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If one season brings to mind exercise, nutrition, and working on oneself, it has to be summer. Whether this is due to Hollywood, enough time passed since the holidays, or the warmth of summer sparks something in us, there is no doubt that many wish to accomplish their wellness goals around summer!
With summer here, staying motivated is critical. This is especially true as summer vacations are planned and social gatherings occur, which can challenge your wellness goals. If you’re looking for motivation to meet your goals this summer, this is for you. We’ll talk about preparation, not comparing yourself unfairly, and setting realistic goals.
Preparation
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, writes that most people don’t lack motivation but clarity on a plan for the change they want to see. If you’re reading this article, you are contemplating a fitness change. However, as James Clear alludes, there are crucial steps to take after contemplating change, the following being preparation, according to the stages of the behavior change model.
Preparation for your summer fitness goals can be deciding what actions to take soon to facilitate your near-future goals. Here are some examples of what that can look like:
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Identifying which clothing items will make you feel comfortable to be active
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Getting ready to request days off for a competition or event
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Following some registered dieticians on social media to get inspiration for healthy eating
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Talking to somebody about your goals
Preparation will look different for everybody, so start by identifying some action you’d like to take and what can help make that a smoother process.
Comparing Yourself Fairly
Motivation can sometimes be temporarily fueled by seeing other people’s lives and wanting to be like them. This can sometimes be healthy, such as wanting to grow in the positive value of a looked-up figure. However, it can also be unhealthy if too much pressure is placed on you to be exactly like someone else! Permit yourself to be on your path while still appreciating the achievements of others.
One form of comparison that is less noticeable is when we compare our current self to our past self in an unfair way. For example, Alex used to run marathons regularly two decades ago but hasn’t been very active for the last five years. Today, he wants to go back to running marathons but doesn’t know what to do because he feels overwhelmed at how far he is from accomplishing that. All Alex can do today is compare himself to his past self decades ago.
Instead, permit yourself to accept who you are today and try not to set an unfair comparison to your past self. Try being forward-focused on what you can do today and take baby steps towards a realistic goal.
Setting Realistic Goals
Whether you’ve taken inspiration from someone else, one of your past accomplishments, or something else, it is vital to set your goals realistically. Setting realistic goals can be tricky because sometimes, a part of us wants to aim for the moon.
However, demotivation and discouragement can occur when our progress feels minuscule as we inch toward that unrealistic goal. A missed workout or a few too many sweets can make it feel intimidating to get back on track towards an unrealistic goal.
Instead, create space for expected bumps in the road to your summer goal. Set the goal so that if you have a setback, the goal is still not too far away or big to get back on track. Aside from too big of a goal is unrealistic, setting too many, not assigning a deadline, or not making it specific enough can also be a detriment, so keep that in mind!