We’ve all heard it: “New Year, New You.” But after about two weeks post-New Year’s Day, less than 8% of people see much of anything new in their year.
Why is that? Where do all those ideas, aspirations, dreams and goals go to die? For that matter, why do they have to die at all?
After 20 years and coaching thousands of people to make life changes their life to be a healthier — and happier — version of themselves, I’ve learned a few things.
If you want 2023 to be your best year yet, you’ll need to consider a few things before setting those big goals.
Why do you want what you say you want?
You want to lose weight. Why? You want to make more money. Why? You want to eat healthier. Why? You want to spend more time with your family. Why?
You first need to find clarity about why you want what you say you want. What is driving that desire, that goal? If you want to lose weight, what will that give you? Ease of movement, more energy, more confidence, more freedom? If so, freedom to do what?
When you set that goal, keep asking yourself “why” until you have no more reasons. Then you will finally see what is driving that desire (which is what you want). And the goal? Well, that’s a barrier we need to overcome.
Start smaller.
It’s easy to be initially excited and go “all in” on Jan. 1, but very few people can take a giant leap and never look back.
Why? Because there are no new established habits to support that new lifestyle … at least, not yet.
Starting small means that chunking down that huge goal of yours into several smaller, more straightforward goals.
For example, if your goal is weight loss, decide what needs to happen to make you lose weight? Eat more veggies? Drink more water? Get out and do some yoga or walking?
Once you decide what the changes should be, break them down even smaller. Start with one, say, eating one to two veggies a day. Then add drinking more water, one glass at a time. Then start walking short distances, and increase the time by five minutes every few weeks. You get the point?
You should also stretch every day. I’ve got some great yoga stretches designed just for truck drivers that anyone can do! At first, just focus on one or two stretches until you can do them automatically; then start adding new ones.
Find a tribe.
It’s hard to do anything alone. Having someone “in your corner” is essential. Even more important, having someone to support you and call you out on your excuses (yes, those “reasons” are often excuses) can be the difference between reaching your goal and not reaching it.
Find someone (or several someones) who have similar goals, or who have experienced issues similar to yours, and team up.
Change your mind set about your goals.
Stop treating your goals like outfit changes. It’s not enough to “get fit for summer,” or “get healthy because my spouse wants me to.” Whatever goal you set is yours alone, and it should help to better your life and everyone in it.
If you aren’t “all in” on your goal, don’t expect to reach it or reap the benefits of it long-term.
You matter. Your life matters. You deserve to live the highest quality of life possible. However, only you can make those changes, and only you can reach those goals.
With some prep work and clarity, 2023 can be your best year.
Hope Zvara is the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, a company devoted to improving truck drivers’ fitness and wellness standards. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again. Find out more at www.mothertruckeryoga.com.
Hope Zvara is the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, a company devoted to improving truck drivers’ fitness and wellness standards. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.
