Resolution Checkup

Note: this piece first appeared in the March 2007 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Remember all those lists you made in December or early January? Can you believe that was just two months ago?

A lot can change in eight or ten weeks. Your priorities may have shifted because of life events, and looking back over the goals you set for 2007 may elicit all kinds of feelings — dread or guilt because you haven’t gotten started, anger at what has gotten in your way, defeat because you feel your goals aren’t attainable. Or perhaps you’ve come farther than you anticipated in your plan, and now you’re ready for a resolution tune-up.

This month, I invite you to review your 2007 New Year’s resolutions. March takes us from winter to spring, and spring is an ideal time to begin anew. Just imitate what you see around you in nature: budding plants, shoots peeking out from the ground, animals coming out of hibernation… Take inspiration from your environment and enjoy the process of reevaluating! Here’s how to do a quick and easy resolution checkup on your own:

1. Make a whole new list. Pretend today is New Year’s Day and make yourself a resolution list. Start with a clean slate. What are you working on right now, today? Remember, it’s okay to change your goals. Think of it as fine-tuning your plan rather than giving up on something.

2. Now, revisit your older list. How does your original resolution list differ from today’s? Did you forget about a resolution you really wanted to achieve?

3. Combine the two lists. Use only what works for you now. Take inspiration from both lists to get very clear on what your goals really are.

4. Make a plan. How will you achieve your new resolutions? Make a clear plan with specific steps, including action steps you can take in the next 24 to 48 hours.

5. Celebrate! Getting clarity on your goals is a major accomplishment. Enjoy!

March 1st, 2007 | Isabel Clark, RHN | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »

Abundance in the New Year

Happy New Year! 2006 just flew by, and here we are in 2007. What are your plans this year? What dreams will you pursue?

The word on everyone’s mind this time of year is resolutions. It’s great to think big and contemplate where you want to be this time next year, but it’s also easy to get caught in a trap of making resolutions that are too restrictive. “Starting January 1, I’m never drinking coffee again!” “This year, I resolve to give up chocolate!” “No french fries in 2007!” Do any of these sound familiar?

This year, try to rethink your resolution-making process. You can do better for yourself with resolutions that emphasize abundance rather than restriction. Try to articulate your resolutions and goals in terms of adding healthy habits rather than removing less desirable ones.

I’ve posted my ideas for health-supportive, abundant resolutions below. Feel free to adopt or adapt these to suit your particular goals. Use these resolution ideas as a jumping off point to develop goals and plans that get you excited about creating your best year ever. Enjoy!

1. Increase your percentage of home-cooked food. No matter where you are on the spectrum, taking small steps to increase the amount of food you prepare for yourself is a great goal. If you currently cook half your meals, add just a few additional home-cooked meals per week to increase your percentage slowly. If you never cook, adding just one home-prepared meal per week is a wonderful first step!

2. Try one new food a week. If you usually restrict your eating this time of year, you can really shake up your routine by experimenting with one new vegetable, fruit, or whole grain each week. You can choose an exotic item, such as plantains, or just a standard vegetable that you happen never to have eaten or cooked before, such as carrots or broccoli.

3. Drink more water. Nearly everyone can benefit from increased intake of fresh, clean, pure water. Just add half a cup a day at a time!

4. Immerse yourself in creative pursuits. Treat yourself to creative time and projects that engage the right side of your brain. You don’t have to be a great technical artist to indulge your artistic side. Just doodling for a few minutes, writing in a journal, or dancing around the house to your favorite song are all great activities for the soul.

5. Add more enjoyment into your life. Often we become bogged down in work or school after the excitement of the holidays is over. This can be dangerous in the wintertime, when drab weather and cold temperatures keep us indoors. Be sure to add a daily dose of “vitamin J” (the JOY vitamin)!

January 1st, 2007 | Isabel Clark, RHN | Tags: , , , | No Comments »

6 Goal-Setting Tips for 2006

It’s that time of year again! I really enjoy the transition from one year into the next… getting closure on last year and planning the year ahead. I love setting goals and making plans for what I want to do each new year. In fact, I love planning my New Year’s goals so much that I usually start in November! One thing I’ve found really helpful is being very clear about my goals. Empty resolutions don’t serve anyone!

New Year’s resolutions are a kind of fine-tuning process. Every year, each of us gets a little better at setting goals that really get us motivated to make positive changes in our lives. Here are my 6 Goal-Setting Tips for 2006!

1. Question everything. Many people make resolutions at the New Year that they feel they should make rather than really looking at what they actually want. First, ask yourself WHY you want to accomplish that goal. If you can’t come up with a good reason, it may not be something you’re able to focus on right now. That’s fine. Let it go.

2. Have fun. New Year’s resolutions should NOT be a drag! Every goal on your list must excite and delight you if you want to stay motivated to work on it. If you’re feeling blasé about a goal or, worse, dreading working on it, see #1. That goal may not be the right thing for you to work on right now.

3. Reframe last year’s resolutions. If you’ve had “lose 20 pounds” on your New Year’s resolution list for the past three years, it’s time to re-evaluate that goal. If you’re sure it’s a goal you really want to work on this year (see #1), maybe you need to think of it in a different way. For example, maybe a better goal for you would be “eat more delicious, healthful vegetables” or “move your body more.”

4. Watch your language. Goals should be worded in positive, upbeat language that captures your excitement about the desired result. I also like to make sure my goals are focused on what I can do versus what I’m trying not to do. For example, “stop being such a workaholic” is a negative statement (telling you what NOT to do); “take a vacation with your best friend to the beach” is a positive statement. Which would you rather work on?

5. Think big, work small. You may have an overarching goal of showing your artwork in a gallery this year, but it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of living your life and before you know it, the year has slipped away without your working on your goal. Break your goals down into manageable steps that you can work on each day, week, or month, and schedule time to work on them. In the art gallery example, your steps might be develop your portfolio, contact gallery owners to set up meetings, install your artwork, coordinate the opening, etc.

6. Keep yourself posted. It is essential that your goals have measureable steps along the way, and it is equally essential that you check in with yourself to see how it’s going. Make a plan now to reevaluate your goals at the end of March (or sooner) — ask yourself whether you are where you want to be and how you’d like to move forward.

January 1st, 2006 | Isabel Clark, RHN | Tags: , , , | No Comments »