HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2021
2
HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER T. 413.591.6729 F. 212.202.4907 well-concepts.com [email protected] SEPTEMBER 2021 FALLING INTO ROUTINE Contributed by Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT Did you know that September is second to January when it comes to goal-setting? After the lazy days of summer, people may be more focused on how they want to finish out the year or simply have more clarity around their goals. The transition from summer into fall is often a big time of change, and this year is no exception with an expectation of things returning to “normal” including kids going back to school and potentially returning to the office. Finding some R&R: Rituals and Routines The pandemic may have offset our usual habits and daily routines, but it also may have created some new habits that you ultimately would like to maintain post-pandemic. Rituals are things you do daily for YOU, no matter what. They are often small acts we do in our day that can lead to some big-time self-care. Rituals can include: • Beauty or hygiene routine • Having that morning cup of coffee or tea • Going for a walk on your own, with someone else, or a pet • Wind down activity before bed • Meditation or fitness activity Routine is the frequency in which you do the ritual. The goal is to perform the ritual so frequently, such as daily or weekly, that the ritual ultimately becomes habitual. This is key when it comes to establishing a self-care routine. Revisiting or Resetting Your Goals It’s highly likely that whatever goals you set in January may not be the same goals you have now. Perhaps you hit your goal - congrats! Or maybe your goals fell by the wayside. That’s OK! What’s important is using this time to re-establish your goals. Here’s how to best set and meet your goals: • Revisit your core values and reflect on what is important to you. • Set SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely. • Write down your goal and post it in a prominent location in your home. • Set benchmarks or short-term goals that can help you stay on track towards a bigger goal. • Establish a non-food reward system when you hit your goals, such as a manicure, new clothing item, or even setting aside money to motivate you and help see progress. • Establish your WHY for the goal – why is it important for you to achieve this goal? The more motivated you are, the more likely you are to achieve the goal. • Make SMALL changes – this can lead to some BIG outcomes because you will be more focused when only tackling on one small task at a time. • Positive self-talk only! Be Resilient Keep in mind that as hard as we try, not everything may go exactly according to plan when it comes to reaching our goals, and that’s ok. Resiliency is all about bouncing back from challenges we encounter and learning from prior experiences. Resiliency is a skill to develop over time, but a powerful tool that can help us in moving towards goals. Some ways you can work on your resiliency: • Be flexible with your goals – it’s ok if you need to change your approach to reaching your goal or set a new goal altogether. • Eat the frog – do your most challenging task first thing so that you feel more motivated and accomplished in your day. • Consistency is key towards seeing progress and creating habits. • Embrace setbacks – they are ultimately learning experiences and help us meet our goals in new and unexpected ways.
Transcript of HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2021
HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
T. 413.591.6729 F. 212.202.4907 well-concepts.com [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 2021
FALLING INTO ROUTINE Contributed by Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT
Did you know that September is second to January when it comes to goal-setting? After the lazy days of summer, people may be more focused on how they want to finish out the year or simply have more clarity around their goals. The transition from summer into fall is often a big time of change, and this year is no exception with an expectation of things returning to “normal” including kids going back to school and potentially returning to the office.
Finding some R&R: Rituals and RoutinesThe pandemic may have offset our usual habits and daily routines, but it also may have created some new habits that you ultimately would like to maintain post-pandemic.
Rituals are things you do daily for YOU, no matter what. They are often small acts we do in our day that can lead to some big-time self-care. Rituals can include: • Beauty or hygiene routine • Having that morning cup of coffee or tea • Going for a walk on your own, with someone else, or a pet • Wind down activity before bed • Meditation or fitness activity
Routine is the frequency in which you do the ritual. The goal is to perform the ritual so frequently, such as daily or weekly, that the ritual ultimately becomes habitual. This is key when it comes to establishing a self-care routine.
Revisiting or Resetting Your GoalsIt’s highly likely that whatever goals you set in January may not be the same goals you have now. Perhaps you hit your goal - congrats! Or maybe your goals fell by the wayside. That’s OK! What’s important is using this time to re-establish your goals. Here’s how to best set and meet your goals: • Revisit your core values and reflect on what is important to you. • Set SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely. • Write down your goal and post it in a prominent location in your home. • Set benchmarks or short-term goals that can help you stay on track towards a bigger goal. • Establish a non-food reward system when you hit your goals, such as a manicure, new clothing item, or even setting aside money to motivate you and help see progress. • Establish your WHY for the goal – why is it important for you to achieve this goal? The more motivated you are, the more likely you are to achieve the goal. • Make SMALL changes – this can lead to some BIG outcomes because you will be more focused when only tackling on one small task at a time. • Positive self-talk only!
Be ResilientKeep in mind that as hard as we try, not everything may go exactly according to plan when it comes to reaching our goals, and that’s ok. Resiliency is all about bouncing back from challenges we encounter and learning from prior experiences. Resiliency is a skill to develop over time, but a powerful tool that can help us in moving towards goals. Some ways you can work on your resiliency: • Be flexible with your goals – it’s ok if you need to change your approach to reaching your goal or set a new goal altogether. • Eat the frog – do your most challenging task first thing so that you feel more motivated and accomplished in your day. • Consistency is key towards seeing progress and creating habits. • Embrace setbacks – they are ultimately learning experiences and help us meet our goals in new and unexpected ways.
T. 413.591.6729 F. 212.202.4907 well-concepts.com [email protected]
• Celebrate successes – even the small ones along the way. • Get an accountability partner to help you stay on track, celebrate those successes, and troubleshoot when you feel stuck. • Keep your eyes on the prize – what is it you ultimately want to achieve and what are you willing to do to make it happen?
Remember that change won’t happen overnight, so give yourself some patience to allow things to occur in their own time. Start by completing the Goal-Setting Checklist below, then put your plan into action. It’s time to put the GO in goals!
Your Goal-Setting ChecklistUse the checklist below to help you in writing your SMART goals:
Is your goal SPECIFIC? Does your goal answer the 6 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, Which, and Why? Is your goal MEASUREABLE? Do you have a way to measure progress, including a baseline and how you will quantify progress along the way?
Is your goal ACTIONABLE? Does your goal include a plan of action of how you will achieve your goal?
Is your goal REALISTIC? Are you motivated to achieve this goal? Do you have the knowledge, skills, time, and resources to make this goal happen?
Is your goal TIME-BOUND? Do you have an end date of when you would like to reach your goal?
Write down your SMART goal below and put it in a prominent place:My goal is:
I am going to achieve this goal by:
I plan to measure progress by:
I intend to achieve this goal by:
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being Not Motivated at All and 10 being Extremely Motivated, how motivated are you towards reaching this goal:
Mandy Enright MS, RDN, RYT, is a Registered Dietitian, Yoga Instructor, and Corporate Wellness Expert, as well as main content contributor for Wellness Concepts. Mandy is a featured presenter, both virtually and onsite near her home in Neptune, NJ.
