New Years is a perfect time to set new goals, but there is something equally important about looking at your year in review. One year holds so much: successes and set backs, things to learn from and inspire you. I like to journal about my year to acknowledge the things that didn’t go well and also revisit the good in my life. Reflection can help give you direction and clarity for what you want to do next.
Read on for tips on thinking about your year, in review, or scroll down to the free journal download to get you started.
The best things that happened this year
Think about the places you went, the people you spent time with, the beautiful things you saw. Were there times you felt completely at peace? In awe? Proud? Are there particularly special photos, videos or mementos that captured these times?
Describe and elaborate on special moments to let memories surface again. I want to give my experiences the justice they warrant. Capturing the essence of positive vibes in your life boosts your happiness now and anytime you want to go back and reminisce by looking at your writings, photos, artwork, or anything else that triggers good feelings.
Double rainbows are like memories of your year in review: you get twice the fun! Memories are awesome when you experience them and again when you reminisce.
Memories can be big and grand, but they can also be small. Keeping the times that make you smile alive is worth it.
There were so many moments that made me happy this year that I might write about:
Watching the fireworks from the top of a roller coaster on a warm summer night, laughing with my kids
Taking inappropriate pictures with statues all over Philadelphia with my friends and (again) laughing
Lazy nights binge-watching Game of Thrones with my husband after the kids had gone to bed
Eating delicious things, like the creamy ube gelato I can’t stop thinking about, crisp salad fresh from my garden, or the deep pho broth I made with the last of my steer’s bones.
I could go on and on about my gelato. The point is that thinking about these memories extends the benefit you get from your best moments. So do what you can to bring them to light again; don’t let them be packed away forever in the vault of your mind.
This year’s challenges
Everybody has goals unmet, barriers uncrossed, and unwelcome setbacks. But it is possible to move past these things in order to make new plans for how you want your life to be and feel. Blowing past the negatives takes these experiences for granted and squanders any learning opportunity you might get from them.
When it rains it pours, but keep your life out of the gutter
Think about the things that didn’t go your way, but leave them in past tense–these experiences as they stand aren’t intended to be a part of your future. Even if you can’t change a negative outcome you can always reframe you attitude and have new ways for moving forward.
Acknowledge your feelings, worries, and hurts but let it be cathartic. Don’t carry the weight of bad energy into the next year. Sometimes writing things down and having a good sigh or cry is therapeutic.
Say your goodbyes to old habits and thought cycles that damaged your mood and self-worth. Make a conscious commitment to break up with the patterns that no longer suit you.
This past year I had a few stand-out struggles, as well as some disappointments. I dealt with heart issues that kept me from vigorous exercise, including my beloved long runs. I had 5 different bosses in a 9 month period, with a resulting lackluster annual review, as there was no one there to witness my accomplishments. There were arguments with my kids. My husband had to leave full time work due to a shoulder injury. But everything isn’t so bad, really. And that was this year’s issues, so it’s time to move on!
A review of the setbacks this year can be ceremonious as you move past the past. I feel more positive already, just knowing that next year won’t have the exact same problems since I have grown from my experiences.
Flat tires are like the bad stuff that happened this year: meant to be fixed so you can keep rolling.
Learning from your year and planning for the next one
In order to reframe the negatives you must give yourself credit, for being wise enough to learn from your mistakes and creative enough to come up with a new plan. I feel energized by identifying old patterns in my behavior and finding different systems that could work better.
What have you already done?
If you have already made strides for the positive, take a moment to point them out and be grateful.
Finding the gaps
What was missing your old way of thinking?
Is there new information you need? Things you must practice or study?
What behaviors need replacing?
A new plan
For every negative, think about a few positive actions you are taking (or will take) to counteract the effects. Focus on actions and habits, concrete steps you can take for the better.
Be specific about self discovery. If you’ve realized things about yourself or are curious about learning something new, state it. Be directive about who you are and where you want to be, starting now.
Look at next year as a blank slate, but take the experience and wisdom of the past forward. Be aware of ways you can build on what you have, using your strengths to your advantage.
It may feel like year in and year out your problems stay the same, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Every year has its glory days, it’s gutter balls, and it’s aha moments. But we are better for having experienced it in the first place.
Want more on your year, in review?
Try this free journal download for a more structured look a your year in review.
I also have additional posts to help with New Year’s journal ideas, from reflection to goal planning.
For those who want general advice on making your dreams a reality:
It’s back-to-school season, which means notebooks, planners, and journals are lining store shelves. If you’ve been meaning to find a way to the new you, stop waiting and start goal journaling. It’s time to get organized, readying yourself for yet another year at the School of Hard Knocks.
What is goal journaling?
Goal journaling uses planning and reflection to help you make incremental progress toward what you want in life. You record thoughts using writing, images, or any media that inspires you. You can:
Build new habits with daily actions that directly serve your goals
Celebrate the things you’ve already accomplished
Look forward to the challenges ahead
Keep a positive vibe going, even as you acknowledge setbacks
Get organized, by breaking big picture goals into manageable pieces, and scheduling them into your life
Why should I goal journal?
I have been journaling since I could wield a pen. It helps me process feelings about my goals, and to record ideas that I may otherwise forget. Writing gives substance to fleeting thoughts, and solidifies plans that initially aren’t developed enough to make something of. The act of writing something down makes it real by serving as a statement of intent.
If you are having trouble getting actual results from your hopes and dreams you might need:
Better planning
Increased self-accountability
A way to acknowledge how you feel
Integration of your goals into your everyday decision-making
Goal journaling can help you do these things and more. You are the perfect person to design and project-manage your best you. Spend just a few minutes a day, or more if you love it, and I guarantee the investment will be worth it. (Capitalize on the time you’d otherwise use for mindlessly scrolling your social media feeds. Or popping pimples, massaging your pet rock, whatever it is you do to “relax.”)
If you have time to complain/watch cat videos/scratch your butt you have time for goal journaling.
What goal should I write about in my journal?
Anything you want to accomplish can be a part of a goal journal. Journaling provides a safe space to be honest, inspired, and to explore the future as you take steps for change. It’s a great way to care for your heart and your brain, a therapeutic habit that only you can reap the benefits of. So, make it your own.
Pick one aspiration, or many, but make it something you feel passionate about and are dedicated to making a reality.
Stumped about what to write? Fill in this blank to help you get started:
I really want to _________.
Any journaling is good journaling to me, but if you want to get specific about accomplishing your goals it’s best to pick something you can reasonably take action on daily (or weekly). It should be concrete and in line with your values.
I ran into this rad pizza notebook at the outlet store the other day. I think it could be turned into a bitchin bedside pizza journal, whereat I mighst writeth all of my pizza goals down.
What are the essential elements of Goal Journaling?
There is no secret formula to instant journal success. But there are some writing themes that are more helpful than others when it comes to holding yourself accountable and staying positive.
