Wrapping up the Year, Goodbye 2022

Here we are again at the closing of a year. How are you feeling?

Do you feel excited about the year to come? Anxious or stressed about what you didn’t accomplish this year? A bit nervous or hesitant (because let’s be honest, these last couple years haven’t exactly gone as planned)?

Do you feel nothing? (Cue music from A Chorus Line)

First off, I want you to know that whatever you feel is okay. You may be a big “New Year’s Resolutions” person, or you might not. Or, you may be somewhere in between. Wherever you land- as long as it’s right for you, it’s right.

Me? I’m a goals person. But, not necessarily a New Year’s Resolution person.

I should explain.

Yes, at the end/beginning of the year I do like to look back on the year that has passed and look forward to the year that is coming. I like to remind myself of what I’ve accomplished over the year, lessons I’ve learned (and how I want to do better), and ask myself what I’d like the next year to look like.

Sometimes I made very specific goals for the year, and sometimes I don’t. Mostly, it depends on the season of life I’m in at the moment.

Take now, for instance. For this year, at this season of life having very specific goals would be overwhelming. Who knows how 2023 will go for me, so instead of making very specific goals in my business or life I’m leaning on my 2023 word of the year. Luminescent.

Driver #4 is gonna be upset when they learn they will be stuck with the Cozy Coupe…. 🏎🏎🏎🚗 Arriving March 2023

 In case you missed it, baby #2 will be here at the end of March. And if having a baby in April of 2020 taught me anything it’s that nothing can be solidly planned. Sure, we can have ideals, hopes, and plans in place. But plans change quickly and often, and mothering a newborn (and now a toddler as well) means flexibility is crucial.

As I started to think about my goal(s) for this upcoming year, I quickly realized that leaning on a word would be more helpful to me than my usual way of goal-setting.

Along with the typical newborn worries, baby #2 brings new worries that baby #1 never did. I worry about how the new baby will impact my bond with Clara. I worry about how I will be able to give the new baby the attention it needs while balancing a very snuggly toddler who has lots of big feelings. I worry about my relationship with my husband, and how to keep us an “us” and not just roommates that corral children. And I worry about me, about prioritizing taking care of myself and not becoming consumed by all things mom and nothing else.

So I will focus on being luminescent.

I will encourage the light inside of me to continue to shine and glow. I will do my absolute best to ask for help, to make sure I’m continuing my daily and weekly check-ins, to rest and take time for myself, and prioritize physical movement (exercise) as soon as my body is ready.

I would love to tell you that I WILL do this no matter what, but the truth is I’m human. Just because I know all the things (and even encourage you to do all the things) doesn’t make it any easier for me to do.

So, that’s my goal for 2023. To be luminescent.

Woowoo much, Erin?

Okay, I get it. Some of you may want to make more specific goals. Which I encourage! In fact, pre-newborn and toddler days I was all about the S.M.A.R.T.S goals for myself. In fact, I still am for people who are in the right season.

Note: Yes, I said SMARTS goals. I like to add an extra “S” at the end.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound, and Self-Determined.
More on this next year.

And even with my very generic yearly goal, that doesn’t mean I don’t have monthly goals that ARE more SMARTS. In fact, over this past year I’ve developed a new to-do system that has been a game changer (again, more on that next year… get excited!).

 If you are a yearly goal setter, I encourage you do more than set it and forget it. I’m sure you’ve heard the stats about people who give up on their resolutions by mid-February. Or the people who completely forget about their goals (resolutions) until November and all the sudden they feel pressured to lose 40 pounds of body fat, find the man of their dreams, travel to Europe, and increase their income by 8% by the end of the year. Yikes!

Instead of giving up, or racing to the finish line- I want to encourage you to try something different.

If you want to accomplish something by next December, what steps would you need to take each month to accomplish that goal?

Let’s take that 40 pounds of body fat loss as an example. What does that look like?

First, divide 40 by 12 to get 3.33, so you’d need to loose just over 3 pounds of body fat every month. And 3 pounds a month sounds much more doable than the total of 40, don’t you think?

Next, I’d recommend that you invest in some kind of body composition testing so you know where you’re actually starting. Otherwise, watching the scale can be frustrating. Many gyms and trainers have access to body composition testing, and if they don’t- they should be able to give you resources on where you can find them in your area. For example, I use an InBody Scan with my in-person clients here in St. Louis.
Note: Some tests are more accurate than others, so make sure you understand what you’re getting before you pay for a specific test.

Now that you know how much body fat you’re starting with, verify that your goal of losing 40 pounds of it is reasonable. It is? Great, move on. It’s not? Adjust your goal accordingly.

Next, it’s time for a plan.

Of course I’m a huge advocate of seeking professional advice, at least to get started. If nothing else working with someone who has the knowledge you seek speeds the process up, and there’s something to be said about early wins. Of course, you can always turn to Uncle Google or Auntie Pinterest, but if at any point in time you aren’t seeing the progress towards your goal you’d like to see- investing in yourself by reaching out to a professional is completely worth it. It doesn’t have to be a forever commitment. Even a few sessions with a personal trainer, dietician, nutrition specialist, functional doctor, or any combination can make a huge difference.

Whether you decide to invest in professionals or take matters in your own hands to get started, do just that. Get started! If you fail, fail quickly so you can learn from what you’ve tried and try something new (FAIL= First Attempt In Learning).  If you start right away, the worst thing that happens is you have to bump your goal to 4 pounds of body fat per month instead of 3.3. Again, not so bad.

Don’t wait, don’t quit, don’t give up.

Did you hear that? Did you let that sink in?

Don’t wait, don’t quit, don’t give up.

No matter if your goal is a bit broad this year (like mine), or very specific (like the example I gave), you can do this. I believe in you.

I’m here to help. Yes, I will be on maternity leave for a while this next year, but I’ll still be offering my online coaching (and at a discounted price!) throughout my maternity leave, so if you want help with a health, nutrition, and/or fitness goal, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Together, we can do so much. YOU can do so much.

Happy New Year

Bonus Resources

Year In Review/Decade in Review
Body Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss
Marie Forleo: Goal Setting