Happy Monday friends. I’m excited to hear about everyone’s goals for 2018 today. For those of you who may be new to the JAKWellness12 you can read about it here. Last week’s challenge was to write down your goals for 2018 (you can see mine here). I mentioned yesterday on Instagram stories that every week when you comment on Monday’s blog post with your progress from the previous week’s challenge I’m going to add your name to a spreadsheet. At the end of the year I am going to do a massive giveaway for everyone who participated (I’ll pick a few winners). So every Monday that you comment with your progress, you get an entry. I hope this encourages everyone to participate throughout the year. I’m also going to do a giveaway each month, again all you have to do is comment every Monday on the Wellness Challenge post and I’ll pick a winner at the end of each month.
As I shared last week, this month’s theme is physical so I recruited my friend Chinae Alexander to answer some of your most asked questions about staying motivated, working out at home, favorite fitness apps and more. I met Chinae this past summer when I went to NYC with Fresh Beauty. She quickly became one of my absolute favorite people to follow on Instagram because of her no BS attitude and ability to cut through the noise of social media to talk about real issues. She’s also really friggin funny. Before we get into my interview with Chinae, here is this week’s challenge/goal.
Week 2 Challenge: 30 minutes of physical activity every day and try one thing that’s new to you.
Remember the goal of this yearly wellness challenge is to set realistic goals that are achievable. So this week get moving. I wrote down some suggestions to get you started but ultimately the goal is to get 30 minutes of physical activity every day AND try one activity that’s new to you. That could be a barre class, a yoga class at a new studio, spinning, even trying a class at home streaming on your Apple TV.
Suggestions:
-Take a class (I love barre, cycling, pilates and yoga).
-Go for a brisk walk on your lunch break, leave the phone or put it on silent so you’re focused on the exercise.
-Go for a bike ride (obviously only for our warm weather friends, those of us in the frozen tundra probably not)
-Try an at home workout (see Chinae’s suggestions below)
-Stretch at home when you wake up or before bed.
-Ski, snowshoe, cross country ski, etc. Craig and I got cross country skis for Christmas and it is an INSANE workout. This set from L.L. Bean is awesome.
Meet Chinae Alexander
I am so honored and thrilled to introduce all of you to Chinae. I know some of you already know her, for those of you who don’t she is originally from Texas now living in New York City. Chinae is an Adidas brand ambassador and wellness expert who empowers people to be better through positive thinking, active change, self-love (and a lot of laughter and some curse words thrown in). This is why I love her!
J: I think the number one thing most of us struggle with is staying motivated, particularly in winter when its cold and dark. How do you hold yourself accountable and set goals without feeling terrible if you miss a day?
C: Ah yes, the age old motivation question. For me, it’s about creating REALISTIC expectations of yourself. If you go from working out once a month with a diet of 90% meat + cheese and suddenly you’ve decided that you’re gonna try and work out 6 days a week and eat only green things, you’re probably going to fail….REALITY IS A THING THAT EXISTS. It’s about having a frank chat with yourself and creating a realistic baseline, like 2-3 workouts a week and eating mindfully with 20% breathing room for epic charcuterie platters and a late night taco fiestas after some red wine. Then you can build from there. The one trick is, when you’re creating that baseline, you’re also committing to the fact that there are no excuses to not meet those goals, because you were honest and kind with yourself when making them. And if all else fails, sweating is a great way to trick your body into forgetting that it’s -2 outside…it’s practically like a tropical vacation minus all the fun (but hey, you’ll feel better after…I promise!). Because this is such a common question, I actually created a whole video about it here with some additional tips.
J: Any advice/tips for newbies to the gym who are intimidated by the machines and people who are wildly in shape and seemingly know everything. Is their a simple routine to get their feet wet?
C: When I started exercising I was 225 lbs and thought the thigh abductor machine (the one you squeeze your thighs together like a vice), was a sex thing. So yeah, I feel you. Here’s the thing about not only the gym or class..but about life; everyone is so self-involved that they are literally not looking at or caring about you. I know we perceive the room staring at us but truly it’s just not the case. If that doesn’t give you a boost of confidence, some knowledge might help too. I found that reading and watching videos about exercise really helped me feel equipped to try something new. Like, squats for example. Reading and watching videos on form and types of the move helped me feel like I could walk into the gym and give them a try without looking like a total newb. I recommend starting with bodyweight exercises and working your way up to weighted moves.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask questions of trainers or other people at the gym. Remember when I said people are really self-involved? Well there’s nothing that makes people feel better than when you ask their opinion. It’s kind of like the one time on my 10th grade show choir trip to NYC, someone asked me for directions and I felt like I was the coolest person in the world. “They thought I lived here!” This clearly impacted me enough as I am talking about it still like 100 years later in an interview, so yeah, never feel weird asking questions…you might even make someone’s day.
P.S. I eventually managed to get the courage to try that aforementioned thigh machine…I can confirm it is not a sex thing.
J: Any exercises people can do at work (even at their desk)?
C: I’m lobbying for a law that requires people to get up every 30 minutes, stretch their backs and walk for a minute or two. I’m not sure if desk-ercising should or ever will be a thing but keeping yourself mobile will help your posture and mobility which will better equip you when you do start an actual workout. I think making sure to take a lunchtime 10-15 min walk everyday also majorly helps both body, mind, and probably digestion. So yeah, not sure if you need to be downward-dogging in the conference room but being aware of your body during the day is important.
J: Any suggestions for great at home workouts? And any tips for working yourself “hard enough” when you’re just on your own?
C: I’m not a trainer so I try to steer clear of prescribing workouts but I think there are a couple things you can do to improve your odds of having a successful home workout.
1. Have some equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, and bands are pretty inexpensive and can be tucked away with ease. Having some stuff to add variance to your workouts helps you steer clear of boredom. You can also take bands on vacation to supplement the sh*tty hotel gym.
