New Year... New You!

No matter how we may try to resist the hype of New Year’s, it’ still manages to give us pause.  Sure, the first day of a new year is not the only time of the year we can set new goals or plan to change our lives for the better, yet when December 31^st creeps around thoughts of reflection set in.  It begs the question: What did we accomplish this year? Or better yet, what can we accomplish next year?

Taking a self-inventory is always a positive exercise, although it can sometimes be a tough look in the mirror.  Time flies fast in this hurried day in age, and those coulda, woulda, shoulda’s end up in a pile in the corner much like that overdue laundry.  There is always, however defined or invented, an opportunity in each New Year.  A chance for new beginnings, a fresh start, a clean slate, and a brimming newfound hope for the future.

Like so many Vega fans, we have big goals and big dreams.  While competing in an Iron Man right alongside Brendan Brazier has always been an aspiration, you’ll have to work S.M.A.R.T. to get there.

What is S.M.A.R.T. exactly? It’s the golden rule when it comes to goal setting, and avoids those giant leaps where we fall short because we didn’t follow a few simple principles.  When you set your goals for 2012, it is important to set long-term goals, as well as short-term goals you set weekly to help you reach the long term.

S=Specific:  Be specific with your goals, just “increasing exercise” is not specific enough.

M=Measurable: Quantify that goal, like “I will exercise for 30 minutes 3 times this week”.

A=Attainable:  No, it is not realistic to say you will lose 20 pounds by tomorrow, but losing a pound or 2 per week is.

R= Realistic:  Be real about what you are ultimately trying to accomplish with the body you have and where you are in your life.

T=Time Bound: Give yourself a time frame, because the end of 2012 will be here before you know it.