Goal journals should speak to the elements of past, present, and future:
Reflection
Think about things that have gone well…or not. Focus on celebrating the positive.
What would you do differently?
What are your feelings about your progress?
What is most important to you and why?
Action
What can you do today that is in line with what you want?
How can your actions serve your purpose?
Planning
Forecast what your end results will look like
Remind yourself of the long-term steps it will take to get there.
Start planning future actions
What are the work-arounds you have in mind for obstacles you might face ?
Identify the resources you need
I picked up this goal journaling gem for $6 at Target. This Mara Mi journal layout has elements of past, present, and future. It is part guided journal and part dot journal.
What kind of goal journal should I get?
There are many types of journals out there, and different writing techniques to try. Which one you pick isn’t as important as the fact that you are now writing your way to a better life. Congratulations.
I will overview a few journal types, but remember this list is not exhaustive…if you can find a way that works for you, try it. The ones below overlap and can have elements of one another. There as many possible journals as there are goals to fill them with! I’ve tried many types and feel no loyalty to a certain journal scheme. So when I feel like moving on to something else, a new journal can be just the thing I need to get motivated again.
Planner/journal combos
For those who enjoy integrating the reflection and action aspects of goal-setting, these journals have preprinted sections for planning your tasks, and for writing about it before and/or afterward. They usually have some combo of a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly calendar, in addition to a daily journal exercise.
Panda Planner Classic is a large, full service goal journal. It comes with pre-printed daily, weekly, and monthly calendars as well as guided journal elements.
Pros:
Comprehensive spot for fitting actions into your busy life
Easiest for looking at actions on a macro and micro level within the same journal
Have some structure outlined for you
Repetitive input is good for building habits
Cons:
Tend to be larger and bulky, may need to buy more than one to last a full year.
Can be expensive
If they are pre-dated it could be wasteful if you don’t plan to journal every day
May be too structured for people who like freedom in their journaling
Embellished journals are for those who want visual elements, pieces of flair, bling, or something more tactile to keep them motivated. If you like a little form along with your function you may find this type of journaling more fun than the others. Typically, you can add artwork, stickers, mementos, photos, and other media elements to your writing.
Scrapbooking supplies, such as stickers, colored papers and tapes, can add dimension and crafting splendor to your journal. Behold the splendor.
Like looking at pretty stuff, enjoy scrapbooking, or find yourself drawn to non-written expressions of your goals? This is one way to turn a simple journal into a keepsake, especially if you want to look back proudly on your journey.
Pros:
More aesthetically-pleasing than the other types
Can encourage even non-writers to put their goals down on paper
The most fun to look at again, after the writing is done
Cons:
More time-consuming to fill out pages
Pre-made packs and binders could be full of cheesy sentiment
Usually the least portable, might require other supplies
Only have a few moments to spare? Want to distill goal journaling down to its essence? Dot journals (also know as bullet or list journals) are the way to go. This technique keeps you on track using simple bulleted lists.
These journals offer minimalist appeal and can be flexed to meet your needs. Use customized “spreads” to format journal pages and organize your list categories into something meaningful to you. You can create sections for whatever your heart desires.
Dot journaling can happen wherever, whenever. I did this goal journal entry while enjoying a hotel balcony view on a mini vacation.
You can list:
Daily accomplishments
Action items for the next day
The highlights and lowlights you experienced
Motivators and secondary wins
Things you are thankful for
The list of possible lists is endless, much too long to make a comprehensive list about. People who love lists will love dot journals, and have probably been doing some version of it already, whether or not they consider their lists “journaling.”
One thing I love is that I can segue into other thoughts by making additional lists, and then move back quickly to what I was originally writing. If you also suffer from brain diarrhea, when you are finished with a day of dot journaling your thoughts may actually make more sense. This type of writing comes very naturally to me, as a list nerd, but if you want more guidance, read Rachel Wilkerson Miller’s book Dot Journaling–A Practical Guide.
Pros:
Simple and concise
Minimal time investment required
Good way to get a stream of ideas down fast
Cons:
Lacks the depth and feel of a traditional journal for those who like writing more
May feel too short for reflection elements
There are pre-printed dot journals, but of course you can make any blank, quad-ruled, or lined journal work.
If there are “list people” there is also a subculture of “bullet people,” and I claim allegiance to both!
Classic journaling
No matter what type of journal I try, you bet your buns I also have a classic blank journal at my bedside. I love the promise of an empty page. On any given day the shape of your written dreams can take any form they choose to.
No bells and whistles here, just your thoughts, ideas, and feelings. This option is best for those who don’t need rules or structure to tell them what to do. You know who you are, goal journaling rebels! You may be someone who likes to write full sentences, paragraphs, and maybe even a doodle or two. Just make sure to include content specific to your goals.
Pros:
Free form expression is allowed
Can work in any type of blank journal or notebook
Economical
Can write about goals alongside anything else you want to
Cons:
Lack structure for those who need it to stay on task
Goal-specific content can get lost in other writing
Electronic journals
To me, electronic journaling can’t hold a candle to actual pen-and-paper writing. I’m old school and find that I process information better if I physically have to form the thoughts by (knobby, liver-spotted) hand into words. But that’s just one perspective. Some people find this type of journaling the only way to go for its convenience and accessibility.
I’m takin’ it back to the old school
‘Cause I’m an old fool who’s so cool
—Tag Team
E-journaling can take many forms:
A simple file or page within a word processing or notebook program (like OneNote or Evernote)
A journaling app made for writing or clicking-in your thoughts on a regular basis. Examples:
Multimedia app that includes pictures, audio, or video
Text within another app that tracks goal progress, such as a fitness or self-improvement tracker
A list program, which works similar to dot journaling. You can even set reminders for tasks and action items.
Jour offers daily journal prompts, along with free text journaling. You can get inspiration from themed journal activities.
Pros:
Most portable and convenient
Easiest to add pictures and video
Shareable, if you are into that kind of thing
Storable, without taking up room
May offer guided-journal exercises to prompt writing
Cons:
Other media or notifications on your device may distract you
The process of typing or clicking can be less focused and reflective than writing by hand
Journaling programs and apps may charge subscription or add-on fees
No matter what type of journal you decide upon, it is important that you actually use it. You may want to crack open a page today and visit that life coach/personal assistant/memory keeper/action factory that is yourself (disguised as a delicious pizza journal).
Goal Journal Gallery
Want more journal pics?
There are so many types of journals. This one lets you scratch away the page to reveal your dreams. I think it could help for scratching away things you don’t want in your life.
Affirmations are everywhere nowadays, on T-shirts, mugs, dog poop baggies, and yes, journals. If you love affirmations you can probably find a journal with one that suits you, or you can add it yourself. Find them gag-worthy but like the journal on the inside? Cover it up, smashbook style.
