Small Steps Count

It's the summer fun time of year.  When we think about how much we'd like do, where we'd like to go, how we'd like to enjoy ourselves, we begin to get a vision for what we really want. This vision tells us what's important to us and where our thoughts are.  I have a coworker on the WW Cruise who facilitates a vision board workshop so that members can create a collage of images, colors and icons to "picture" their goals and to be reminded of what they really want.  This puts intention behind the behavior. 

No matter how you go about this thought process, the facts remain the same.  We have to have a clear idea of where we are going and what we want--in order to know where to start.  We can begin with a simple weight loss question:  do you want to lose, maintain or gain weight this summer?  Depending upon that answer alone, we can walk ourselves backwards and contemplate specific steps we can take to achieve.  We can ask when are the special occasions, holidays, birthdays, vacations or staycations coming up?  Depending upon whether your plan is to lose, maintain or gain, you know what small steps you can take to make that happen.  For example, if you want to lose weight on vacation, you can think about what you have control over.  Are you in charge of where you go for meals?  Are you able to make your own meals or easily find what you need to lose weight?  Can you manage breakfasts easily but not so much at dinner?  It is this thought process that leads us to our behavior plan--small goals. 

You can use the flexibility of the Freestyle plan to set yourself up for success.  You can bank up to 4 smartpoints per day to your weekly allowance if you undereat your daily target.  You can save all of your weekly points for the great unknown? that is the weekend at the cabin.  You can get creative with zero point recipes.

Maybe your small goals are not food related.  Maybe you'd like to be walking after dinner.  Make it a priority, and stick to your plan.  I have one member who would like to just put on her tennis shoes every day.  If it leads to exercise, then fine, but if not, at least she got started.  See what I mean about small goals?  All they have to be is a bit more than what you are presently doing to count.

It all comes back to you.  What is important?  What matters?  What do you want to say about your summer when you look back on it?  How do you want to feel?  How much of how you feel is tied to your behavior? 

We are never done becoming the person we'd be most proud of.  We are never done finding something new to try to make our lives more interesting and fulfilling.  This is a good thing.