Let’s take a moment to Appreciate all that we have worked for, all that we have accomplished, all that we have learnt and let us reflect on all that has passed and celebrate the blessings that the new you brings forward.  No matter where you are in your journey towards your goal, self reflection, appreciation and a brief check in to confirm you are on track is welcomed and necessary for a future of success.  This posts purpose is to remind you to check in with yourself to see if you have actually accomplished what you originally promised to do.

Have we worked towards dreams and then dreamt bigger and worked harder? Have we conquered tasks once thought impossible, and have we taken a moment to say ‘good job’ to ourselves? 

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the lists we consume ourselves with and the ‘have to’s’ and logistics of the life we’ve created, we forget to take notice of the ‘get to’s’ and the things we get to experience each day, we forget to give ourselves credit and to take a minute to think about what we are working towards.  Are we working each week, each month, each year towards a more enjoyable today?

I’m not advising to work really hard today for a stress free tomorrow.  I wish for you to do whatever you can today, to make each day more enjoyable….and the secret to this is knowledge.  I may have said it before or quoted in a previous month, but Maya Angelou said it best when she quoted “when we know better, we do better.” This is such simple truth. 

I want you to reflect since we’ve started our journeys to living our healthiest lives together and to ask ourselves;

What have we learnt?

How have we become healthier?

What changes have we made today to make the tomorrow’s more enjoyable? 

Success is not measured by a number; of course, when land marking a start to an end, there must be reference points, but living your healthiest lifestyle is a continuous journey that should not be dictated by a number. Success should be felt.  Your success is a feeling you will only feel.  Success should be experienced.  It is the ability to make better decisions, to breathe through tough situations, to smile because life is beautiful and to be present in the moments that we choose to enjoy.

My vision for your healthiest self is your head held high, your walk be tall, your voice be heard, and for your outlook to be positive.  I want you to create your environment and to possess the ability to accept change and to adjust to situations with an open mind.

Take a moment to remember:

Step Two of Living Your Healthiest Lifestyle: Setting Goals

Setting Goals was our where I asked you to write down and note:

-My goal Is –

-How often will I check in with myself –

-How will I feel when I reach this goal –

-When will I achieve this goal –

-How does this goal interpret to happiness to me –

-How will I reward myself for reaching this goal –

-What will my next goal be when this goal is achieved –

Have you achieved what you set out to achieve in the time you wanted to achieve it?  Have you worked towards this goal with consistency and are you closer than you were on that day?  It’s ok if the answer is no or if we haven’t been perfect since the original goal set.  We are not perfect.  We were not born to live perfect or chase perfection.  Do not reflect on this and look at your goals not achieved as failure.  Reflect on your goals as progress.  Check in with yourself now and do this practice again.  We will be checking in every quarter so remember this feeling.  If you have succeeded, remember this feeling of accomplishment.  If you still have work to do and know you can do better, remember this feeling and strive for betterment.

Now let’s get to it and move on to what’s next!! Let’s set out to tackle our goals, to appreciate progress and to love every step of the way.  Mark down new feelings, new achievements, new daily changes that are new to you.  Most likely we are making small changes that equate to small changes that are easily unnoticed and suddenly taken for granted:

Do you walk the stairs at work or make a conscious effort to skip the elevator whenever possible? 

Can you now take the stairs and find you catch your breath quicker? 

Do you tie your shoes with ease? 

Do you sleep better? 

Is your skin nicer because you are better hydrated? 

Do you look forward to your clean foods and are you having fun with new clean recipes?  Do you look forward to getting to the gym and is your workout wardrobe slowly taking over your closet? 

Is your wardrobe more colorful and are you attracted to new cuts of clothing and brighter colors rather than black? 

Do you notice the positives in your day instead of dwelling on one negative or ignorant comment?

Are you finding the cold easier to deal with?

 Is food tasting better in it’s natural state and are sugar cravings reducing? 

Are you feeling hunger instead of cravings or urges to indulge?

The list can go on and on, but these small changes should go noticed and can tell us a whole lot about what is actually happening with our body.  Aches and pains should reduce, energy should improve, ability to cope with stressful situations or traffic should improve and in general you should be feeling more positive and ready for what’s next.  Do not take these seemingly insignificant changes for granted.  Instead, applaud them. You are succeeding and headed in the direction towards a more enjoyable today! Way to go!!

You all are amazing and you all Rock!

 xoxo Holly Barker