Setting Goals That Are Actually Achievable

By: Niki Johnson, MS, ACSM EP-C, Certified Exercise Physiologist

Have you already lost your motivation to achieve the goals you set for 2024? It’s not too late to turn it around. The following tips will help you get back on track for this year and beyond.

Tip #1: Share your goals.

It may seem like a bold step, but relying on someone other than yourself to keep you accountable to stick with a plan to reach your goals is very important. Having said that, I advise you to be selective on who you choose to share your goals with. Pick trusted friends or family you know will offer positive motivation and genuine encouragement. We all benefit from supportive cheerleaders!

Tip #2: Small steps lead to big improvements.

Baby steps count. Walking 15 minutes every day adds up to almost 2 hours of walking each week. The best way to reach a large goal is to consistently do small, manageable activities daily or weekly that will lead you to accomplish something big. For example, it can be overwhelming to hear your doctor tell you it is time to change your eating habits because your blood pressure it too high. Start by altering one meal or one portion of a meal each day to improve your health instead of changing your entire way of eating at one time. Small changes help develop good habits that can last a lifetime.

Tip #3: Stop thinking, start doing.

It is important to think about ambitions and goals we want to accomplish. However, too often we can get stuck in the thinking stage. Remember tip number two? It is time to choose a small step that relates to one of your goals and do it! For example, packing a healthy lunch for your workday tomorrow is a terrific small step for someone with a goal to lose weight.

Tip #4: See success.

Seeing yourself reach your goal increases the likelihood that you achieve it. Visualizing success promotes positive thinking and creates motivation to help you continue striving and taking small steps toward your goal.

If you need help jumpstarting your fitness and wellness goals, Sheltering Arms’ team of adaptive exercise and strength trainers is here to help! Learn more at www.shelteringarms.com/conditions-and-services/fitness-wellness/adaptive-exercise.

Share This Post:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
RehaBlog

More Posts

What Is Dry Needling?

Dry needling is the use of a very thin filament (needle) to address areas of muscle tension and pain. The purpose is to relieve pain by increasing blood flow to the muscles and joints, helping nerves become less irritated, and encouraging the relaxation of muscles. Dry needling addresses musculoskeletal issues by targeting muscle trigger points to alleviate pain and muscle tightness, while acupuncture uses needles at specific points along energy pathways to address the body’s overall health and energy.

Smartphone Apps to Help Spinal Cord Injury Patients

In contemporary life, we as individuals and communities are constantly connected to each other. We crave social interaction, leisure activities, and access to each other as well as the world around us. Over the past decades, modern technologies such as smartphones have facilitated our desire to engage not only in communication with each other, but with our environment as well.

Managing and Preventing Incontinence with Physical Therapy

More than 25 million adult Americans suffer from incontinence. Men and women are often embarrassed to seek treatment for loss of bladder or bowel control. Urinary and fecal incontinence can cause low self-esteem, create social isolation, and impair quality of life. Incontinence is the lack of voluntary control over urination or defecation. There are two major types of incontinence and they are treated differently.

Backpack Safety

Backpacks are a convenient way for students to carry around their schoolbooks and supplies throughout the day, but using them incorrectly can lead to serious muscle and joint injuries. Carrying a heavy load can strain the shoulders, back, and neck. As a result, the body tries to compensate by leaning forward or sideways, which can lead to misalignment of the spine and weakening of muscles.

How to Keep Your Wheelchair Running Smoothly

Poor wheelchair maintenance can increase the risk of your wheelchair breaking down, which can lead to personal injury or even death, and increase the cost of your medical care. Additionally, wheelchair breakdown can limit your mobility and social participation. Here are tips to keep your wheelchair running smoothly.

Start your Journey

Learn more about Sheltering Arms Institute

Contact a specialist at Sheltering Arms Institute to learn more about how you can gain more freedom in your everyday life.