Happy planners are modifiable and allow you to insert both themed and blank pages. The binder-style notebooks are made to embellish, with stickers, colorful paper packs, and whatever else you can think of. Each planner has a theme with pre-made pages to get you started. This is the student edition.
Most tracker apps have a notes section, like this one in the app I use to log my blood pressure. If your goals are linked to something you already track, you may find it easier to add supplemental text to the entries you already have.
If you want to learn more about Kracked Kaleidoscope goal journaling, visit these posts for inspiration:
With a word, symbol, or phrase you might know a company’s vision. Having a brand shows what a business represents, and what they can offer. There’s no reason you can’t have your own life brand this year, and sell yourself success with progress towards a better you. Brand your year and live your resolution for change—with a vision to guide your actions and decisions toward what you want.
Many will tell you that lasting change requires hard work, setting measurable goals, and lots of sacrifice. These things have their place in self-improvement, but they don’t sound very sexy, and might make you want to quit before you even get started with a New Year’s resolution. It can also be tough to find a goal worth working for. You might already know who you want to be, or how you wish things were different, but it is hard to articulate those things in a way that brings results. Branding is one way to put a stamp of intent on the priorities that drive you.
Develop your brand
Finding your brand requires knowing what you want out of your year. Then you can focus on the essence of that want and put it into something you can remember–this will be the standard that guides you through your decisions and actions and keeps you on track.
What do you want this New Year?
You may already have an idea of what you want, but if not there are ways to find out. Answer a few questions to get the ideas flowing:
How do you wish things were different in your life?
What are the biggest obstacles to getting what you want?
What feelings do you want to have more of? Less of?
Are there experiences you want to have or avoid?
What are your biggest priorities?
Making a statement with your goals
Now that you’ve described the desire for change, you need to find the themes and values that exemplify your goals. It may seem challenging, but there is always a common thread, something that calls to you like a beacon of change–this should be positive, motivating, and something you can be proud of.
This brand could mean different things to different people. To me it does not stand for skin bleaching or ~getting lit~. It means losing baggage, simplifying, and having fun.
My 2018 brand was “Lighten Up”. I felt weighted down with obligations and negative feelings. I wanted to declutter my life and ease some burdens, but have fun while doing so. Both the image and the statement I chose fit into my goals. This brand developed when I thought about what I didn’t want, as well as what I did. My idea was “heaviness = bad”, so what was the opposite? Lightness? It worked for me and felt right.
Your brand can be built upon a phrase, word, picture, quote/statement, or anything else that solidifies your priorities and intent. Pick something meaningful to you and your individual motivations–this has to be something that is personal to you. No one is going to be doing the work for you, and nobody else will make your decisions. This is your brand to own and develop.
Here are some ideas for picking your brand:
A song or poem that carries your theme and reminds you of what you want
A string of verbs that relay the actions you want to take
A phrase or sentence that has meaning and relevance to your plans
A picture or piece of art that embodies your ideal state
A quote that sums up your feelings or motivations
Still having problems picking something?
Try brainstorming all the words you can think of that describe the life you desire. Pick 1-3 of them as use these as a brand statement.
Write your mission for a better life a few different ways using only a sentence or two. Pick the best option as your “mission statement.”
Release your brand
Glad you’ve picked something; now make it official. Commit to this idea, no matter how you’ve chosen to represent it. This is now your mantra, so make it stick. You will want to keep the impetus for change throughout the year, so consider making reminders accessible to you. I chose both words and a visual to state my brand last year. I could refer to these later, and they helped guide my efforts.
Ideas for releasing your brand:
Screen saver (or ringtone/power-on sound) on your computer or phone
Cover for your journal, calendar, or planner. (Or an entry marking the start date.)
Title on your physical or virtual bulletin board
Post on social media announcing your year of change
Visual cue placed on your desk, wall, or nightstand
Statement to yourself as you start your new year, with reflection and thought
Whatever you do, own your choice to change and tell yourself why it is important to you. Let your brand be the guidepost for your year, and make it clear which direction you want to take.
Live your resolutions
Now that you have your brand, put it to work. It’s time to live your resolutions like you mean it, because you do. Your year now has an identity, and it’s your job to help it be what it’s meant to be. Your brand can serve your goals in different ways, so let it.
Your brand as a choice barometer
Let your brand be the standard for ideal decision-making. Measure your choices against this, and decide if they are right for you.
When confronted with taking on more projects at work this past year, I thought about whether or not the decision would fit with my goal to “lighten up!” This prevented me from taking on a few things that I maybe would’ve done automatically in the past and suffered for later.
Your brand is a reminder of what’s important to you. You’ve already made the decision to make your brand a priority, so let this decision flow into the other ones you make throughout the year. New opportunity doesn’t fit with your ideal? Maybe it’s not right for you. A decision feels right with your brand? It’s probably working for you, rather than against you!
Directions for growth
Your brand can guide you as you learn and seek new opportunities. Staying true to your brand might help you decide what books to read, people to hang out with, and activities to do. If you have a mission it is easier to choose where your energy and time should go.
I carried my brand, and what it represented, to the library with me, in my internet clicks, and on my family vacation. This let me transform my goals from ideas into action by giving me direction for growth. I wanted to learn things that would serve my intentions, and experience things that followed my vision.
This is what my brand helped me do this past year:
Perform 3 rounds of house decluttering, including a big dumpster fill at the start of the year
Take both a nature park family road trip and a much needed getaway with my friends
Make regular breaks a part of my standard work and life routine
Say no to unnecessary extra projects and hours at work
Turn down job offers that were a trade of my sanity for money (and making others happy)
Eliminate an external worry factor by erasing the news app from my phone
Try shinrin yoku, the therapeutic practice of “forest bathing”
Learn a lot about decluttering and discarding, both emotional and literal
Complete over 300 miles of outdoor street and trail running
Staying motivated
As long as your choose your brand wisely, you will be better prepared for success throughout the year. It is usually easier to stay motivated at the start of a new year than it is at the end. This is because old habits die hard, and it just isn’t fun to feel like a failure all the time. Giving up can mean self-preservation. Or, sometimes our priorities change and what feels exciting at the start gets dull and needs replacing.
What helps me is to have regular check-ins about my progress. I used my brand as a theme to help guide my journal entries throughout the year, as well as nudge me on a daily basis. I use both a free-hand journal and a Panda Planner to write down my thoughts, to-dos, and to remind me of what’s important. My Panda Planner has room for Monthly, Weekly, and Daily goals. I made sure that these fit with my brand for the year.
In the past, I have used pre-scheduled action items that fit with my overall intent. Picking one mini-goal to work on each month helps prevent things from getting stale, and lets you spread your efforts over the year.
As for habits, just remember to make your choices in line with your brand. If you want to work on specific routines, be true to your mission and be ruthless about it.
