These are indeed strange times, and I am the first to admit that it is difficult to set goals when everything seems dark and we are all focusing on just getting through the current situation.
However, many of us are making life-changing decisions – moving house, changing jobs, retiring and taking on new challenges. Amongst all the chaos and uncertainty there is a feeling of ‘Why not?’, ‘What are we waiting for?’ and ‘Let’s do it!’. Of course our goals don’t have to be big ones. They can be something that just helps us focus on improving balance in our lives. Perhaps we want to get more fresh air or exercise or read those books on our TBR list. There may be goals that we thought about setting a while ago but which have been sitting forgotten and covered in mental dust?
I am no different in this respect. Lockdown has meant that long hours at work, missed meals, comfort-eating and lack of exercise have taken their toll. And It has taken me some time to find a way to get out of this unhealthy cycle.
Just as Spring approached and I was getting more unhappy and frustrated with my situation I realised that I really did need to do something about it. Unless I made a plan and stuck to it, nothing was going to change. A conversation with a friend and a gift from my husband found me in receipt of a Spring 100-mile Challenge. This meant that from 21 March to 21 June I planned to run and/or hike a hundred miles.
To be honest, that did not seem to be a major challenge and I did get off to a flying start. Soon, though, cold weather and long working days began to sap my motivation and it was sometimes easier to convince myself that I didn’t need to go for my exercise: there was always tomorrow. I suddenly realised that a week had gone by and I hadn’t logged any exercise – and that was because I hadn’t done any! It was time to re-evaluate what I was doing. I had to remind myself of my goal and why I set it in the first place. And I reminded myself that the goal of one hundred miles was still achievable. I just needed to view this as a wobble and get back on track.
And so, as I near the end of the first month, I am pleased to say that I am on track with one third of my miles done. I am not complacent, though. I recognise that there may be more wobbles. But they can be overcome. I just need to keep my goal in sight. It’s also good to remember that there is a rather nice medal waiting for me at the end. What’s not to like about that?
Helen Rogers Coaching 