We are Half-way to 2020! 

Maybe this half-way point in the year has you high-fiving yourself and singing your praises for all you’ve accomplished so far which is awesome!  I applaud you.  If you are like me, however, you may have had some set-backs, took some breaks to reflect, and aren’t sure where you are going to end up this year- and that’s okay.  Life isn’t always a race and a 24/7 hustle.

Making note of this half-way point in the year is not meant to make you feel bad for not being as far as you hoped right now.  It’s an opportunity for you to reflect and think about how you want to make the most of finishing the year out.  And, it’s important to recognize all that you HAVE DONE.  It's okay if you need to adjust your goals from what they were at the beginning of the year.  Maybe the best thing for you right now is to think of the ONE THING you plan to accomplish by December. 

What’s the ONE THING that you know you can commit to for the next 6 months?  Or, maybe you break it down to 6 small things (for example cutting out sugar in July, commit to doing a 5K in August, incorporate a weekly meditation schedule in September, build a gratitude practice into your daily routine in October, etc.).  Whatever you decide, plan to do it for the next 30 days, then re-access.  Who’s with me? We can hold each other accountable and motivated.  If you are interested join me in my “Find Your Glee with Dinah G” FB group.  I’ll share motivational posts, videos, and tips to keeping us on track. 

What got me thinking of doing a half-way-through-the-year challenge you might ask?  Well, if I’m being honest with myself, the last month has been difficult for me.  I’ve lacked motivation and fell back to some of my old habits of not taking care of myself physically which as result got me caught up in a loop of self-doubt and negative thoughts. I know what I need to do to feel better, but lately I feel uninspired.  I need to break this pattern and get back on track and believe this challenge will help me do that. 

I need to focus on eating better and moving my body more.  For as much as I’ve worked on my mindset, I have neglected my body.  I need a better balance of a healthy mind AND BODY.  What I’ve noticed is no matter how strong I feel mentally, if I don’t feel good about my eating habits and how my body feels and looks I am sluggish, foggy and it brings me down mentally.  I find when both my mind and body are in alignment I feel most confident and capable in achieving my goals. 

Here’s what I plan to commit to this month.  I encourage you to write down your own plan, but want to also share mine in case some of these resonate with you and/or give you some ideas. 

I will move my body 3 times a week.  It doesn’t have to be intense.  A twenty-minute walk counts.  For me I’m thinking I’ll walk and/or build muscle.  The Fit Bod app is great for customized workouts.  You can decide what areas of your body you want to work on and how many reps, and it includes video tutorials.

I will limit my sugar intake and not eat after 7pm. 

I will drink 64 oz. of water a day.

I will take my vitamins daily.

These are things I know I can do.  Make sure whatever it is you commit to it’s something you know you can achieve.  It shouldn’t be too overwhelming or complicated. Maybe for you it’s ONE thing to cut or add (maybe cut soda for the month, or if it’s something related to mindset like adding a daily gratitude practice).  I want to meet you wherever you are at and support you on your journey. 

What I want you, and me, to take away is that it’s okay to fall behind, to not be as on-top of things as you hoped you’d be this time in the year.  Instead of getting down on yourself ask yourself, what do I want to accomplish for the remainder of this year? Then take it day-by-day and do it!

If you are on-board with this here are some action items:

ACTION ITEMS

1) Write down what your plan is for the month and keep it in a visible place

2) Join me in my FB group "Find Your Glee with Dinah G" for some accountability and motivation

3) Pick and date and plan to work on your plan for 21 days straight- Figure out how you will track it (via an app or a good old fashioned checklist)

YOU know YOU.  What do YOU need right now? I’m here to inspire and cheer you on!   

If you need some tips on how to get out of a rut go to episode #4 “6 Ways to Un-Stuck Yourself."  If you need your focus this month to be on mindset you might want to check out episode #2 “8 Tips to Finding Glee” and decide what tip(s) you want to hone in on this month. 

As you think about what you want to do I leave you with these inspiring words from Morgan Harper Nichols…

FINAL THOUGHTS 

“And no matter what happens from here,

Be kind to yourself by allowing yourself

To look back and see all the ways you

Have grown.  Make note of your progress

Even the small and subtle things,

For they are just as much part of

Your story as the bigger and more

Noticeable things. You are free to

Look back with grace and kindness,

Knowing that even in the darkness,

Light was still pouring through…

All along, there was more to YOU

And the past did not define you”