At its core, self-care is anything we do intentionally to care for our body, brain, and whole being health. It looks different for everyone, but the goal is always the same: to feel our best, have a better quality of life, and be the woman we need to be to live the life we are envisioning. Traditional self-care practices like getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and exercising regularly are important, but there’s another self-care practice that’s often overlooked: goal setting. I dive into this more in my Whole Human Self-Care Course but I want to talk about the benefits of setting goals, how to set goals, and how to build up ourselves to achieve what we set out to achieve.
First, let’s talk about the benefits of goal setting.
Setting goals may not seem like a form of self-care, but it actually has a proven track record for setting us up for success. When we set a goal, it gives us a focus and vision for a future that is aligned with who we are and what we dream of for our life. When we accomplish these goals, it creates a neural pathway that reinforces our goal-setting and goal-getting.
Goal setting gives us a sense of purpose. When we have something to work towards, we’re more likely to stick with our healthy habits because we know they’re helping us achieve our goals. Goals help anchor us to a self-care routine that builds an environment and mindset for success.
Additionally, goal setting can help reduce stress and anxiety because it gives us a clear plan of action. We are able to see ourselves moving forward and out of a life of complacency or lack of direction. Achieving our goals can give us a boost of confidence and self-esteem that carries over into other areas of our lives. Goal setting is absolutely essential for a healthy, whole human, self-care lifestyle.
Second, we want to look at how to set goals for ourselves.
When I work with clients and we are in the process of setting goals we first start with determining where they see themselves, while challenging their limiting beliefs. That’s the perfect place to start because it helps you align your goals with a path that takes you to a dream destination vs. an easy destination.
The next thing to do is set specific goals. Vague goals like “lose weight” or “get in shape” are less likely to be successful than the ones that are specific and measurable.
Examples of clear goals:
- Lose 10 pounds in 6 months
- Run a 5k by the end of November
- Spend 10 minutes a day meditating
- Add 1 serving of organic vegetables to each meal
These are basic goals but it’s clear that the more measurable a goal is the more easily you can identify if you’re making progress towards it or not. likely you are to achieve it. So, write the goal down. Keep it in front of you daily and check in weekly with an accountability partner or coach for support and strategy to gain support and monitor your progress towards your goal.
Finally, let’s talk about how to become someone who achieves goals.
Self-care and goal setting impact one another. You can’t have one without the other. Self-care gives us the ability to achieve goals, but we need goals to pursue self-care. As you pair the two areas of focus together, you begin to realize goal setting is a form of self-care. So, to truly care ofyour whole human you have to create a plan of action. You have to understand what self-care looks like and how to integrate it into everyday life. Breaking down goals and self-care practices into simple, smaller steps sets you up for success. A deadline creates a sense of urgency and motivation to stick with your plan and achieve your goals.
I think we all know self-care is important for brain, body, and whole being health – and goal setting is one powerful way to practice it. Not only does goal setting give us a sense of purpose, but reaching our goals can also help reduce stress and anxiety while boosting our confidence and self-esteem. If you’re looking for a new self-care practice to add to your routine, give goal setting a try!
If you are looking for more support and an informative and integrated approach to self-care that helps you step into the woman you want to be, take a look at my Whole Human Self-Care Online Course. It’s a step-by-step process that combines coaching, compassion, and simple strategy to help you become who you want to be and get you to where you dream of going.