Get inspired
Although you want to keep the energy flowing for 12 more months, it is nice to take advantage of this New Year’s momentum. There is no better time to get ideas written down and talk to people about your plans.
This year, I will be making a new Pinterest board (just like last year) that gives me ideas for what I want to do. I also plan to map out some mini-goals for each month and make a list of things I would like to accomplish (in line with my new brand, of course). Visit my post New Goals, 5 Ways for more banter on fleshing out your ideas.
Just because you have a big picture plan doesn’t mean you can’t work on the details too. The brand should work like a lens that you can focus in and out of: zoom out when you need perspective and to remind yourself of what you want. Zoom in when you want to make real change by taking concrete actions that are in line with your vision
The New Year’s brand I’ve chosen this time is “I’m ready.” This should fall somewhere between the tenaciously annoying Sponge Bob version and the warrior’s strength of je suis prest (Jamie from Outlander‘s clan motto). Either way, it’s about thinking ahead and setting myself up for success on a daily basis, and in my life overall. It’s about being less reactive, more prepared, and open to new opportunities.
Here are some brands I also considered:
Making Space—carving out time, energy, and physical space for what I want to do
Level Up—taking accomplishments to the next eschelon by setting higher goals where it matters most
Hygge (the Scandinavian concept of coziness)—celebrating authenticity, relishing in simplicity and comfort, and feeling at home in my life
Where can your brand take you?
Is my life perfect after branding my year? No. Do I always stay on track with my brand and what it stands for? No, but I mostly do. Is branding my year worth it? Totally. Even though it’s nerdy and can seem overly simple, it is a technique that CAN work to help you stay on track.
Businesses have built success with their brands by knowing what they stand for and marketing appopriately. Know what you stand for. Remind yourself often. And stay true. Do these things and you have a chance at success too.
Instead of making a pros and cons list, try making an All-Good-Things list. This can only have positive items on it, no matter how much you want to complain about something. It can be the hopeful spin on a difficult change, a compass for decision-making, or an exercise in appreciating what you have.
My tendencies toward perfectionism and optimizing make me grieve over the little things. As in, “WTF? They put mayonnaise on my burger? I clearly asked for no mayo. Now what am I supposed to eat? Life sucks!”
Art by Poeto
When big things hit I get anxious, especially when I have to make a decision. I can hum and haw to the point where other people get annoyed, I get annoyed, and the agony of decision-making can keep me from getting lemonade out of lemons.
Recently my company restructured, and I had to make a decision: reapply for a lower-paying position with a different schedule, or quit and find something else. I decided to stay, but had to give up working alongside people I’ve enjoyed being around for over a decade. When I first heard about the restructure I was scared I would be laid off, afraid I wouldn’t get a position even if I applied. Quickly, I had gone from being happy to have a job at all to complaining about how Un-Perfect everything was. I needed perspective.
Making an All-Good-Things list is one tool I used to deal with the dissonance over this change.
All-Good-Things about being demoted
I get to befriend a new group of people.
My kids will get to spend more time with my husband when I work every other weekend.
The time I have off during the week will allow me to spend more time writing, with a much quieter house.
My pay did not get cut as much as I thought it would, and I will save money on child care.
Responsibilities for the new position seem to be short term, day-to-day tasks, so there is an opportunity for less stress.
Feel that wind? No, it’s not the hot air I’m blowing up your ass, nor the hot air blowing from my ass. It’s the wind of change, and I feel it nudging me down an exciting path, with less focus on day-job work.
I get a 3 day weekend every other week, which is awesome for camping and mini vacations.
As an hourly worker I can start making overtime again!
I get to stay at my company, close to home with a quick commute.
My job as a nurse gives me flexibility and freedom to find work in different venues and specialties. If I don’t end up liking my current position, I can always find something else.
How to make an All-Good-Things list:
Find positive things to say about your situation
Write them down
Use an All-Good-Things list to deal with change
Keeping positive vibes can be hard when life seems out of your control. It can be easy to feel like a victim, and you can pine over things you only wish were true. Fear of new challenges can be paralyzing. Making a list of the good, in whatever you’re dealing with, can help affirm your position as someone who is willing to forge ahead and find the silver lining.
Questions to ask yourself:
What about this change will be different in a good way?
Will/did you learn something new?
Is there an opportunity for growth?
Could things be worse? Are you grateful they’re not?
What tools do you already possess to get you through this?
Use an All-Good-Things list to help you make a decision
Quickly write down at least a few things that are good about each option you are considering. Go through them again when you’re done to see how you feel about each one. If you are having trouble finding good things to say about one of the options, you either don’t have enough information, or this one might not be for you.
How do the different lists make you feel? Does one option give you more feelings of excitement and optimism?
Example: to eat a mayo-covered burger or not—that IS the question.
Option #1–Just eat it
I’m still hungry
I can wipe off the mayonnaise
The food won’t go to waste
If I’m chewing I can’t simultaneously vocalize my distaste (for mayonnaise and idiots)
Option #2–Don’t eat it
I can just sit and watch the rest of my family enjoy their burgers, I guess. It’s not my fault that I was the only one born afflicted with MAS (mayonnaise aversion syndrome).
Those burger people have won the battle in pissing me off. I hope they’re happy with themselves! 😃
I guess I feel more excited about wiping the mayonnaise off and eating it. So there.
(Side note: being passive-aggressive doesn’t count as positivity. Furthermore, smiley emojis are hard to interpret when you are being sarcastic. Nobody wants a text layered with your psychological problems.)
Appreciate what you have with an All-Good-Things list
Taking time to list the rad things in your life is a mood-booster. It simply crowds out bad thoughts and attitudes. You can list things as small as the breeze on your skin, or as large as the love in your life. You can focus on the present, or reflect on the past. Be descriptive and feel each thing as you write it.
The little things
Descriptive journaling is meditative. Especially when you are trying to focus on being present and you have a difficult time deflecting other thoughts. Try to describe the sensory input you are experiencing wherever you are, from the view of a contented observer. You can write about what is here, now, and how uniquely great it is.
Almost every morning I’ve been journaling the things I am grateful for and the things I’m excited for, using my Panda Planner. It helps me start the day from a place of hope and appreciation. At the end of the day I list the things that were successful about the last 24 hours, and this helps reset crappy feelings before I go to bed.
All-Good-Things lists are like a personal coach for staying on the sunny side. There are a million lists I can make about the awesomeness in my life and in the world. Sometimes writing a few things down can remind me of that, in case I’ve forgotten. 😃
Does your life kinda stink? Maybe you need a bath—a tree bath, that is. Shinrin yoku is the practice of forest bathing, or being in the therapeutic presence of trees. To breathe near them, observe nature, use your senses, and be mindful. The shinrin yoku movement began in Japan in the 80s and has become an accepted medical treatment there and in other parts of the world. There are evidence-backed claims of health benefits, such as improved mood, blood pressure, and sleep.
