather. I keep the plan loose for maximum flexibility, so I do tidy the house on other days but having time set aside for it makes sure I’m not putting it off. It sounds counter intuitive but planning things actually keeps me more flexible and able to do the things I want since I am wasting less time avoiding the things I don’t like.

Lowering expectations is crucial, sometimes during my daily writing I write utter crap, occasionally it is something worthwhile. But I still do it every day. Whatever you are doing may not look like much right now, so don’t expect it to be glamorous. But when you look back on how far you have come then it all becomes worthwhile.