2. Get dressed. No doing crunches in your PJ’s…dress for the job you want, but in this case the job is a workout.
3. Change it up. Don’t do the same boring thing everyday and change your location. Maybe somedays it’s an outdoor workout, maybe sometimes it’s in your living room, or a run around the city you’re traveling to. I also highly recommend checking out Yoga with Adriene on Youtube..she’s a friend of mine who I met through being an Adidas ambassador and she made at home yoga a totally doable thing for me!
J: What are some good winter cardio workouts when it’s too cold to run?
C: I would say winter is the time for trying studio classes or finally learning your way around a weight room. Getting yourself excited for a workout can be hard enough, why add the worry that you may lose your nose from frostbite in the process?
J: Any suggestions recommendations for protein shakes/probiotics/supplements for pre and/or post-workout?
C: I really like Vega chocolate protein powder (plant based) but I also really like steak so it’s a toss up on how I get my protein during the day. I take Tula probiotics and I make sure to eat or take ginger daily for immune health. Other than that, I keep it simple and try to eat my vitamins in a varied and balanced diet.
J: Any fitness apps you can’t live without? Any you know of that can track you and your friends workouts to help each other stay motivated?
C: I am a firm believer in using social media to help keep yourself accountable but also to connect with other people doing the same. So many times I’ve been a sloth in bed on my 5th episode of Black Mirror, opened Instagram and seen my friends post-workout selfie or their healthy lunch and it’s motivated me to do the same. Let me be clear, this does not mean you need to follow a lot of accounts where you are lusting after having their perfect booty or abs, it’s about finding a space online that enriches and motivates you but also where you can do the same for others. You might even meet some of your best friends (like I did!).
A huge thank you to Chinae for all of her advice and tips this week. Don’t forget to share your progress from last week’s challenge in the comments. I’ve also pulled together a few things I am loving to help you along in this week’s challenge. I am definitely getting this cute yoga mat for at home yoga and stretching. I have both S’well and BKR water bottles for workout classes and to help me drink more water throughout the day. Dress the part, as Chinae said, I love these floral leggings from Anthropologie. Good luck everyone, let’s do this!
My goals for this year are staying healthy mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is the first year of my life that I haven’t worked full time and I plan to connect with people that are most important to me and release those that aren’t.
Also, we will be paying off our last debt this year!! Freedom.
I decided to make just 1 new years resolution, which is Motivation. Motivation to move more, cook more, be outside more. I always have a hard time sticking with my resolutions so I figured this time around I’d do something a little different and choose something simple that can be interpreted a few different ways. I’ve already had some success with this actually! I have an apple watch and during holidays to keep you motivated it gives you goals to reach so you can win a badge, (considering I am EXTREMELY competitive) this worked and I hit all of the goals I needed to get this badge.
I also choose a word of the year like you suggested, which is patience. Having more patience with others, with my work, and with myself. Change doesn’t happen over night, things take time!
My main goal for 2017 was focused on health in general, but I found without specifics, I was less focused than I should have been so this time around, I broke things down into sections:
Physical Health:
-Re-establish a weight training regimen to go with my cardio each week
Mental Health:
-Try meditation
-Journal 2x per week
Lifestyle:
-Work on a positive mindset at work. I am a publicist, which can be really stressful, but I feel like sometimes we get caught up in the negative elements of the job and miss out on how cool some of the experiences are.
-Learn to crochet and complete one full project
Last year, I completed a full thirty days without any added sugar and processed sugar, which made me want to try more specific challenges with my goals. These can be done at any time throughout the year, so I feel like it might give me a recharge when I need it:
-Complete 30 days without sugar (Today is Day 1)
-Work out every work day for one month
-Complete BBG
-Keep a food journal for one month
It was so great to have a reason to really hone in on my goals and write them down. This was a fun exercise and is super motivating to get going!
My 2018 goal is to commit to completing 1 round of BBG workout at home. I started yesterday and I feel great today, well honestly sore but in a good way. I am also hoping to continue with yoga classes that I started taking in November. I have truly noticed a difference in my mental health from yoga.
I also am trying to be more realistic and honest with my self in terms of eating cleaner, drinking less and sleeping at least 7-8 hours a night. I am also granting myself the right to restart my day after I fall off the wagon. The reset button is always there.
Love love love this post! Anel just made a great 20-minute at home workout that I love. You should try it. We’re posting level two next week: https://countdownfit.com/beginner-workout/
I have eight goals for 2018, two in each category (fitness, finance, my blog and random life). My two fitness goals are to do 218 workouts this year and be able to do 1 unassisted pull up by the end of the year. I haven’t been able to do a pull up since my teenage years, so we’ll see how this goes!
Loved this post and am so pumped about this Wellness Challenge! With being a full-time third-year law student balancing extracurriculars, a part-time job, and being a dog mom I have felt (and seen) the stressors of life take a toll on my personal health. This year I’m making it all about SELF-LOVE. I understand that before I take the entire summer to study my life away for the NY Bar exam I gotta get my psyche right and be one with my mind, body, and spirit! Thanks for igniting my motivation and for providing such a positive and encouraging platform for me to feel powerful! Good luck to us!!!
My theme for my 2018 goals is Reset. My life was quite hectic and unorganized in 2017 which is very unlike me. So I am trying to take a step back to reset and refocus. I’ve broken it down into 4 main categories:
1) Financial:
-Set a monthly budget and stick to it.
-Start an emergency fund (I’m horrible at saving!
-Stop using all credit cards.
-Pay off at least 50% of my debt.)
2) Physical:
-Rejoin the gym and commit to going at least twice a week – I know myself and anything more can be unrealistic to keep up with.
-Walk my dog Jax at least 20 mins 4x a week instead of just letting him play/run in the backyard.
-Find a good skincare routine.
-Run a 5K.
3) Nutrition:
-Limit pop to 1x per day.
-Increase water consumption to at least (3) 25 oz bottles per day.
-Limit eating out/ordering out to 1x per week.
-Create weekly meal plan and grocery shop accordingly (hopefully those last 2 will help with the financial goals too!)
4) Personal:
-Start reading again – at least 1 book per month if not more.
-Continue to crochet and learn new stitches/techniques.
