New Year, New Goals, New You!

Happy New Year!  We hope everyone had a great Holiday Season.  We're excited to have you all back around the gym and getting back on track.  What a great year 2012 was- a year full of new adventures, and lots of goals achieved!  It was great to have a board on the wall with with "Targets" for the year, and even better to see how many were actually checked off throughout the year.  

We're going to start the 2013 off with an exercise we did last year that worked very well.  First, we'd like you to print out the "2012 Accomplishments" sheet and think through all of the goals you set for yourself and accomplished last year- either in the gym, in life, or both. 

As you're thinking through and setting your goals for 2013, go through this exercise first, and here's why:

Neurology of Motivation

Motivation lives in the brain, like all other skills. One of biggest players in motivation, and a large determiner of how successful you will be, isconfidence in your ability to actually achieve the goals you've set for yourself.

Reflecting on your past accomplishments, and knowing you're able to achieve what you've set out to achieve puts your brain in a "success mindset."  Focusing only on what's ahead and where you're not merely provides a seemingly endless, daunting task for your brain that loses momentum over time.  As you continue to hit goals, or reach milestones, take time to celebrate and enjoy them.  Give your brain that satisfaction of accomplishment that will result in a greater drive to do more- it's a cycle!

 

Practicing Acknowledgement

As you've read in numerous previous newsletters, everything is a skill that requires intentional practice in order for us to "master" it.  Reflection on your accomplishments and successes is an incredible gift for yourself that has the potential to spark many future successes.  

Research has shown time and again that we are communal beings and people thrive when they're placed in the right environment with a strong supportive community surrounding them.   At Fitness Evolved, we've intentionally built a community environment that encourages, supports, and motivates.   We've enjoyed watching the camaraderie grow at training sessions and classes- the fun kidding with each other, congratulating and checking in on gym and life successes, and celebrating and mourning life events with each other.  We couldn't ask for a better and more fun group! 

This week, we're going to put "practicing acknowledgement" into action

and prime the motivation centers of the brain (the "limbic system or" which is modulated by the frontal lobe, in case you were wondering.  :) See the picture above.)  It's important to future successes that you build the skill of acknowledging accomplishments, as well as accepting acknowledgement from others.   

Below, you'll find a link to a document.  Click on it and print it out.  This sheet is for you to write at least one accomplishment you've achieved either in the gym, or even in life!, this year.  It can be anything- a goal number of push ups/pull ups, a certain weight or body composition percentage, # of pounds lost, a hike/race/event you completed, a new job or promotion.... Anything!  Bring it in to your next session or class, share it with us, and we'll put it on our "Success Board," to share with everyone.  (It can be anonymous if you really want, but we'd rather be able to congratulate you!)  Make sure you keep a copy for yourself, as well, so you can keep track of how far you've come