Now that February is here and New Year’s resolutions are no longer making headlines, we’re inspired to check in with you and see how you’re doing. Are you making progress toward living healthier or are you feeling guilty because you haven’t made enough progress yet? To help you stay inspired and on track, here’s a little “resolution reboot” of helpful hints:
Every little step counts
Pardon the cliché, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is your healthier lifestyle. Major changes take time to be established. New habits need to be repeated and practiced before they can become ingrained into your regular routine. But most important of all is the concept that every little step counts. In fact, little steps are the key to your success! According to research, our brains are wired to like short-term goals. With each little success, your brain releases a feel-good chemical called dopamine. Dopamine helps us to focus and motivates us to re-experience the activity that caused the dopamine release in the first place. “This is why the cultivation of small wins can propel you to bigger success,” writes Monica Mehta, in her story titled, “Why Our Brains Like Short-Term Goals,” for Entrepreneur, an online magazine.
Be easier on yourself
Exchanging bad habits for healthier ones is tough work, and slipping up now and then should be expected, not dreaded. According to several psychological studies, making mistakes offers several benefits, helping you to stay better focused on your goals, more motivated, and a faster learner. If mistakes are considered a normal part of the process, it frees you up, so to speak, releasing you from feelings of guilt or shame so you can stay focused on the tasks at hand.
Stay flexible
Sometimes goals and expectations need to be adjusted. If you are hitting a wall, it may be a sign that you need to switch things up. Examine your goals. Are you aiming for perfection? Then it’s no wonder you hit a wall! You are stressed out because perfection is impossible! Remember the wise saying by Theodore Roosevelt: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” If a certain goal seems too overwhelming and is stifling you, break your goal up into smaller parts and do just a little bit. After all, doing a little something is always better than doing nothing. And every little step counts!
We are inspired by you each and every day here at Belle Marin Aesthetic Medicine, and we can’t wait to help you achieve your goals in 2020 and beyond! Call 415.887.8718 or request a personal consultation today!
Belle Marin is proud to serve Marin County and its surrounding communities, including Tiburon, Core Madera, Larkspur, and San Francisco.
