...No...I’m not talking about “The Hokie Pokie” (to all my dad joke lovers, you’re welcome).
I posted last week on Instagram about some commitments I made to myself with the ultimate goal of rebooting and restoring some qualities that, in the past, have been really strong for me, and more recently, have been really weak if not entirely lost for me. Namely, discipline. I honestly don’t think I would have noticed its absence if 2018 hadn’t completely kicked my ass. In realizing that I not only lost my sense of discipline, but also self-respect, motivation and self control, and that this loss is exactly what made the 2018 ass-kicking cyclical, I started plotting my escape from that rat trap and putting goals in place to stay out of it. So, as the title suggests, that’s what this blog is all about.
NO Sips, NO Sweets, NO Spend!
No Sips!
GOAL:
When I first started this journey, I set the goal to give up dark soda, caffeine and alcohol except on my cheat day. I realized VERY quickly that I become exceptionally murdery without coffee, so I’ve allowed myself to drink coffee if/when I need it. If I’m being honest, that’s daily. HOWEVER, I have successfully given up dark soda, and energy drinks, and wouldn’t ya know it - the chronic twitch in my eyelid is no more!
SETBACKS:
I have been pretty inconsistent with the alcohol portion of this goal, but I have definitely cut down my alcohol consumption by a good 50%, and the days that I cheated outside of my cheat day, I didn’t actually spend money on alcohol, so I only broke one of my three larger goals.
OBSERVATIONS:
I’m really great at rationalizing breaking my commitments, so if the alcohol happens to be free, I’m 75% more likely to cave in (no real statistics have been calculated for this blog - that’s just my best guess). Despite that propensity, drinking less alcohol has made it way easier to stick with the rest of my goals. I don’t feel lethargic anymore, so I’ve been taking less naps, which gives me more time to be productive and hit the gym. My body doesn’t feel gross or lack energy, so I’ve been more consistent with my gym regiment; and the days that I exercise, I’m less likely to eat shitty foods.
No Sweets!
GOAL:
For this one, not only did I choose to give up sweets, but junk food in general. I am also making a greater effort to get the nutrients my body needs to function as it should. Most people assume that for vegetarians, getting all your nutrients is a challenge, but when I started doing the research for my diet, I learned that I was already consuming the right foods (for those of you who are interested, I’ll post my grocery list, some bombtastic recipes, and what nutrients they supply) - go me! All in all, this goal has been surprisingly easy.
SETBACKS:
Donuts - seriously, Country Donuts on Anaheim and Redondo in Long Beach will be the death of me.
OBSERVATIONS:
All of these major goals go hand in hand. If I cave on one, I’m way more likely to cave on the other.
No Spend!
GOAL: This goal ties directly into my financial setbacks. I was laid off from my job in January of 2018 and remained unemployed for six months - not by choice, I assure you. Despite being laid off, I still had bills to pay, and I still wanted to have fun. I’m a very social person, like being around people is stress relieving for me, but it’s pretty difficult to do that when you’re broke. Any way, I found myself spending money I didn’t have and deeply regretting it on a regular basis, which really just drove me deeper into depression. So this goal is exactly how it sounds, no spend except for essentials like gas and groceries.
SETBACKS:
Being poor makes this goal pretty attainable, but on nights when I close the bar at work, and I’ve got the late night munchies, I find myself in a Taco Bell drive through.
OBSERVATIONS:
My social life hasn’t suffered, and most of the money I spent recreationally was on alcohol.
It’s More Than Just Giving Up
In the spirit of fulfillment and improvement, I chose to take on a few things in place of what I gave up. Among these things is recreational reading, meditating, exercising regularly, and pushing myself past “I don’t feel like it.” I’m half-assing it on the reading, and no-assing it on the mediation, but I make it to the gym consistently and push myself harder while I’m there - so that's something!
In just four weeks of working towards these goals, I feel infinitely better. I feel empowered, I feel like I can accomplish anything within reason, and I feel excited for new opportunities and adventures. Most importantly, I feel happier and present. It’s so refreshing to be satisfied with the moment you’re in and to not be silently begging for something in the future. I'd love to hear any tips, recommendations, or success stories you have! Thanks for reading :)
#selfimprovement #goals #fitness #motivation #discipline #fitfam #progress #progressnotperfection #happier