The principles of shinrin yoku vary depending on your source, but are pretty simple:
Immerse yourself in nature, wherever you can find it, preferably in the company of trees.
Focus on it without artificial distraction
Let go of agendas, time, and expectations
Use your senses to observe what’s around you
I have decided to try it and see how it feels. The forest is always a rejuvenating place for me. Living in the Pacific Northwest has given me the opportunity to be near the best trees in the world and incredible areas of natural beauty. Many of my sweetest memories are intertwined with my experiences outdoors.
I respect the majesty of trees and believe they give us so much more than cocktail toothpicks, wooden marionettes, and toilet paper. They are like the sentinels of nature, standing tall, guarding and bearing witness.
Trees aren’t as simple as they seem: they communicate with each other in mysterious ways, via electricity, chemicals in the air, and fungi underground. They have networks and depend on each other for survival. We are guests when we visit them, but yet we need them too, as they are a part of our story, and us now a part of theirs.
Snow-covered fir trees line the road to my first shinrin yoku experience.
The science of our own place in nature is complicated. We typically think of ourselves as special and separate from the rest of the ecosystem. But the interdependence we have with other living things, with the world outside, is devastatingly underrated. The way we’ve upset that balance has wronged ourselves and our earth. I am intrigued by how humans are meant to rely on other living things to optimally survive, and how we can go about restoring some of that lost balance. Being in nature, where humans have always lived until recently, is probably what’s missing from our plastic-y, artificially lit, indoor lives.
Shinrin yoku sounds like a good way to connect with myself, the trees, the rest of the forest, and to see what it does for my own balance, mood and sleep. For a week I practiced shinrin yoku, near home and away, in the sun and in the snow, and during both day and night. Here is an account of my experience.
Away in the snow, with shinrin yoku day and night
Friday, 7:45 pm: People…people who need people. And glamping in the trees.
I planned a camping trip in the foothills of the Coast Range in western Oregon, amidst the trees of a dense Douglas fir forest. I’ve made it to my camping spot and the ground is covered in a slush of snow that’s been rained upon. We planned this spring break trip months ago, but didn’t expect it to be so cold. Or wet. Snow this late in the year isn’t typical.
We’ve decided to make the best of it and enjoy our soggy outing. We set up canopies outside the trailer, covered our fire wood, and went into the toasty interior of our apartment on wheels to hang out (only after the kids became thoroughly saturated). I guess it’s more like glamping than roughing it if your accommodations are nicer than your actual house.
Is it actually camping if you can take a hot shower and keep your fancy yogurt in the refrigerator?
Now we’re watching The Lorax on our camping flat screen, and this movie happens to fit the theme of my trip: trees. Instead of speaking FOR the trees, I want the trees to speak TO me. I’ve decided I’m going into the woods to formally try shinrin yoku in the morning.
Because we are the kind of family that sometimes watches a little tv while enjoying nature (and parks a mobile house on the side of our home in the name of camping), we probably desperately need time in the trees. To unplug, decompress, be silent, and breathe in the high-quality forest air.
Saturday, 9:35 am: Forest sense
I woke up with a bad headache—possibly due to the modern comforts of forced air heat, blasting into my sinuses as I slept. Snow fell throughout the night while my furnace roared, leaving some of the trails impassable. After an egg and pancake breakfast I headed out, with my friend D and her dog, to be with some trees. Shinrin yoku encourages use of your senses. I tried to focus and pay attention.
The view from a clearing in the snow-covered woods
👀Sight: Dark evergreen boughs capped with beautiful snow. The sapling babies of spring, chilled and new at our feet, looking lost and small. Brightness amplified with white all around.
👂🏽Sound: Quiet water tricking everywhere and nowhere as the snow melts and stealthily joins its friends downhill. The crack of branches, giving with a heavy burden. Flakes fall like a million whispers.
🤚Touch: Cold becomes a part of you as you invite it in, breathing deeply. The snow crunches in a satisfying way with each step—you can feel the sureness of your footing. Trees shelter and give off a slight warmth as you pass closely.
👃🏻Smell: The familiar sweetness of forest is here today, but smoother in the chill than usual, as it is cut with the frosty clean scent of pure snow. A bank of trees that has been recently logged smells strongly of fir, which reminds me of good things from my past all at once—Christmas trees, shop class, songs by firelight, and our old wood stove.
I was hoping the trees would cure my headache. It was still there, but I was definitely more calm and a little happier. Upon returning to camp I got a hankering for a long satisfying nap, which I took, snuggled with my Baby Son.
The trees are telling us we are on our own and to shinrin yoku at our own risk.
Saturday, 10:45 pm: Who’s on night watch?
The first tree bath of the day was great, but I just had to try it in the dark. Another friend was game this time. After a few carne asada tacos, a bottle of local ale, and good campfire conversations, again I left, with my 15-month old strapped to my chest. We set out just as the twilight sky was lavender and warned us of darkness.
The forest took on a different feel in the dark. The trees were done standing watch for us, and told us we were on our own. If the day was our time, this was theirs. Somehow things seemed more alive as the sun set.
These young trees were green and bright and slapped us across the face as we rounded corners of the dark trail.
Greenery was bright in our headlamps. Branches popped out of nowhere. The trail seemed smaller and the trees seemed bigger. I still felt welcome as a guest, to this time bear witness for the trees. They thanked us for our visit and after an hour or so we felt the need to get back to our people and our own home base.
The daylight trip made me want to sleep, but the nighttime one energized me. I returned to the company of family and friends, to sit around the fire some more (and s’more) staying up late, having fun.
The pros
Love, love, love being in the forest. Paying close attention to your senses makes the experience more intense, and gives you a better respect and understanding for the trees and the rest of the living things around you. Both day and night trips give the forest a magical ambiance when you let your invasive thoughts fade away.
The air is fantastic. It smells great, it feels great, and I wonder what exactly those beneficial compounds that trees emit do. Breathing in the forest is the best part.
Shinrin yoku is rejuvenating and peaceful. The opportunity to try this in the deep, snowy woods was incredible.
Being with the trees is a privilege, and one I don’t want to take for granted. Having access to the wonder of the forests is special and I am grateful.
The cons
Recommendations are to wander aimlessly at a leisurely pace with shinrin yoku, but in a remote area I had a hard time with both. I get lost very quickly, and I have to eventually come home safely. I ended up walking at a good pace at times, with purpose. So, yeah, it was like a hike.
Want to take someone along so you’re not alone in the woods? It is very difficult not to talk, especially if you are with friends that you need to catch up with. I kept wanting to break silence, especially to make noise to warn cougars away from my baby during the dark walk.
It’s pretty hard to focus in a dark, unfamiliar place, due to instincts to avoid danger. This makes it hard to fully relax during the night.