-Unplug on Sundays and always at the dinner table (anyone else have a bad habit of checking social while they eat??)
-Take a tap class (I used to be a dancer for 20 years)
-Take piano lessons (need to buy a piano first though so this will probably be delayed until we buy a house and have more room…)
This is the first time I’ve laid out my goals in such detail and I tried to be realistic so that they wouldn’t feel too overwhelming. Hopefully I can stick with them this year and get my personal well-being back to a place where I feel comfortable and happy with myself.
Sending good vibes to all of you!
Last week, I wrote down my goals for 2018, some focusing on mentality, some focused on wellness, and some focused on both! I have started keeping a gratitude journal as one goal, and I now look forward to adding to it each morning.
I LOVE the idea of sitting at the dinner table! My boyfriend and I are committing to cooking together (something new) every Sunday so this could really make it that much better (last night we plopped down at the coffee table to watch more football).
This year is all about lifestyle changes, and setting goals to create a lifestyle that will keep me motivated and active, both in my career and fitness journey! This year I have vowed to take my dogs on walks regularly, do some form of activity each day (whether it’s hopping on the treadmil at home, doing a BBG workout or straight up slaying it at the gym!), blogging consistently because it truly gives me so much happiness to be creative, and start each day with a positive affirmation and meditation/prayer.
I love this wellness challenge and it’s totally going to help me stay on track all year!
XO,
Kris
Love this!
My goals for 2018 are a little all over the place:
Fitness:
Try new classes (this can be tough since classes are so expensive in the city but even if I am repeating a class, bring a new perspective! This morning I switched sides of the room I usually go to during spin, even the instructor noticed!)
Personal:
Be more present! I often just mindlessly scroll through Instagram or go on text rants to my boyfriend without even thinking to ask how his day is. Making sure I am putting work into my relationships.
Keep up with reading! I am an avid reader but lately, I have found it easier to watch Bravo or go on Instagram before I fall asleep.
Work:
Actually use my standing desk! I don’t think I can stand ALL day, I certainly start slouching after a few hours, but take advantage of it more.
Hi! This was a great article! And I want to add I love yoga with Adrienne!! I found her last year and it’s a great way to get some yoga in at home!
My goals are balance and being more present.
I made some real progress in 2017 on balance with all aspects of life — health, work, savings, travel etc and I want to bring that into 2018 with more of a focus on health.
How I feel most balanced is when I’m eating what makes me feel good (not counting anything!) and when my workouts consist of both structured and unstructured activities (like finding a new trail to walk my dog or a 20 min yoga video at home because I feel like not because I have to)
For being more present, I would like to cut down time on my phone. I haven’t made much progress on this one yet, but goal is to reduce time on social media by blocking times that I “allow” myself to go on and avoid it for the rest of the day!
I look forward to following along with your goals!
2018 goals:
– Read one book a month.
– Be consistent with my excercise.
– Meditate using headspace.
– Be kind to my body.
– Graduate from my Masters of PA program.
– Be inspired by other’s successes rather than feeling like a failure.
Best,
Garkie
I’m an exercise nut, so moving has never been a problem for me. My word for 2018 was JOY. I think I’m so goal oriented that sometimes I forget to have fun with my workouts. I’m trying to look for more ways to bring in some fun, so I’m adding in some dance cardio and group classes and training to be more social.
There aren’t many workouts I haven’t tried (haha). My go-to workouts are barre, swimming, and cycling. Maybe this week I’ll do a Tracy Anderson arm workout!
Love this challenge! I’m sitting at my desk contemplating driving in the cold to the gym or not and this has helped me decide to go to the gym but just do an easy and realistic workout (which results in making it easier mentally in getting to the gym).
xo, Shelby
I’m so happy you’ve shared this wellness challenge; I’m actually looking forward to realistic goals for 2018! Below is what I’m focusing on:
-no alcohol in January
-complete BBG round 1
-drink at least 64 oz of water every day
-finish reading Marie Kindo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and ask myself if my clothes/kitchen gadgets/shoes/etc bring me joy. Donate what does not.
-be kind to myself (this sounds cheesy, but I’m trying to recognize my negative self talk and turn it around)
I’m a total gold star junkie and love setting goals. I set 5 big goals for myself for the year that are split 3/2 for health and academics because I am a full time student. In January specifically I have set two smaller steps that I want to implement this month. This is the first year I’ve been serious about setting goals and am really proud of how things are going (she naively says, 1 week into the year). That said, here are my goals for January:
-Drink 64 oz water per day
-Grocery shop and meal prep every Sunday
-Run 30 miles
-Take no more than 2 consecutive days off
-Get supplements from whole foods
-Research and begin transcendental meditation
-Find way to implement anki studying
-Narrow down application list
-Begin studying for MCAT and STAY ON SCHEDULE
-Use anki AND firecracker for studying
My goals for 2018 are all focused around transformation and balance. There’s a lot in there from personal to professional and physical.
I’m trying not to set year long goals but rather focusing on those words of the year and every quarter checking in and setting a major goal.
For Q1: I’m focusing on relaunching my blog, and working on my mental and physical health.
Specific goals are:
Blog: post 2-3 times a week
Mental health: journal and meditate every day
Physical health: Continue training for my 1/2 marathon next month and complete Whole 30 to help (finally) kick my sugar addiction!
Loving this challenge so much, these tips from Chinae are so great!
xo,
Bree
http://bree-west.com
Today I’m starting my training to run a mini marathon in the spring. I’m not a runner at all, and have never attempted running anything of this distance. I just wanted to challenge myself in the new year, and can’t wait to improve my fitness. So my goals are to stick to my training, and to successfully complete the race. I’m also really looking forward to seeing how much I can really push my body.
I’m really trying to stay on track this year, thinking this wellness challenge will really help along the way!
Physical:
Lose 20 lbs by June
Do Whole30 challenge successfully! (I always cheat)
Travel:
One trip a month
I’m going to include day trips to the city or new towns to explore because it’s not financially possible for me to actually travel every month
Personal:
Improve the environmental footprint of my life
Improve my eating habits. I’m a big snacker.
