It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is upon us, and I could not be more excited to throw on comfy oversized sweaters, sip hot chocolate, and spend some time with friends and family! It seems to me that the last stretch of the year always goes by so quickly; it’s as if our calendars can feel our anticipation for the new year (especially with the year we have had… oof) and they speed up the last two months. By this time in the year, I am very settled into my daily routine. I can usually predict what every day of the week will have in store, and my motivation to make any sort of changes hits an all-time low. As I sat down to write this blog, I had a moment of self-reflection where I asked myself – what can I do to finish out this year strong? It is no secret that this has been a hard year for everyone, and a lot of us are ready to move on to a fresh year… but there are still 43 more days left in 2020! So how can we take advantage of the time we have left this year, regain some momentum, and head into the new year with a fresh motivation and excitement?!
2020’s Been Tough, but There IS Still Time!
My personal first tip in staying motivated is to redefine some of the goals you might have made for yourself at the start of this year. 2020 brought along some twists and turns that none of us could have anticipated when we set our goals for the year back in January. If you have strayed away from any of your goals for the year, there are two things to remember: 1. IT IS OKAY- this year was tough, and you should not get down on yourself if you didn’t accomplish everything you set out to do. 2. THERE IS STILL TIME- you still have time to reevaluate and adjust some of your goals to achieve them before we finish out this decade! Take some time this week to sit down and redefine some of your unmet goals. Maybe you just need to change some timelines or small details, or you might find yourself writing out an entirely new list! Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall, sometimes all it takes is looking at goals from a slightly different perspective to gain the motivation and push you need to check them off of your list!
Reward Yourself!
A little side note about me… I am a reward driven person. If I know that there is a cookie or a delicious meal waiting for me at the end of a workout, I am much more likely to stay motivated throughout. The same applies to my goals. I am much more likely to accomplish a set goal if there is a reward attached to it! So, my next piece of advice for finishing your year strong is to REWARD YOURSELF. As you start to redefine and reset some of your goals, do not forget to attach some rewards! Whether you need a small reward for each goal, or you prefer a larger reward for completing a list of goals – do whatever helps to motivate you best!
I once read that in order to stay motivated through the end of the year you should try to imagine yourself on December 31st. What are some things you wish you had done that year? What do you wish you could change? What are you proud of yourself for accomplishing? As we head into the last days of 2020, I hope you feel encouraged that it is never too late in the year to change the answer to any of your December 31st questions. You still have time to accomplish something great this year! So, cheers to making the next 43 days the most fulfilling yet!! YOU GOT THIS!!
Words of Wisdom from Our True 40 Tuscaloosa Instructors
“Plan ahead – making a flexible schedule of when I plan on working out and meals I want to eat at the beginning of the week helps me stay motivated!! Love the schedule because it helps me stay accountable but is also flexible enough to account for the craziness of the holidays!”
“I always make sure to not take off more than 3 days. Move your body on day 3 to keep your mind and body strong”
“During the holidays I stay motivated to finish the year strong by continuing to try new workouts, experimenting with healthy recipes, and occasionally treating myself to a new workout outfit!!”
“I am a very goal oriented person, so I am always setting goals and making to-do lists for myself! At the end of the year I hold myself accountable by maintaining a schedule and try to focus on being proud of all the things I accomplished throughout the year!”
Check out the links below for more end of the year motivation tips and tricks!