Shinrin yoku in the Sunday sun, with the trees outside my door
Sunday, 2:45 pm: In my own backyard
We arrived home from camping today to find it mostly sunny and warm. The plan was to unpack and relax for the rest of the day. But then my yard got all jacked up from trying to park and re-park the heavy trailer on soggy ground.
I had to back fill all these ruts by hand with my hoe.
Then my Baby Son got into the barbecue grease when I wasn’t looking. Hope he doesn’t get diarrhea. He smeared this everywhere.
Needless to say I was exhausted and stressed after all this, so I decided to do shinrin yoku in my own yard in an attempt to take it down a notch.
I have 10 trees and shrubs on my property. I wandered and focused on their individuality, trying to be present, getting a sense for each on their own. This was calming and it was good to check in on my plants, seeing how spring was changing them so far.
The camellia is starting to bloom
No leaves yet, but this tree is happy against the blue sky
A boxwood hedge is always green and ready for some front yard shinrin yoku
Pros:
The trees in your yard, street, or neighborhood are completely available, with quick access.
Seeing something as new that you are used to looking at is rad.
Peering at the small details of any plant is fascinating, and something we don’t do enough of—I can’t usually see my yard for the trees.
Cons
It’s hard not to want to prune or start yard projects when looking at your own plants. This is not a calming feeling, so you have to push past it.
Depending your nearest outdoor space, your choices may be limited.
I had never noticed how beautiful the bark of my tree was, with lichen and moss in different colors…a little forest on its own.
Trees in the city park, family style
Tuesday, 5:05 pm: “I don’t wanna take a tree bath!”
Pokemon, Go!..take a shinrin yoku tree break from your tablet or smartphone.
My kids are off school for the week, and it is easy to get lazy and crazy inside the house. We had spent the good part of the day curled up in my bed binge-watching Gortimer Gibbons, making bead necklaces, and doing my taxes. Suddenly I felt the shinrin yoku itch and dragged them to a city park, with the bargain of taking them to the swings after some tree time. They were like, “I don’t wanna take a tree bath!” Well, tough turds.
I think I’m really starting to dig lichen. How cool are the colors and stripes on this tree?
We ambled down the paths and touched rocks, listened for bullfrogs, and found stripes of colorful sap and lichen on bark. Some of the paths were flooded, but we discovered a new one we hadn’t been on before as we wandered, seeing trees that were usually submerged underwater, looking dead and spooky.
The kids liked their tree bath, whether they want to admit it or not.
Pros:
Easy to do, safe to actually wander around aimlessly in a controlled space.
Family-friendly. Parks are usually made with accessibility in mind. There are paved paths for strollers, wheelchairs, and bikes, and groomed areas to sit and observe nature.
Cons:
City parks can have all kinds of distractions, like traffic noise, homeless camps, and views/smells of the sewage treatment plant between the trunks.
Not as peaceful as remote forests. There are other people you have to share the space with.
This city park is adjacent to what my kids lovingly call “The Poop Factory”, aka the wastewater treatment facility.
A pause for nature on a busy day
Thursday 8:15 pm: She works hard for the shinrin yoku
My day was filled with meetings, phone calls, and pissing on small dramatic workplace fires. I only got a 15 minute lunch and the day went by like lightning. Before I knew it I had been there for almost 14 hours in a windowless space. I needed to transition to a more peaceful state, and seek the normalcy of nature.
I found an awesome tree in bloom on my way to the parking garage. The goal: to get rid of stress and naggy thoughts so I could go home and be fully present with my family. It is already becoming easier to focus after a week with shinrin yoku. I could feel myself relax quickly as I looked at the glow of the tree in the fading light, smelled the blossoms, and breathed deeply. With an investment of only a few minutes I felt a lot better.
The pros:
Doing a workplace shinrin yoku quickie can help you decompress before, during, or after work. Finding a spot to enjoy a little slice of nature can help normalize your stressful day.
Being mindful during a busy time is easier with external cues in the beauty of nature.
The cons:
If you are stuck inside like I am for your work day, you may have to venture outside on your break or bring plants inside to practice this.
Colleagues and campus security may be concerned by your loitering, deep tree sniffing, and the intensity of your gaze. Be prepared to make urine for “random” drug testing. (Hope you haven’t used it all up pissing on fires.)
Shinrin yoku experiment: the findings
Mood
Shinrin yoku is amazing for my mood, even in the short term. This mindfulness technique is spot on. It is a good way for beginners to find focus, since trees are usually easy to find and sensory input is straightforward. After each session I found myself returning to feelings of calm by remembering what I practiced.
When driving, I find myself glancing at the trees as I speed by, and for a second I feel that blip of peace. That’s what I’m looking for: a new habit of calm, carrying the feelings I get from mindfulness throughout my day.
We are drawn to nature because we are a part of it. Letting ourselves have the space and time to be present with the world is something we were born to do. Stop fighting it already.
Health
My camping tree bath did nothing for my headache, but I can see how this calming practice could be good for mitigating inflammation. I know my breathing and heart rate did slow with calmness.
The breathing aspect of shinrin yoku itself is key to bringing your body to the present. If you are able to try this in the deep forest or an untouched natural area you will be rewarded with the sweetest, cleanest, loveliest air. If you do nothing else in the woods, you must appreciate this in a world with fewer places to experience the air we were made to breathe.
Exercise, no matter how mild, is good for you—and you may get a dose, depending on your excursion. The focus of shinrin yoku is not to work out, but it can fit into an active, nature-loving lifestyle.
Sleep
Night was energizing, but day shinrin yoku made me either nap or have a slightly better time falling asleep. Mindfulness is known to be good for sleep, but I didn’t have enough of a trajectory to appreciate the full effects. Maybe daytime tree bathing is better for sleep than night due to sunlight exposure, and nighttime alertness (with an instinct to avoid danger in an unfamiliar place) can amp people up. Who knows, maybe the trees give off different chemicals during the night hours that can affect us? I need to try sitting still in the dark with a tree in a safe place sometime.
Long term practice
Sniffing trees and having an agenda when out in nature can seem a little hokey and “out there”, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Simply being mindful and appreciative of our natural world is what shinrin yoku is about. Immersing the mind, body, and spirit in the world around us is more normal than other common things people do, like intently choosing selfie filters on a smartphone, or watching other people experience nature through a TV set.
I liked trying shinrin yoku. The principles and techniques will probably stay with me as I seek more experiences in the peace of the outdoors. Forest bathing doesn’t have to be formal or grand, and I think focusing on nature is something anyone can do, no matter the scale. From a flower in a vase to a dense forest, find it and feel calm.
The benefits of shinrin yoku are rooted in stress relief and leafing your worries behind (pun and pun intended). If you bark up the right tree, you might find something worth keeping in your tool kit for living, so give tree bathing a try. Or at least look for a long, hard minute at your houseplants.
