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Is that your mantra this January? Some of you will last the distance and realise your goal, others… not so much. At this time of year, social media is split between trainers and fitpros who scoff at the whole idea, ready to bash ‘failure’, and those who offer encouragement because they love seeing people get stuck in. I’m definitely in the latter group. I love this time of year!
I love it because anything that spreads a little positive change in the world can only be for the better. It’s amazing how small, simple changes can snowball into bigger things, eventually altering your whole life mindset and transforming not only your world but the world around you.
Baby steps to giant change
My change last year was to sign up for meat-free Monday, after becoming more aware of my enormous carbon footprint. I ate far too much meat, drive a fully laden van 120 miles every week and like to jump on a plane to travel the world every now and then. Now, I not only eat less meat but also make sure I recycle pretty much everything. I’m stepping it up this year by regularly donating to the WWF and planting veggie patches in the garden for the first time. Single actions might seem small in the moment, but over time they can combine into a powerful change. Who knows where my own changes will lead.
Challenge yourself every day
There are always cynics, who love to tell you, “You won’t keep that up” or, “Why wait until the New Year to make changes?”. Don’t let them put you off trying. New Year is the perfect time to reflect on your values and reassess what you really want from life. I challenge myself every day. Am I being the best father I could be? Am I making the right choices with my bootcamps? Am I training hard enough? I believe you can do the same. Here’s how in three steps:
- Choose a realistic goal Or even two. Maybe a race goal or a promise to hit the bootcamp twice a week. Perhaps a financial goal, like saving for a home, or an emotional one, such as spending more time with your family. Think about what YOU want from YOUR life. Of course, discuss it with your partner or your boss, but make this decision for yourself.
- Fall off… get back on! Brand new resolutions rarely go 100% to plan, even when you have absolute intent. Trust me, I’ve definitely made Monday mistakes when I’ve forgotten I’m not supposed to eat meat! But the trick is not to beat yourself up about it and to know that you can make up for it later. What makes you strong is noticing the blip, letting it go, and then getting straight back on it.
- Rinse and repeat – If you hit that magic race goal, haul yourself to bootcamp twice a week for six weeks, buy that new house… congratulations! Make sure you take time to pat yourself on the back. But now you know what success feels like, why stop there? Set yourself a new challenge and begin again. There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’re always improving and developing yourself.
Go for it and good luck!
Guest Author
Andreas Beirne
Bootcamp UK
