Goal setting and keeping good habits
Setting goals and maintaining good habits can be incredibly rewarding, but it requires thoughtful planning and self-awareness. When setting a goal—whether it’s losing weight, eating healthier, becoming more disciplined, or waking up earlier—it’s essential to start with a clear plan. Consider how you want to achieve this goal, the steps you’ll need to take, how long you think it will take, and visualise the outcome. Envisioning the moment you achieve your goal can be a powerful motivator throughout the journey.
A key factor in setting sustainable goals is understanding the underlying reason behind them. If your motivation stems from seeking validation or impressing others, you may find the process draining and unsustainable in the long run. However, if your goal is rooted in a commitment to yourself—such as wanting to take better care of your health, set a positive example for your children, or become an inspiration to others—you are more likely to stay consistent and find fulfilment in the process.
If you’re concerned about your ability to stick to the plan or feel that your willpower might waver, consider partnering with someone. This could be a trainer, a coach, or even a friend who shares a similar goal. Having someone else involved can provide accountability and support, making it easier to stay on track.
It’s important to acknowledge that maintaining good habits consistently over a long period can be very challenging. You need to have a deep desire for the results and be certain that they are vital to your well-being. If long-term consistency feels overwhelming, it can be helpful to break your goal into shorter-term commitments. For example, you might decide to focus on a habit for one month, or set a goal from Monday to Friday, or aim to maintain it until the Christmas season. This approach allows you to reassess and adjust as needed, making the process feel more manageable.
Honesty with yourself is crucial. Be clear about what you want, why you want it, how you plan to achieve it, and how long you’re committed to working toward it. Writing down your goals, sharing them with others, and regularly reviewing your progress can help reinforce your commitment and keep you motivated.
Reset our friendships and relationships
Close friendships and relationships often don’t require a formal reset—they naturally ebb and flow with the rhythms of life, adapting to the changes and challenges you go through together or in parallel. These connections are built on a foundation of mutual understanding and support, which allows them to thrive without needing a break. However, for relationships that aren’t as close or have been distant due to the busy and intense summer months, a reset might be beneficial.
The first step in resetting a relationship is to reconnect—seeing the person and catching up in person is a great way to reestablish your connection. Before doing so, take some time to evaluate the friendship or relationship. Ask yourself if it’s worth continuing to invest your time and energy. Consider what truly brings you together. If there is genuine love and a deep connection, it will be easier to rekindle the relationship.
When you do reconnect, focus on sharing your experiences from the time apart. Discuss what has changed in your lives, share your future goals, and express what you hope for in this new chapter. This mutual exchange can help reset the clock, allowing the relationship to evolve and grow in a way that’s aligned with your current lives.
Ultimately, a successful reset is about ensuring that your relationships continue to bring value and joy to your life. It’s about being intentional with your time and energy, nurturing the connections that matter most, and letting go of those that no longer serve you. By approaching your friendships and relationships with honesty and care, you can ensure they remain healthy and fulfilling as you move forward.
Give ourselves a better work-life balance
Before setting goals to improve your work-life balance, it’s essential to reflect on your priorities. I often remind people that if, by some chance, you were no longer here tomorrow, your workplace would likely find a replacement within days. However, your family—your children, parents, and loved ones—could never replace you. This perspective highlights that your primary focus should be on investing time and energy in the relationships and activities that fill your life with love, as this love is what keeps you healthy, both mentally and physically, and makes life truly worth living.
That said, work is a necessary part of life, and balancing it with your personal life requires thoughtful planning. The first goal should be to maintain this awareness of your priorities. Keep in mind what truly matters most to you as you set boundaries and create routines. For example, decide that once you step into your home, work stays at the door. Commit to not checking your phone or emails when you’re with your children, spouse, or friends. This allows you to be fully present, cherishing the moment and the people around you when you’re not working.
When you are working, aim to be focused and productive, so that you can maximise your efficiency during work hours. By being intentional with your time, you can create a clearer separation between work and personal life, which is crucial for maintaining balance.
It’s important to recognise that achieving a perfect balance between work and life can be challenging, and it won’t always be a 50/50 split. Your balance might be 20/80, 60/40, or some other ratio, depending on the demands of your life at any given time. The key is to ensure that whatever time you allocate to each area, you are fully present and invested in that moment, without letting your mind wander elsewhere.
To support this balance, it’s helpful to communicate your plans and boundaries clearly with both your colleagues and your family. Let them know your intentions so they can help tailor and support these goals, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and can respect your need for balance.
By setting these goals and maintaining a strong awareness of your priorities, you can create a work-life balance that not only supports your career but also nurtures the relationships and activities that bring true fulfilment to your life.
Start creating a healthier lifestyle: Small changes can people start doing to exercise more or eat better
In today’s world, we are bombarded with advice on health and longevity, often conflicting and not always tailored to our individual needs. The first and most important step in creating a healthier lifestyle is to learn to listen to your body. Take the time to pause, breathe, and truly scan your body. Ask yourself what your body is trying to tell you—does it want you to stop certain eating habits, reduce drinking, or start moving more? Often, we develop the habit of ignoring these signals, but your body communicates its needs for a reason. If you continue to ignore it, your body may start showing signs of distress, and we certainly want to avoid that, as it can lead to illness.
If making significant changes feels overwhelming, start small. Remember that we are part of nature, and just like any other living organism, we thrive on the essentials: water, sunlight, fresh air, rest, movement, laughter, and love. Conversely, we suffer from toxins, disconnection, prolonged exposure to artificial light and air, and a sedentary lifestyle. Any small step you take toward nurturing your health and distancing yourself from what harms it is a positive change.
One practical way to begin is by using your senses more fully. Smell the fresh air and flowers, listen to the sounds of nature, touch and connect with your loved ones, and engage with the world around you. Take time to notice the colours, the faces and expressions of those around you, and the energy of your environment. The more you immerse yourself in the natural world, the more grounded and healthy you will feel.
Also, strive to reduce your reliance on artificial realities—limit screen time, avoid substances that take you out of the present moment, and instead, focus on breathing more deeply, pausing more often, and allowing yourself to move at a slower, more mindful pace.
These small changes—listening to your body, reconnecting with nature, using your senses more fully, and stepping away from artificial distractions—can create a profound shift in your overall health and well-being. By gradually incorporating these practices into your daily life, you’ll find yourself on a path to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
By Lorena Bernal
This article was used in The Independent UK Newspaper