Want to make a New Years resolution but don’t know how to start? I’ve used various methods to beginning new goals, and the one you choose isn’t as important as just getting started, and to stop procrastinating. Here are 5 different ways to start the change engine before January 1st:
1. Tic-tac-toe goal board
Use this format to set goals on the macro level to organize your thoughts. Break a big goal into different categories or steps.
This method works great for categorizing steps to a complex goal, or for working on many goals simultaneously. Draw a tic-tac-toe grid on a piece of paper. Create up to 9 separate goals or categories to work on. Go deeper and add at least 3 steps to each category. This simple board fits a lot of goal meat into one page, and isn’t too overwhelming to create. You can use this organizational structure to track your progress on different facets of wellness throughout the year.
Keep using your grid categories throughout the year to make changes on the micro level: your themes can guide your action items. Checking in with your macro goals at regular intervals and creating to-do items each day, week, or month means real progress.
2. One imperative
Work like a mad detective and solve the mystery of attaining your most important goal, by leaving no stone unturned and talking to yourself while writing frantically.
If you are tractor-beaming on a very specific goal, this is a good way to go. Start with a mind map diagram centered on the one thing you want to work on. Brainstorm all the ways this goal touches your life, along with possible ways to make it a reality. Make sure to exhaust your list of associations and leave no idea behind. Show how different components of your actions affect each other. This will give you a map to trying anything and everything possible before even thinking about giving up. After you’ve made your diagram, pick a few change ideas to implement immediately.
3. Dream board
Digital or physical dream boards can give you inspiration
Did you ever do this as a kid, where you took a physical bulletin board and pinned up the pictures, notes, and knickknacks that reminded you of your dreams? You can make a physical board or commission a space in your house for displaying ideas and inspirational pieces. Looking at these will help you stay on track and keep your goals at the forefront of your mind.
Dream boards can also be digital. Pin images, webpages, videos, and articles that will motivate and prepare you. The more visual, the better. It’s like a catalog for selling yourself success.
4. Journaling for change
Dedicate a notebook or digital file to making changes in your life for the better. Open the first page and start writing about what you want, where you want to be, and how you might get there. By the end of your first writing session you might have an idea of what to do next.
Commit to checking in with yourself at regular intervals and writing about your progress. When you are feeling stuck or confused go back and read about what you’ve accomplished so far and what mistakes you’ve already made. This reflection gives objective insight into your own life and you can learn from your own experiences.
5. Brand your year
My 2018 theme is “lighten up!” This brand could mean different things to different people. To me it DOES NOT stand for skin bleaching or huffing helium. It means losing personal baggage, simplifying, and having fun.
Pick a theme for the changes you want to make this year and build your efforts around it. The theme can be a phrase, a song, an object, a single idea, an emotion. Think of the ways you can express this theme in your actions, environment, relationships, and write them down.
Anchor your brand for change by connecting the physical element with the ideological. What you wear, eat, read, watch, and do should align with the feelings and thoughts you want to cultivate. Set this year apart from the others by giving it an identity—one that you can be proud of.
No matter how you decide to commit to your goals, congrats for being the kind of person who wants to live life to the utmost. Happy New Year and best of luck 🥂.
I have been intermittently tracking Worth-It and Not-Worth-It Foods—trying to pay more attention to what I eat, recognizing food experiences that are worth it in terms of calories, taste, and enjoyability. On the flip side, I am trying to stop myself from making eating decisions that are not worth it to me and make me feel bad in the short and long term. Here are some of the things I have eaten:
Not worth it
Horrible (work meeting fare) grocery store doughnut with chemical aftertaste
Reheated old stale Belgian waffle found in back of my fridge on a busy morning
Sonic drive in chicken sandwich with soggy bun and limp lettuce, eaten in the car before grocery shopping
Carl’s Jr. “salad” with $5.49 of iceberg lettuce—what a rip off
Hard salt water taffy (couldn’t tell you what flavor) at my desk from the community candy bowl
Boring pizza, even ate the crust nubs, in my underwear while sitting on the family room rug
Worth it
Half of a buttery croissant with raspberry jam on a sunny lunch out with friends
Fresh berries and spinach from my garden, from ground to mouth
Corn on the cob at dinner with my kids
The Hubs’ homemade clam chowder with bacon, made with fear that we wouldn’t like it (and also with love!)
Smoked pork butt, on a lazy group camping weekend, along with delicious potluck samplings
Vanilla ice cream with coconut cookie crumbs in the quiet dark of my kitchen, kids tucked in and asleep
A tall glass of iced tea with lemon—the same drink my mom always likes
Chicken enchiladas verdes at my kitchen table, in a late but hearty home-cooked meal
Most of my not-worth-it experiences happened when I felt rushed and unprepared. Or when I felt desperate to not taste the inside of my mouth after hours of work dehydration. When I make food an afterthought I also make myself insignificant, worrying more about completing tasks or shoving more plans into my day. The more panicked and overworked I am the more I feel like junk and eat like junk.
Worth-it foods happen when I am relaxing with my family and friends, or savoring a snack in a peaceful moment alone with the sun of my backyard. If I am in a good place the experience tends to come out positive. The contented feelings already in progress contribute to what I decide to eat and how I enjoy the food.
This exercise has made me reevaluate how I judge my intake. Foods never stand alone, but instead are part of a story. So much of popular good/bad food rhetoric is shaped by nutritional science and hard to follow rules. But when it comes down to it we are shaping our own sagas, with food as a supporting cast. What we eat is a byproduct of how we live. I am in charge of my own story, so I should worry less about what I eat and instead think more about creating a happy and satisfying life in general—good choices should follow.
I often lose sight of what I really want. It is easy to get caught up in things that don’t really matter, distractions and avoidances that help dilute the sting of failure when trying to reach a goal. Sometimes those coping mechanisms are in direct opposition to my true desires.
I can get depressed or bored thinking about my health problems and it makes me want a Monte Cristo sandwich or something fried dipped in ranch dressing. It is no secret that I have overeating tendencies and I also have what I like to refer to as “blood sugar issues”. Hyperglycemia can lead to so many poor outcomes. I am fully aware of how losing one’s eyesight, kidneys, or legs can be devastating to quality of life. I have personally wrapped the stumps of newly amputated legs of diabetic patients. And then watched the patients call their families and friends to sneak them thick stacks of tortillas or a 2 liter of cola. Even when loss is fresh, and literally painful, old habits die hard.
I have considered tattooing the likeness of my kidney or heart on my arm as a reminder that what I eat might take those things from me someday. It is damn hard to keep motivation going, to keep goals and realities at the forefront of my thoughts, intentions, and actions. Ultimately it is my desire to live a long and healthy life. To spend as much time as possible with people I love doing things I enjoy. In order to do those things I need my organs and my ability to walk, to see. So why can’t I be honest with myself when I binge eat a cake, that I am sorta killing myself in shortened life or functionality? The ideal would be to preserve my health, not squander it foolishly.
