It’s the 3rd quarter and the year-end is quickly approaching. Did you make goals or resolutions at the beginning of the year that fell to the waist side? Were you hoping to accomplish certain things before the end of 2019? Guess what, it ain’t over til it’s over! You still have time to make progress toward your goals. First, you have to start with evaluating where you are and reevaluating where you want to be.

It is one thing to make goals, but I think what gets lost in the process of learning to be a #goalgetter is the need to be continually re-evaluating whether the goals you set are still right for you at the time if you are making progress toward them, and if not, why. One of the best things that my group of friends and I did was not only to make vision boards at the beginning of the year, but to have quarterly check-in meetings with each other where we dusted off our vision boards and talked about the things we had already achieved as well as the places we needed more support, guidance, and attention in the next quarter. Being that it is quarter 3 and we want to finish this year off strong, I thought why not share my process and tips with you in case you need a little extra motivation and support.

Below I will be listing the top 3 things I do that have transformed my day to day life as well as made it possible for me to make leaps in bounds in my personal and professional life. I urge you to give them a shot and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your feedback and stories of the experience. They seem mundane in but small changes can make a big difference. My challenge to you is to make a commitment to yourself for 21-30 days and see what happens. If you are a nerd like me then you will track your experience someone how to be able to observe whether any changes occurred. You can journal, check off each day, download an app like Daylio that asks you how you are doing at the end of the day. Make sure to leave a comment or send me an email with your story.

1. Sleep

   I think we often underestimate what a good nights sleep can do for the mind and body. I will let you do the research yourself but there are detrimental effects as a result of not getting enough quality sleep. All sleep is not made equal. When I used the app sleep cycle it really made it clear that I was sleeping but I was not getting good quality sleep. Which made sense because I often woke up after sleeping all night and still felt tired and sluggish. Do a sleep assessment for yourself. How many hours are you getting? Do you have a regular bedtime? How do you feel when you wake up? How do you feel throughout the day? What does your sleep hygiene look like? After my sleep analysis, I made alterations to my sleep hygiene and nighttime routine to include no electronics 1 hour before bed, tea, meditation and reading which all made for a better nights sleep. A good nights rest is the foundation for a strong day. Keep an eye out for future blogs on how to improve sleeping habits.

   2. Activity

   If sleep is the foundation for a good day then the activity is what can lead to enhanced sleep quality. The way I like to think about it is that we were made to be active. Our bodies are like machines. When you leave a car parked and unused for a long time it begins to develop issues. When you don't use your muscles they atrophy. Use it or lose it. That does not mean you have to lift heavy weights for 2 hours every morning. The goal is consistency over time. Start small. Go for a short 5-minute walk before you leave for work or school. Do a morning yoga routine. Stretch. Run. Jump in the bed. YES! I said jump in the bed. Only if you have enough space not to hit the ceiling. I am not liable for your bumped head lol The days I start with activity always feel better than the days I don’t. I used to live in an apartment complex and that meant at least 2-3 dog walks a day. I did not realize until I moved into a house with a backyard did I notice the difference in the way I felt because walks forced me to get outside even if it was for a few minutes a day. Now I prefer to run a mile in the morning first thing to get my heart going, and honestly to manage my anxiety and depression. Doing the hardest thing in the morning makes me confident there is nothing I can not handle that day.

   3. Daily Priorities

   We always overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can accomplish in a week, month, quarter, year. Scaling back your daily task list to 3 top priorities will empower you to focus your energy and intention. Pick the top 3 things that will bring you joy at the end of the day when you are getting ready to lay down and think back on your day. Again, it is really important to start small. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Want the cheat codes for this life hack? In the beginning, add one thing to the list that you will already be doing inevitably. Sometimes I put going to work on my list, making my bed, or sending an important email. It is necessary to grow the ability to discern between important and urgent and important but not urgent. We spend a lot of time on the tasks that do not move the needle in our progression toward a goal. Right now, my daily task list has activity (which I like to get out of the way first thing), focused work time, and daily self-care. Leave a comment with what you would like to add to your top 3 priority list for the day.

   If you make it a point to prioritize the quality of your sleep, start the day with activity and cut your daily to-do list down to 3 top priorities, I pretty much guarantee that you will see results. Make an investment in yourself and reap the rewards of your efforts. Can’t wait to hear how your challenge turns out. I look forward to hearing from you.

   I hope my blogs are a helpful source of information. That they might help you to find comfort and solace in knowing that you’re not alone. That you matter and someone’s thinking about you. Submit blog topics and questions you'd like me to address here and subscribe below to stay updated. Until next time my friend.