Look Forward a Few Months to Be Intentional Now

With so much information and inspiration and tips and ideas floating around now that 2021 is here--AHEM--I find a lot of it conflicting.  Some things I have read include:  dream big--bigger than ever--don't limit yourself; as well as start small--start where you are at with one little thing.  How about this one--2021 will make up for 2020?  The truth is, anyone can say anything they want, but if it doesn't ring true to you, then it doesn't matter who said it or what they said.

At this point, almost a week in to the new year, we know that "everything" hasn't changed just because the calendar year flipped.  It's a start, and it might just be the refreshing start we need to move forward.  With that in mind, let's imagine your future self three months from today.  Let's imagine where you'd like to be, what you'd like to be doing, what you'd like to be wearing, how you'd like to be feeling.  Take a moment and really think about this.  This is YOU in April of 2021.  Now imagine that your future self is thanking you for what you are doing right now, in January.  Now choose ONE thing you can do NOW to make that happen.  Decide what that is, when and how that will happen.  Focus on it.  Make it your intention.  And just like that, you can move yourself along in your journey.  

This doesn't have to be dramatic.  It might be very simple.  Start exercising again, 10 minutes a day. It might be cleaning out the cupboards and ridding yourself of temptation.  It might be a healthy food delivery service once a week.  It might be starting a journal with one sentence per day.  Whatever you choose, you are investing in yourself NOW so that you can start over again. 

My go-to workout, Orangetheory Fitness is getting pushed aside a bit because of an inflamed joint in my hip.  I count on that gym to deliver the workout, inspire me for the day, hold me accountable.  Unfortunately, I have to take a much gentler approach right now and do lots of therapy (it's really back yoga).  I decided not to be upset and angry about this.  I decided that if starting simply is healing my back after an entire year of managing the pain in my back, I will do it.  I got the message--too much high intensity interval training is not working.  I am being forced to start small, and I am not adding more friction to this reality.  My future self is thanking me already.   Yours will too.