I didn’t even think about adding “travel” to my goals until I read yours! Like you, I also want to go on more more day trips to new cities or towns!
My goals this year have a theme revolving around self-love. Some specifics are to delete all negative thoughts about how I look and not to compare to anybody else’s body. I also created four specific goals which change each month. The specific goals are mental, love, financial and physical. Looking forward to week 2!
Happy New Year! I’m loving this wellness challenge, thank you for putting it all together.
My life as a professional cellist runs August-July, instead of Jan-Dec, so I did the whole goals/yearly theme thing back in late summer. My theme for this year is: PROGRESS, as I am making it my priority and focus to make a bit of progress in each area of my life every day/week/month/quarter. This has been a nice opportunity to check over my list and make any changes or tweaks and also to see the progress I have already made!
I wrote down the 12 most important areas of my life (Marriage, Family, Friends, Travel, Self, Teaching, Blogging, Home, Finances, Health, Performance Career, and Coaching) and assigned one month of the year to really focus on each area, plan for and make any necessary investments, tweaks, and work on the big projects. ie: March is Finances, and we are planning on meeting with a financial advisor and also writing our will. BUT, I have smaller financial goals that I want to meet each quarter, and those are broken down into monthly, weekly and daily bits and pieces. I’m on month 5 of this system, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Nothing feels overwhelming, and I don’t feel pulled in a million directions, because i know that nothing is slipping off my radar completely and getting neglected.
wellness (mental & physical) is a focus in 2018. I used to workout just to get it done, but this year I’ve signed up for a tennis clinic and a women’s only weightlifting/ boot camp class. Focusing on doing things I’ll actually enjoy, rather than “just to go the gym”. We also rang in 2018 snowshoeing and kicking it off with a healthy activity. Thankfully we have plenty of snow in mass, might need to get those skis you like!
I am loving reading everyone’s goals and seeing what they want to achieve this year! I have chosen the word “renew” as my 2018 word. There is a long list of things I plan on working on.
I plan on getting back into jogging/running with my motivator, my dog Lola. She just turned 3 and needs to get back into exercising too! It helps getting her energy out and makes her happy!
I am trying to save money this year, so instead of signing up for classes, although I’m sure I will do a few, I want to get into some YouTube workouts! I also plan on really getting into cooking more and want to bring a healthy lunch to work instead of take out that I would normally get a few times a week.
I loved not having the pressure to set goals ASAP, and instead giving myself time to think about them and write them down. A set a lot (like you!) but here are some highlights: commit to a workout 4-5 days a week (snowshoeing counts!), be able to do 20 real push-ups by the end of the year, take steps to seriously start paying off my student loans (instead of just paying the monthly minimum), and hit a savings goal. It’s going to be a great year!
Hi Jess! Been a long time since Loren hope. but since having my baby you’ve inspired me so much as a woman. I hope to have more conversations with you in the future.
Here are some of my goals.
Health: work out at least 5 times a week. When I’m home and establish a routine with going to the gym I’m so good. But as soon as I start traveling with my boyfriend for his work I lose motivation and start eating fried foods (the death of me!!) and skip my workouts. So regardless I want to dedicate this time to my self each week to work and clear my mind through physical activity.
Secondly I want to cut our alcohol. I’ve always been a party girl but I really want to hone in on being a good mom, a great model, and productive in general.
I also want to start eating vegan at least one day a week. And meatless one meal a day.
Career- I want to excel in modeling by making myself available and not taking every trip possible with my boyfriend even though I love him so. I find I often put his and my sons life before mine but I’m young and I need to set myself and son up for the future.
Mental health- I want to stop having self doubt. I always feel I’m not good enough or capable. I want to move past these inner subconscious thoughts. It’s been an easy way for me to cope from tradegies in the past. I take the easy way out but I really want to strive for myself. Make something be something and not let anyone make me feel like I can’t.
Thank you for creating this it feels good to write this all down and share with a community of women trying to do similar things!
Love Chinae’s interview! I am fortunate in that I am really dedicated to working out 5-6 days/week and I have a pretty good balance with food. The ultimate goal is to have abs, but I like beer and cheese more than I want abs.
My intention for this year (and all other years going forward) is to be present. Waaaaaay too often I realize I am multitasking and not focused on what is going on around me. But not only do I want to be present, I also want to be intentional with the time I spend. Specifically:
— make an effort celebrate others’ successes
–text/email/call friends and family regularly
–deal with emotions in a productive way (not with online shopping)
–save $$ and know where my money goes; set a clothing budget and stick to it
–spend less time looking at my phone in the evening and more time playing with my dog
–think of 3 things I’m grateful for every day
–focus on what I want and take steps toward that for the LONG TERM
I hate the idea of strict new year’s resolutions but was excited to see your Wellness Challenge, it seems much more attainable! Thank you for doing this!
I’ve thought about what I’m striving for this year since last week’s post and I’ve had a few things floating around my brain.
1. Whole30, it seems like this has become seriously popular but with my autoimmune disease I know my body feels the best eating this way. I’m going to strive to do a full 30 days quarterly (not choosing a specific month/quarter yet but will do it as I go) and be mindful the rest of the time. I’m currently on Day 8/30 in Q1 right now!
2. The other thing is to move at least 30 minutes each day. I sit at a desk 5 days a week and it takes a toll. Mon-Fri I’m typically complete traditional workouts (a class or dvd) but on weekends I fall short, so I’m going to incorporate more stretching and walking. Relaxing and invigorating movements that aren’t strenuous! Plus the negative temps are subsiding in CT so I’ll be breaking out my ice skates and snow shoes without worrying about accidentally freezing to death!
Happy New Year Jess! Excited about this new series, it’s such a good way to keep on track and accountable.
I really want to focus on building a new fitness routine in 2018. I moved about halfway through 2017 and never really pulled myself back into one.
I am also committing to mediating. I just finished day 8 on Headspace and really want to push myself to stay committed through the end of the year (maybe a little ambitious). I want to put at least a month under my belt and then assess how I feel.
