Goals.

Hi all!  It’s been a hot second since you’ve heard from me, but I don’t think I’ll ever be the blog once a week type of writer.  A, you’d be so bored of hearing my nightly cooking adventures, which spin classes I’m taking, and the dates I end up canceling, and B, I don’t live my life for the blog (contrary to what many of my friends think).  Sometimes it’s important to disconnect and enjoy the moment, and so what if I want to take a picture of my food before I eat it.  Pictures are memories, OKAY?

Back to the subject at hand, setting goals.  I don’t mean squad goals, or relationship goals, or wife goals, I mean tangible, reachable, mind altering goals.  So let’s talk about why I think they are so important.  If you don’t already know this about me, I am an EXTREMELY competitive person.  So much so that I may or may not have given myself an exercising disorder but we’ll save that for another post... or my therapist.  I enjoy having something to work towards and focus on because it helps me to balance everything else in my life and keep my routine up and running, and we already know how important routine is to this type AAA gal.  

Goals give you discipline, teach you to make sacrifices, and how to put yourself first even when you think you don’t deserve it.  Having goals push you to wake up an extra hour early in the morning to give you some you time.  They encourage a constant state a change and stepping outside of that place we all love so much, our comfort zone, to find growth.  They provide a healthy dose of reality when you strive for the currently not achievable yet one day reachable, strengthening your ambition and drive while keeping you in check with your current state of being.  And lastly, they stress living in the moment while being mindful that each action, each step, brings you closer to your own personal success.

What on earth am I talking about?  Let me give you a few examples of how setting multiple goals throughout my day, month, year(s) makes me a stronger person.  Let’s start with fitness because if you can’t tell from my insta stories it’s pretty all consuming in my life right now.  Everyday my goal is to be active in some capacity more than walking from my bed to the fridge… baby steps people.  Every week I attempt to get at least 6 workouts in that were stronger than the previous week.  For the year my goal is to continue to lose weight in a healthy lifestyle creating, type of way.  Setting these for myself has forced more discipline than I could have imagined as I schedule my day to day around working out and pushing my body a bit further than the day before.  That doesn’t mean I lose touch with my social life or put my career as a second string, it just means that everyday I make a conscious choice to put my body and my goal towards an overall health and fitness level first.  

Next, my career goals force me to make sacrifices in having certain luxuries like leaving early or taking on more challenging projects, always keeping in mind the end goal is to have a career, not just a job.  Whether it’s the nights when you’ve made plans but work is not letting up, or agreeing to take on a project you have no interest in, you have to sacrifice personal time sometimes in order to keep your overall big picture in mind.  Not always ideal, but those are the things that separate a good employee from a great teammate and keep you on track for that global takeover we all know you’re plotting towards ;).

Lastly, putting yourself first.  I think this is really what sparked this post as one of my favorite spin instructors (Check her out here) always asks in class to remember why you’re there.  Why you dragged your tired butt out of bed or straight from the office, changed your clothes, clipped into the bike, and continue to move your legs.  Everytime she (and all my wonderful spin instructors) ask this a circle of thoughts drain through my brain.  First up, I’m way too tired to even think about this, so no.  Second, because my studiohop app would charge me $15 if I didn’t, so again no.  Third, because I realllllly can’t help myself from having a handful of jelly beans everyday (screw you office snacks).  Fourth, (this is where I start to realize the song is almost over and she now asked this question over 3 minutes ago and I need to pull my ish together, I’m here for me.  The word selfish holds a negative connotation, and with most uses of the word, it is a negative concept.  However, when it comes to self love and setting personal goals being selfish should be held on the same platform as being brave.  

Again, Avital, what on earth are you talking about?  Recently, I’ve been getting some grief for putting my health first.  Whether it’s friends or coworkers, people continue to ask why I don’t just cheat for a meal everytime presented with the opportunity.  Let me be clear.  I cheat.  This girl is not allllll about that clean eating life, I want balance.  BUT, I know, as does anyone who has ever tried to lose weight that you have to say no more than you say yes and sometimes this can be seen as a selfish act.  For example, not eating a friends birthday cake because, sugar overload.  Or passing on a night of drinking because you know your hungover self requires you eat pizza at least once (usually twice) the day after to recover  These things are easily perceived as selfish, but putting yourself first is sometimes exactly what you need for success.

If there is anything you should take away from this post it’s that I’m not great at making these short, sorry.  KIDDING, well not kidding but the overall message is I believe setting goals are really important.  It’s exciting to have something to work for to strive to change or better.  If you don’t already set one goal for yourself, just one, and let me know how it goes.  If it’s for one hour, one day, one week, it’ll rev up your inner confidence which is NEVER a bad thing.  That’s all the wisdom I can bestow you with today, I’m honestly so tired now, so you’re welcome.  BYYEEEEE.

All amazing images come from Beckley Co.