Goal Setting >> In Defense Of Starting Small

I’m someone who thrives on having their shit together, so you can imagine how these past few months have been a bit of a challenge. From being incapacitated for several weeks, to dealing with a baby in the NICU, to then bringing the baby home, I’ve been far from “having my shit together.” This past month I began slowly trying to piece together my sanity and build some type of routine.

So for the whole month of November, I set one goal: get dressed every morning.

Simple? Yes.

Maybe setting the bar super low? Also yes.

But boy did it make a difference. Changing out of pajamas/frumpy clothes into just leggings and a tshirt suddenly had me feeling like I just might actually get shit done that day. They say dress for the job you want, and I want to be a comfortable mom that successfully keeps everyone in their household alive and well.

I could have chosen a bigger, more obvious goal, maybe to take a daily walk or drink more water, but those are pointless if I’m literally just in survival mode. When working to have a healthier, more active, I-have-my-shit-together life, rarely will it happen with the flip of a switch. And big sweeping changes rarely stick around in the long run. That kind of lifestyle happens by developing a series of habits that support that lifestyle. Why would you try to workout three times a week when literally getting out of pajamas every day is a struggle?

That’s why I’m not gonna ask extremes of myself (or would I of my clients). I’m gonna to start small and build from there. Getting dressed helps me feel ready to face the day. Now that I’ve got a hang of that, I’m ready to add in something else.

Where do you start when you’re trying to get your shit together?