This past weekend I celebrated my birthday and I ate like a fool. It wasn’t just one meal out with loved ones. It was a parade of indulgence, including 4 restaurant meals, 3 chocolate desserts, 2 different kinds of creamed spinach and a host of forgettable things in between. Some of it was good, like the lobster dinner, the flank steak pho, and homemade black forest cake with whipped cream–totally worth the calories in my opinion. But not everything was worth the intended hedonism, including plain dinner rolls slathered in butter and this mayonnaise-y coleslaw thingy.
Intermittently this year I have been journaling which foods have seemed “worth it” vs “not worth it”, including reasons why and sometimes feelings about choices I made. The intent is to create awareness about the emotional aspect of food and cut down on eating things that add little pleasure value but take up prime space in my belly. Some of the foods I have enjoyed the most aren’t traditional indulgences, but feel like a treat for their flavor, experience, or the company with which they are savored.
One of the reasons I have trouble with overeating is there was a time where I did not have enough to eat, and there wasn’t much of a choice of what to put in my face. It was more like I had to beg, scavenge, or sometimes even steal what I could. And that feeling has not left me although it has been almost 20 years since I have really been hungry like that. I always think of food as scarce no matter how abundant my life has become or how well stocked the pizza section at the buffet is. Thankfully, I have hit the point in my life where I can buy food every day if I want to and don’t have to worry about going hungry. I know this, but I want to feel it and live with the reality that I can be choosy.
The hardest decisions are when there are too many choices or too few. I get so delusional when I am hungry that everything looks good. When confronted with an array of foods, like at Costco with the aisles of samples, I usually feel compelled to try them all. If someone has brought shitty donuts or cookies to work I will sometimes eat one (or more) just because they are easy and right there, they are free, and they were a gift of sorts. When I am stuck somewhere or am super busy I might cave and eat what’s available rather than holding out for something decent. I really don’t need to eat another piece of disgusting neon-colored grocery store bakery birthday cake at the next kiddie party–I have already had that adventure.
This is the lone, stale, broken cookie from the break room table that I almost ate but didn’t in a moment of clarity–definitely Not Worth It.
I stay away from “diets” per se, but I’ve been working on changing my eating habits for the better. My hope is that journaling the Worth its and Not Worth its will be helpful for me to mindfully eat the things that sustain my body and that I like. Eating should be joyful. Feelings of shame, guilt, or loss of control should have no place at my table. Just because eating should feel good doesn’t mean that I should let my feelings alone tell me what to eat. I need to let some logic into my choices so that impulse and conditioning do not dictate everything I consume. A balanced diet is not only about what types of food you eat, but negotiating pleasure with healthy sustenance too.
This week I have started running again after an 8 month hiatus. Before that hiatus I had been struggling to get my mojo back while recovering from a herniated disc that left me with a dragging leg. I was slowly adjusting to bearing more and more of my (unfortunately increased) body weight using an antigravity treadmill and twice a week physical therapy. After I had finally started pounding pavement I was blessed with pregnancy and my best laid plans sunk like a massive stone. I went from running a 10k every week to rolling around on a chaise lounge like a narwhal. A narwhal that likes to eat peanut butter with a spoon out of the jar.
Now I am at it again adjusting to running, and I feel the pain of an untrained body, the burn of lactic acid in my quads. Today I didn’t really want to go on a run since I was up half the night with Baby Boy and my running pants feel like sausage casings. But my sister (and usual running partner) wanted to go. She is running a year-long virtual race and I didn’t want to let her down, so I went despite all of the excuses I wanted to come up with. I was slow and I had to keep stopping to help my 5 year old with his monster scooter. Altogether I made it a painful mile and I was glad I went—it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
I remember when I first started almost 6 years ago, and how I could barely run around the corner without hyperventilating and stopping tripod style, hands on knees, wishing that I had never left the house. It took a lot of mental self-prodding and progressive commitment to get to the point where I felt like a “runner” and craved the feeling of hitting the streets, wind in my armpits and endorphins in my veins.
It is hard to get over “the hump” of making an exercise habit. There is a part of your mind and body that wants to stop the demand of training and take you back to somewhere safe, where yoga pants are comfy for binge-watching Netflix and the only sweat you see is on the outside of your glass of Diet Coke (or the inside of the wrapper of your hot burrito). You must defy that part of you and keep trying until it becomes who you are and what you do.
Things that have helped me defeat exercise procrastination:
Schedule it in every week. Hit the frequency and duration you desire by clearing your calendar, booking a class, arranging childcare or a meetup, etc. Making an external commitment helps keep you from cancelling your date with fitness.
Find secondary wins. The more you get out of your experience the more likely you are to stick with it and look forward to it. Positive feelings snowball and accumulate. When I bike to work I save money on gas, improve my mood with sunlight, and save time by combining workout time with commute time. And when I meet a friend to bike on the way I also get social time!
Keep setting goals. Give yourself a milestone to reach. And once you’ve reached it set another.
Sabotage the saboteur. Cut your excuses off before you can make them. Write down all the reasons you might give yourself not to exercise and the workaround you can use when they present. Here is one of my examples:
Saboteur Me: “It’s too rainy outside. Might skip the run today.”
Smart Me: “Oh-no-ya-don’t. You can get out the rain cover for the jogging stroller and wear a hoodie. Or you can pay the small fee to run indoors on the treadmill at the public pool.”
Set yourself up for success. Give your body and mind a chance to be good at being active. Get plenty of sleep, eat right, save energy for workout time, and be safe to prevent injury.
Give yourself credit for activity, not just “workouts”. Everyday things like yard work, grocery shopping, and cleaning are exercise. Get some chores done while you get fit.
Change it up. Cross training is good for your body. Find different ways to move and different places to do it to keep from workout burnout.
Track it. Keep an exercise journal, spreadsheet, or use an app to see how far you’ve come in your journey.
Share your struggles and successes with others. Talk about it and surround yourself with people who are supportive.
Celebrate your milestones. You deserve to feel good about working hard.
Integrate activity into your identity. If you dance call yourself a dancer. And if you aren’t quite ready for that yet be okay with telling everyone “I do Zumba.” Proudly wear your freebie T-shirts and use your water bottles from the events you attend and places you’ve exercised.
Be okay with making mistakes. Don’t let a setback derail your efforts. Instead use your experience to avoid failure in the future (see #4).
Give yourself permission to give up. Sometimes one type of activity just doesn’t float your boat anymore. Competitive body building or curling or trick water skiing can’t be for everyone. It’s okay to break up with your workout routine, although you shouldn’t stay single. Find another exciting rebound exercise right away! There are other fish in the sea.
I am trying to take my own advice. I will be revisiting these mantras over the next few months as I try and reach a goal of running a race by the end of summer.
