Rediscovering Routine

Hello, seastars and happy new year! It's the time of year for a fresh start, of new resolutions designed to make us better people. At least, that's the hope. I know I'm guilty of setting a million resolutions for myself and two weeks later quitting. I think we put way too much pressure on ourselves without the added stress of resolutions. If you want to set goals for yourself, please be realistic and work your way into it. Forming new habits is hard! If you slip once or twice, congratulations! You're human, breath, relax, start over. It is okay to make a mistake and it is certainly okay to start over and make new goals. 
It is important for those new goals to be SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed. Having a long list of goals is great as long as you're not setting yourself up to fail. I like to look at goals as an X on the map of my journey. A destination. To reach that destination, I have to go on a journey of steps and follow the SMART route. My old list of resolutions was always so vague. It would look like this:
Get Healthy
Read the Bible more
Swim Faster
Do Better

Yikes! This list is ok but can be improved. None of these are specific, have a timeline, or work like stepping stones to the destinations this list represents. I'm the type of person that needs to have specific, outlined goals on a visible calendar, with reminders and rewards. I am also the type of person that has dedicated my life to rebelling against such things. I disliked routine until I realized there really is no better way to organize myself, and as a stay at home mother, my kid needs a routine.
Now my list looks more like a book!
Get Healthy. Every day replace one junk food with a healthy alternative, exercise at least once a day, find a doctor and make regular appointments. This item doesn't follow all of the SMART steps because I need to talk with a doctor about what my "healthy" looks like.
Read the Bible. Twice a day, follow my reading plan. Go to service when possible, get involved in the church. This goal is an ongoing journey and doesn't need a deadline, but this particular goal will change and grow as I do.
Swim Better. When training, I will film myself, record my breath hold, observe and count my various tricks, and adjust each technique in order to constantly strive for realism. Build strength and stamina, recording each in a lap lane-measure both with a time clock using a workout plan. Be in marathon shape by the end of 2019. I kept this one shorter, I have a lot of swimming related goals, a lot of which I'm keeping secret.

This list will grow and change as I grow healthier and my needs and desires change. Certain measurements I'll keep to myself, for now, I do intend to include the struggles and rewards of my health journey in this blog.

To read more about SMART goals check out this site.

Tell me about your resolutions in the comments, do you have any tips to stay on track?

Here's to the start of something great!

Seaspray