I had a hard time just picking one word for the year so I’m picking one for January. ‘Positivity’, I’m currently in a job that I don’t like or enjoy with a boss that’s very demanding, so sometimes it’s hard for me to not just focus on the negative aspects. My goal is to remind myself when I feel down of all the positives in my life.
Hi Jess!
First of all, love that this challenge is full 360 🙂 This years goal is self-love! It has been a trying few years for me and as I wrote on my blog in regards to new years goals (http://ashleybridgefarmer.com/clean-slate/) mine is a change in mindset. I think this can trickle to all areas of wellness: Body, Mind, Spirit, Emotions, Earth, Friends, Money, and Career. Feel free to check out my post 🙂
I look forward to starting Week 2: Let’s Move. I am a pilates instructor, but VERY guilty of not practicing what I preach! Goal is to workout at least 4/5 days this week (and there after)!
My 2018 Goals and Intentions all center around the theme: Color. It all started because I realized that my entire wardrobe was made up entirely black, white, and blush pink. I love wearing color! So I am hoping to incorporate more color in my life, not just my wardrobe. I am going to eat a variety of colors to help myself stay accountable with healthy eating. I’m going to journal more with my pretty new colorful pens I bought and wear more colorful workout clothes to stay motivated!
Jesse, just wanted to share that I *adore* this theme! I too love color and look into my closet to see a lot of black. What a cheerful intention and a creative way to bring it to other aspects of your life. Love it!
Great start to your new series! I would love to know how you dress and layer for outdoor sports.
I didn’t choose a word, but I made some goals. One of them is to learn Italian which I started already on DuoLingo and have been practicing every day and set a reminder so I don’t forget. A few others are: eat more greens, cook more at home, turn all of my skincare and makeup products non toxic (already bought a lip/cheek tint), volunteer and run the NYC marathon, so I reached out to someone about running for their charity. Making progress slowly but surely!
Naturally, my resolutions are similar to most people (if not everyone) which is to get back into a good eating and workout routine. I got married in September, moved to a new city and started a new job and it’s been HARD to get back into a routine – before I was working out 2x a week with a trainer and meal prepping every weekend – and now I just feel burned out on food and the gym and everything. I truly love working out and I’ve realized I like how I feel when I’ve been eating healthy but I’m struggling to find a new “normal”. For a person who hates change, I’ve sure had a lot of it lately. 😛
My word I guess is GRACE. Grace for myself in my new life, my new normal. It’s only been 4 months but I’m struggling to just basically LIKE myself. Here’s hoping once it gets warmer and doesn’t get so dang dark so early I will get back into a groove.
This Q&A has been super helpful – particularly for someone who is lazy lazy lazy. Thanks!
I, too, have a background in HR so I’m pretty careful about setting goals. I want to make sure I can achieve them this year so I opted to focus on 3 things, my mind, my body, my marriage and made one goal for each. I have a toddler and a new babe who doesn’t really sleep so I think just those 3 will work for me this year.
My goals for 2018 are all focussed on creating habits. I want to create habits that stick and fit into my daily routine. A couple of these habits are reading (I got a library card and have a list of books reserved), meal planning, and keeping a workout journal (I am currently happy with my workout routine but would like to reflect more on my workouts).
I am really glad that you are doing this challenge and look forward to participating throughout the year!
This is so helpful! Thank you Jess for sharing this! This helps me feel more motivated!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
I have five goals this year.
1. My main goal is to finish my masters!! I have been working on my masters for three years. I’m on the final stretch. The hardest part was writing my thesis. I want to be committed to working on it at least for 6 hours a day if not more.
2. Be more consistent on my blog. Writing blog posts, posting photos, etc.. Lashesanddust.com
3. Lose 10 pounds, by October. My sister is getting married; I want to look good in those photos! By working out regularly and eating clean.
4. Read more at least one book a month. I want to try to read 30 minutes at night before I go to bed.
5. I have been doing long distance with my boyfriend for a year and a half! I want to work on our relationship when I move back to the same city this next year.
I think my word would be “commitment”! Commit to finishing my masters, commitment to working out, committing to my blog, commit to reading more. I’m a huge believer in if you want to see a change you can do it. All it takes is a change of mindset and a commitment to yourself! If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything!
Challenge accepted! My word for 2018 is “progress” — not perfection! Below are my goals for the year:
1) Professional:
-Get back into freelance writing
-Settle on a grad program and apply!
2) Personal Goals:
a) Physical/Nutrition:
-Work out at least 3x/week
-Find healthier alternatives to favorite unhealthy snacks/meals
-Add at least 1 new type of workout to routine
b) Financial:
-Rebuild savings (increase biweekly/monthly contribution, when possible)
-Start focusing more on retirement plan
c) Mental Health:
-Read books collecting dust in my living room — and more!
-Have a weekly (or biweekly) “me” day (or morning, afternoon, night) with no family, no bf, no friends – this is time to solely focus on me
-Develop (and stick to) a nighttime routine — less phone/computer time!
My 2018 Goals are:
Health:
-Recommit to working out regularly. After a new job and selling/buying a new home, I took about a 6 month hiatus from my 5 time/week schedule. I am a spin instructor, and kept up my biweekly classes, but I want to add crossfit back into my life. I’m shooting for 3 crossfit classes a week along with my 2 spin classes. I’d also like to start doing yoga 1x week.
-Eat a balanced diet. Remember there will always be more date nights/champagne/cake and you don’t have to eat it all right then. I also want to work on eliminating mindless/emotional eating.
-Drink more water! Shooting for 1/2 body weight in oz per day
Finances:
-We don’t have overwhelming debt, but, my spending has been overboard especially with a new home. Time to totally reign it in. I’ve been on a “no spend” January, and want to do one once per quarter in 2018.
Personal:
-Be more present and actively listen to my partner. We eat together almost every night, but there is a lot of scrolling involved and I want to eliminate that.
-I want to enroll for my MBA by the end of 2018.
Here’s to being kind, to ourselves and to others. And to being headstrong, when it comes fulfilling what really matters to you. Cheers!
