Raise your hand if you’ve been waiting to make a change in your fitness and wellness goals in 2019! While I don’t necessarily think we should wait until a future time to reset our goals and intentions (why not just start now?!), there is something about a new year and the opportunity to refocus that is especially inspiring.Goal-setting can be really motivating, but it can also be really frustrating if you run into roadblocks along the way. Many of us start off the new year with good intentions and a lot of energy. When challenges come along that distract us from our goals, we feel defeated and want to give up.Don’t.Instead, take setbacks as an opportunity to reevaluate. Maybe priorities are off and we need to work on balancing them.So, in order to prepare for 2019, I am challenging myself to reflect on this past year. I want to take an honest look at what happened to those goals I initially set out, celebrate my accomplishments, and be realistic about the reasons why I may not have achieved others. Using those lessons learned, I’ll craft my intentions for 2019.If you’ve had goals that you set out to achieve this year but haven’t yet – don’t give up. Instead, reset and adjust those goals. Last but not least, keep up the positive attitude, congratulate yourself on achievements, and leverage the supportive friends and family members in your life.When crafting your goals, I recommend keeping the following tips in mind: 

1) Set reasonable and specific goals.

I recommend setting one to three goals at a time. Make sure they can be balanced with your day-to-day demands. Your goals should also be as specific as possible. For example, instead of saying, “I want to eat better,” make your goal “I am going to incorporate healthy vegetables into my dinner every night.” 

2) Set measurable goals and write them down.

Setting goals that can be achieved within a four to six week period allows you to celebrate successes more regularly. If you have one major goal, break it up into smaller pieces. Make sure to acknowledge and commit to your goals by writing them somewhere important, e.g. your journal or planner. 

3) Use accountability buddies.

Share your goals with your friends and family, and ask them for their support. Whether it’s a friend who comes with you each week to your workout class or your husband who will help prepare healthy dinners during the week, you will be surprised how much easier it is when you have someone else by your side, on your side. 

4) Be kind to yourself.

Out of your one to three goals, set one that focuses on a self-care practice. Let’s be real – we are in a very fast-paced and very type-A community. Many of the goals we set are about doing more with less. One of my favorite quotes is “You cannot fill from an empty cup.” And it’s true – make sure your 2019 intentions focus on building yourself up, caring for your body, and finding a better version of yourself.