Planning for 2011

So many things I want to accomplish. So many things I've said I would do in the past, but then didn't. So many things I want to challenge myself with...

I've been thinking over these things for a few weeks now, and might as well write them all down here in one place. Some things I might still change along the way, and others I might discard. And then others might be added later. It's not about doing anything perfectly... only to try doing them as consistently as I can, as I know it's not perfection that achieves, but consistency and persistence.

Again, I will attempt to track my miles for the year. I usually start out doing okay, but then lose track of what I've done. Or I stop being as consistent and then I stop tracking because I know I won't reach the goal. This year- I will still try to shoot for 2011 miles in 2011 (it keeps increasing by one mile each year!) but I won't kill myself over that total. Plus... because I DO stay more consistent with my DVD workouts than I do with getting out to walk/run... I will allow every 10 minutes of true cardio (not counting the warm-up/cooldowns) to equal 1 mile. Same as for my time on the elliptical (I'm getting myself one!)- 10 min= 1 mile. And if I ride my stationary bike, it's mile for mile as well as any walking/running I do. Weight training won't add to the miles.

I will continue to NOT pay so much attention to the scale. I've learned to ignore it over the years, but use it only as a general guide. I've become smaller in size over the years even though my weight might not always drop. I love having muscle! But please- don't make weight loss the only goal. Make FITNESS (what you can DO) be the goal- and then the number on the scale won't matter.

Speaking of 'what you can do'... I'm still wanting to be fit enough to run a full 5K without having to stop and walk. I know I can complete a 5K just fine- but it's not all running. Again, I just have to be more consistent with that, or it will be like all the past years, when I won't fully achieve it. Though I still enjoy participating in 5Ks! It's not all about being first... and maybe because it's not important for me to be the fastest, I'm not working very hard at this one. Another thing to wrap my mind around, so we'll see. There's a part of me who would love to have the 13.1 or 26.2 on my "done" list... but let's tackle the 5K first. In fact, I know I can survive a 7K fine (run/walk) but beyond that, I start having blisters and foot problems... so let's just build up slowly, even if never actually run an entire long race. It would be cool to just be able to say I've finished one.

Building my Beachbody business. I want to make THIS year the year that I will get it to happen. I still struggle with my own shyness, but I'm getting better at it. Believe it, and it will happen. I will continue with my free Fitclubs- because I still believe in paying it forward... and things will happen for me later. This is my future- and I want to help as many people as I can, or bring them with me.

Keeping on top of my "frogs" (from the book Eat That Frog!! by Brian Tracy). I have a daily planner that I WILL use to map out my day. I find that I can easily waste time, or put things off... until these little chores become HUGE ones that are overwhelming to tackle. So while I won't do some things EVERY day, I will schedule in a time for them- each week, month or few months, depending on what they are- just to make sure I don't keep putting them off so much that they become too much. And putting a time limit on each thing too- so I don't end up spending TOO much time on some major project and ignoring other things as well. It's all about better time management. I'm bad about putting things off while working on ONE project to completion, when I could be doing a little bit of each project, a little at a time- so nothing is really a BIG project to be done all at once while others keep growing (and becoming overwhelming).

Some people I know on Facebook are taking a photo each day and posting it- for their fitness accountability. It could be a photo of themselves-- post-workout, or it might be a healthy food they've eaten. Or it might be a photo during a workout... whatever- but it's something fitness-related. I've thought of doing the same thing- but probably won't put it on facebook. Not sure if it would benefit me, as I can see that adding to the time management thing, of having to deal with the photos every day!! If I do it, maybe it's once a week or every few days. I just can't see EVERY day being something that will help me, just because of the time added in managing/posting of the photos themselves. In the past, I've taken photos, but they're not very often- maybe once a month at the most.
Again- that might still be enough for me, for accountability reasons.

I will continue to work on being truly honest with myself. Stop saying 'yes' to people when I really feel like saying 'no'- and setting clear boundaries. No need to overstretch myself to levels of stress! It's OKAY to have time for myself. I don't have to be the one to make sure everyone is happy. THAT will no longer be my (perceived) job.

I will stop nit-picking. No more picking at things! It only makes them worse... and it's best to leave some things alone.

Again- it's not perfection that gets me there. It's consistency with the little things, and persistence. I'm not done with my growing, and I have MANY more things to do.