My 2018 intention is to be mentally and physically healthier. This means meditating more, doing yoga more, and exercising at least 3 times a week. So far so good!
Love this challenge!
My goals for 2018 appreciate the present and not rush to the next day, wish for weekend……the holiday, summer!
Make a little time for myself, like making sure I DO actually sit down occasionally to; read the article I wanted to read, paint that picture, write, just drink a coffee and stare out the window – instead of putting off ever sitting down to do that ever long chore list instead!
(Maybe I also pack in making chore lists?!!)
Physically I’m a runner, I’ve ran pretty much everyday for about 11years after having my youngest (although previously to this ran cross country for my school) I’m quite good at running whatever the weather, I run with my dog and the brown Doggy ‘let’s run mum’ eyes get me everytime’ even when it’s torrential rain, we run!
Although I have ran many challenges, including ultras, I wanted a different running challenge and this year I’m putting my running to good use, pledging to run everyday of January for a Mental Health Charity in the UK called Mind. I’m loving the extra commitment it’s giving me, as I don’t like letting people down.
8th Jan and on day 8 we have ran everyday, rain, ice, sleet, in the dark, the mud before 5.30am and loving it.
A new physical challenge for me though is to do more yoga – I’m very bad at sticking with anything that isn’t running!
Wishing everyone well with their goals!
Xb
My word for 2018 is “within”. I’m going to practice being kinder to myself and really listening to what it is I need, and validated that, not compromising it for others.
~I’m going to do physical therapy so I can run again! My goal being a 10k
~I’m going to work on my headstands so I can do it without props or a wall this year
~Take a New Orleans trip and EAT EVERYTHING!
~Make a giant move to a new state with my dog and hubs
Those are the main ones. I’m excited for this challenge and a means to stay motivated 🙂
My word is “progress” so I’m aiming to make progress in all areas of my life towards my goals! I want to be able to run a 5k, and do 50 push-ups. Also, I’m hoping to grow my blog by creating great content!
PURPOSE
Wake up with purpose. Live with purpose.
Business Goals
– Get involved in the grass roots of the community.
– M-F, 8-5. Map out each day with purpose. Focus on budget, new clients & development.
– Mentor. Help the next generation of women.
Personal Goals
– Drink MORE water. Less wine. 🙂
– Pilates &/or Barre routine. Bought a bike, it’s time to explore the new neighborhood!
– Learn: Sailing (time to take the ropes) Sewing (boat curtains & cushions in the works).
– Plan more for the future. I’ll keep this one vague….I have a few dreams and hope they come true!
– Practice GRATITUDE everyday.
– Do more Family stuff.
– Give back. Volunteer.
– Be resourceful.
– 1/2 marathon in October.
– Last but not least…in some way, shape or form, get involved with politics.
My theme for 2018 is consciousness. I feel like it is so easy to let go of passions whether that be at home, at work or at the gym. I chose this theme as a reminder to be more present. New years resolutions are often so tricky to hold on to because we loose that conscious state and it takes a lot of practice to stay aware. I want to grow in my meditation, to be more creative in work projects, and to be more present around family and friends.
I am so glad you’re putting this challenge out there–thank you for all the hard work you’re doing to make this happen!
Also, absolutely loved the interview with Chinae. Gained some motivation just from that!
When I read what you had to say about balance and how that is going to be your word for 2018, it really stuck with me. I’ve definitely thought about the many ways that I can incorporate more balance into my life, and I think that I can apply that aspect to all of the goals I’m setting for myself this year.
Health–physical, mental, emotional–is the one of the major things I’d like to work on. Getting into a routine, being active a few times a week, being mindful about nutrition, etc.
The other thing I’d like to explore is finding a new hobby. Finding something that excites me and that I enjoy doing. Really devote time to pursuing that each week.
Looking forward to this journey! Thanks for being real!
Love the wellness challenges!! Helps to have other ladies participating to keep me accountable… This week I plan on starting BBG – in fact, starting in three minutes, so I gotta go throw my leggings on!
I’m really trying to make this the year I see all of my resolutions through. Hoping this will help keep me motivated!
1. Going to the gym/class/complete workout video 3x a week
2. Treat my body better. For me this means stretching and eating better overall
3. Prioritizing myself. I know this sounds off but I want to remove those people in my life who make me feel bad about myself or treat me poorly
4. Money- I am the worst at saving. Want to save a certain amount this year that goes towards buying a house in the next 5 years!
I obviously don’t know how to read instructions! Comment on last week’s progress, not this week’s, Erin. Ha. My goals I made are as follows: 1. Make my bed every morning, 2. Drink less when out at night with the ladies, 3. Wake up earlier on weekdays, 4. Meal prep every Sunday, 5. Workout 3x + every week, 6. Set goals each week, 7. Focus on the positive, not the negative.
My goals this year are to use less plastic and focus on my mental health and staying fulfilled. Physical wellness is a huge part of my anxiety and stress, so working out consistently is a huge help.
2018 goal = being present
With my patients when I am at work.
With my son when I am home.
With myself/my husband when Henry’s asleep.
I want to honor my need to be perfectly in each place when I’m there.
Can you remove my last name? Whoops
Hi!
I wrote a BUNCH of goals down, so I’ll share the highlights:
– Complete a life audit (to help me stay on track with my short term/long term goals)
– Drink at least 50 oz of water every day
– Go to yoga classes 3x/week and use my Down Dog yoga app at least once a week
– Read 1 book/month, and 25 books in the year
– Focus on myself and my growth !
– Keep up with your challenge!!
Thank you for doing this!! I’m excited to be a part of a community to help stay on track 🙂
I recently have become OBSESSED with kickboxing. It is the perfect workout for me (cardio, strength, and letting out all your frustration at the same time), I literally think of it as a therapy session haha. It feels so good physically and mentally to get up early in the morning and punch the sh*t out of something! Plus you feel like a badass, so thats cool too. My goal for this month is to incorporate more yoga into my fitness schedule to help prevent injury (all that kicking comes at a price, aka the hamstring tendonitis that I’ve started to develop). Even if it just 15 minutes of stretching before work, I am going to make sure to give my muscles the TLC they need before I get back to the bag!
Thank you for the wellness challenge. I enjoy them. My goals for 2018 are to continue on my fitness journey. I’ve been on it for a year, and am feeling great, both mentally and physically. I am working at being more organized at home. Super organized at work, but at home I tend to let things go! Lastly, to actually sit, eat lunch, talk with colleagues or read a book for pleasure instead of working through it.
My resolution this year is more of a mantra – “one day at a time”. I so easily get overwhelmed when I think about EVERYTHING I need or want to do, and often beat myself up if I don’t check things off my list by a certain day/week/month. That spirals into feeling like a failure and sayng “f*** it”, instead of motivating me to turn it around. My hope is that accomplishing a few small things a day will help me focus in on a smaller set of mini goals, which will turn into accomplishing my bigger goals.
The plan is to apply this mantra to five categories – my career, my family time, my social life, my physical wellness, and my finances. Super excited to also participate in your challenges – they align so well with what I’m already doing but give me some outside motivation, which (letsbereal) I’ll almost definitely need once the New Years resolution excitement wears off. 🙂
Thank you again for leading this! It’s a great motivation to identify and stick to changes, and reading others’ resolutions gave me additional inspiration for a few bonus items. 🙂
Fitness and Health – Stress has taken its toll on me lately, as well hormonal changes and some other added health issues, so I want to get back to my 4-6 days of exercise per week (yoga, gym, an online class, a jog, anything), whenever my body can handle it. I’m hoping this’ll be most weeks, but I also recognize that a relapse (or seasonal flu) could take me out at some point, and I want to treat myself with kindness during those times and just back into it as soon as possible. Also, I’ve always been conscious of my diet, but I’m finding certain things I can’t tolerate in food, and I want to be more careful to just not eat them, even when friends or my husband suggest going out to eat those things. 🙂
Money – I want to pay off the small amount of debt I have, then save up for a down payment on a new car, as well as fly to visit a friend who lives long-distance from me. I have monthly timelines for each of these.
Lifestyle/Mental Wellness/Joy – My job is just not fulfilling, so if I don’t work to pack my “free time” with activities I value, I find I get depressed quickly. So I want to read one book a month, do one painting a month, create one weaving each month, and see one movie a month (one I actually want to see vs. one I’m going to with others for the friend aspect of things).
Future – Do a bullet journal to create more awareness of my day-to-day, and spend some time identifying what an ideal day would be and how to get closer to that.
My word of the year is “joy.” I need more of it, and choosing that is up to me!
Hey Jess! I actually wrote down all of my new years goals prior to your first post. I decided that 2018 is going to be all about ME. I decided that this year I was going to focus on myself; doing things that make me happy. Traveling more-I have so many things I want to do & have been stuck in this mind-set of fear of doing it on my own, well no more fear! I’m going to step out of that comfort zone. I am riding my life of all the negativity. No more apologizing for who I am as a person. I promised myself to take better care of me-physically, mentally, & emotionally. And most importantly too live consciously, live guilt-free, and without regret.
I sat down and finished my 2018 goals this past weekend. My theme for the year is balance for sure! It was a really great exercise for me. I’m having a really tough time at work lately and it was exactly what I needed to gain some perspective on the bigger picture of life, not just my work life. Also I’m reminded to be thankful for all that I have and that I don’t have to set goals like “make enough money to feed my family”. Thank you for the motivation to get it done!
EVOLVE is my filter for 2018! I am using this idea to provide overall direction for the year, and to help push goals from 2017 further.
For me, evolution materialized looks like:
– journaling everyday
– making sweat a priority four (or more) times a week
– celebrating relationships through quality time
– trying something new once a month (workouts, workshops etc.)
Excited to see where the next twelve months take us.
Happy New Year!
J
My first goal is to get back into a work out routine. I am setting the intention of completing at least one round of BBG. I also would love to be healthier overall when it comes to my eating habits and mentally.
I am trying to cut more sugar out of my diet. I believe this will help me with both physical and mental health. I also set the goal of keeping up with your challenge. Consistency has always been tough for me since graduating college and retiring from gymnastics. Here’s to 2018 ????
This year I just want to try to shift some focus on doing some fun things that I got to busy to enjoy and try to take time for me and my health. Last year was a rough year health wise so I need to find a fun ways to exercise so I can ease back into everything 🙂
First off, LOVED this post and yes to leaving breathing room for epic charcuterie platters and taco nights!
My overall goal for 2018 is to be more willing;
to show up
to be seen
to listen deeper
to speak my truth
to fail
to thrive
to love myself through it all.
I feel like my overall mindset for the past couple years has been overwhelmingly cynical and then sometimes being pleasantly surprised, and it definitely hasn’t served me well mentally and/or emotionally. So I am hoping this goal of being willing to try in all aspects of my life, to being willing to live/speak/act as authentically as possible will help me shift towards a mindset of being cautiously optimistic (trying to realistic goals and recognizing that its a process…)
A few of my other more specific 2018 goals:
Physical:
-commit to working out at least 3 times a week
-train for and run a half marathon by the end of the year
-complete a one month yoga challenge because I am so not flexible
Financial:
-Create a monthly budget and stick to it.
-set aside 10% of my current income because I’ll need it if I get into grad school
Personal:
-don’t touch my phone for the first 30 minutes after waking up and getting out of bed
-commit and stick to a capsule-ish wardrobe–less frivolous/emotional purchases, and more intentional spending when it comes to my wardrobe
-find/explore a new coffee shop, farmer’s market, park, hiking trail, something at least twice a month. I tend to be a creature of habit, so I want to push myself to try new things.
I’m so looking forward to this year, the wellness challenge, and this wonderful community!
Jess, I love everything about #JAKWellness12 already! It is such a great way to help us all focus on what we want from this year ahead, reinforce it, and help hold each other accountable! Thank you! You inspired me to come up with a theme/word of the year, and I came up with bloom. Last year, I had so many major shifts, left my full time job, to start my own business. When I reflect back on 2017 it was very much about planting a seed for myself. My hope for 2018 is to bloom where I have been planted. I have many business goals for 2018, to grow my number of nutrition/health coaching clients, start a newsletter and create a cookbook reference guide. Like you, I also want to further cut down waste, no straws this year and less one time use plastic (like to go coffee cups) – I will either bring my own or have a coffee/tea at the coffee shop in a mug. Finally, a little embarrassing – but I am going to floss everyday, ha!
I am still working on my word for the year. I got a journal and started writing my goals and tips for getting them done. One of the goals was to get back into shape—the flab is bad! I downloaded a couple yoga channels on my Roku so I can do that anytime and not try to fit a class in my schedule. I also started doing my workout tapes again. Yes I said tapes, they are the Claudia Schiffer ones from the 90’s but they really work on tone, please don’t judge.
My biggest goals for 2018 are to be intentional and present. Intentional: in my routine, in my actions, in my “yes’s” and “no’s”. And to be more present. I moved to a city I don’t love in July and I spent the last 6 months traveling, running away, living my best life etc every weekend.
I tried to make one goal in each of the categories, but to stem if off something I already do. My motto this year is “New Year, Better Me”, I don’t want to change anything about me but I want to enhance the tihngs I like about myself or improve certain aspects that will help me be better.
So here they go:
– drink more water (at least 3 bottles a day)
– do yoga aleast once a week
– save at least 50 dollars a week into a untouchable account (my boyfriend said he would match it eveyweek)
– send more time with girlfriends, one of my friends live in CT so at least once a month do a girls night sleepover
– meditate
– cook more often (minimum 3 times a week)
xo Chelsey
I’m so pumped for this! My word of the year is ‘exhale’. After three transatlantic moves in four years (England to California, back to England, then Connecticut) I’m ready to breathe again…!
My goal is to complete another round of the 10 day detox diet (so hard but so worth it!) and to make to to a class 3x/week
I’m so pumped for this! My word of the year is ‘exhale’. After three transatlantic moves in four years (England to California, back to England, then Connecticut) I’m ready to breathe again.
My goal is to really get into a great routine and try some new types of exercise to shake things up! I signed up for a power swim class and had my first lesson last night! It was really tough, but I’m excited and doing it with a friend which is great!
My main focus this year for 2018 is “New Year, Better Me”. Every year I go into changing something I don’t like about myself, but this year I decided to do something different and enhance the things I do like about myself while adding in things to better myself. So here are my goals:
– cut out fast food (I’m a junkie) so try to have it maximum once a week
– cook more at home (minimum 3 times a week)
– drink more water (goal: 3 bottles a day)
– spend more time with friends, one of my best friends lives in CT and works as a lawyer so she’s super busy, so I decided to do a girls weekend once a month
– just started my blog: somebrunette.com so I made a goal to post a least 3 times a week, and made commitment to promoting it. So come take a look 🙂
– put 50$ away into an untouchable account which my boyfriend will match weekly
– do yoga at least once a week
– take better care of my skin
xo Chelsey
Loved this interview!! My goal for this year is health/happiness! Like Elle Woods said “Excercise give you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”
I haven’t had a steady work out routine in over two years so I have re started the 21 Day Fix which loved when I did it…two years ago. So far I’m on day 3 and I can already tell I have more energy!
For what I am going to try new is stretching before bed. I am not flexible at all and I know it will benefit my work outs!
Happy New Year everyone!
My word this year is FOCUS, which for me will be a reminder to come back to the goals established and not go off-track by blowing off the gym because something at work is (pretend) urgent or caving to someone else’s mad fast food craving when I’ve got to focus on eating better! So..goals:
Health – continue to follow the plan set up by my nutritionist. After surgery and not being able to run any more, I’ve put on 40 pounds (ack!!!). I started with a nutritionist in the fall and lost over half of that by Christmas. I need to stick to it!
Physical – commit to at least 4 days/week at the gym
Financial – commit to putting $ aside for the home renovations we want to do, so we are paying cash for things and not incurring debt. And stop getting tempted to buy all the pretty things I see on Jess’ insta!
Spiritual – just be more present and spend more time with friends and family without being distracted by technology and all the things I have to get done.
Best of luck to everyone in succeeding in their goals this year!
I choose the same word for the year as you: Balance! Last year was so much about giving, giving, giving and I need to take some time to focus on myself. I try to avoid hard goals, so I set a few intentions and thought about some ideas of how I’d like to live my life in 2018. Focusing on self-care, prioritizing the mind/body connection, and being present are the big ones. I also plan on setting mini-goals (i.e., attainable goals) for each month and participating along here! Look forward to what’s to come! Thanks!
My intention is to work out at least 4 times per week for at least 30 minutes, but only manage to do 2 days last week.
Xx Carla
I never make New Year’s resolutions, but I love the idea of keeping myself committed by actively pursuing my goals, every day. Last year I struggled to get a handle on my chronic illnesses after they flared out of control, and my word of the year was “balance” – finishing my PhD while taking care of my physical and mental health ended up being a lot harder than expected, and I crashed a few times.
That’s why this year my word is compassion. I need to be more compassionate with myself and let go of the things I can’t do anymore without feeling like it’s failing. So this year I’m going to do my best, and instead of trying to balance a million things, I’m going to focus on my health and give my physical therapy (and the 1-3 hours of daily home exercises) everything I’ve got. I might not be as strong or healthy as I was a few years ago, but I want to be as strong and healthy as I can be today.
I’m also working on holding myself accountable with a bullet journal, and I’m actually loving it so far! It’s helping me keep track of my work, prioritize my daily activities, and remember the big picture stuff instead while I get through the day to day.
Hey there! Happy Monday! I’m excited about the weekly progress updates and the chance to win in the massive giveaway at the end of the year. For those looking for some motivation, workout tips, and more, I’d like to introduce you to Omegle. It’s a platform where you can chat with strangers and find like-minded individuals who can support and motivate you on your wellness journey.