How Goals Lead to New Habits and Happiness

How does a weight loss goal and creating new habits lead to happiness? Let’s start with motivation which is often high when we first make the decision to lose weight.

Motivation is a word that is often mentioned when people are working towards a goal or goals. 

External motivation is not something that we are a fan of. Our health coaches provide support and tips for your journey, but it is your internal motivation that is what you rely on to move towards where you want to go.

There are 3 things that you need to be aware of to use your internal motivation to its maximum:

1. Having a clear outcome of what you want to achieve. In relation to weight loss it could be what you want to weigh on the scales or what size dress or jeans you want to wear. You must also be clear on your timeframe, be it a date for a function like a wedding you will be attending, a particular birthday you will be celebrating, a wedding anniversary, a holiday. Also having an idea of how this will make you feel when you reach this goal.
2. Once your vision is clear, then you must have a process or a path to get to your goal. Our programs use Daily Planners and scheduled weekly one-on-one check-ins as part of this process. The process is structured, individual, purposeful, attainable and based on many years and many clients having gone through the programs. They’ve reached their goals, often then making new goals, and developing new habits that then feed into new healthier lifestyles. A habit replaces excuses so you can start small and build your new healthy habits.
3. Partnering or teaming with a coach not only gives you accountability but also gives you the confidence in knowing that you can get to where you want to go. The path is never straight, and having a coach to mentor you, offering encouragement, tips, feedback and the strength of the Healthy Inspirations community all add multiple layers of support. 

We often get lost with the final goal and lose sight of what we have and continue to achieve.

By having small wins along the way, it reinforces your goal setting process. Measure yourself against your former self – what gains have you made? How have you rewarded yourself?

Tip: Do not measure yourself against anyone else. What’s the saying? “Compare and despair.”

And where does happiness fit in? 

Happiness is a state characterized by contentment and general satisfaction with one’s current situation or progress towards personal worthwhile goals. It is a changeable state and can be both an internal and external experience. 

Losing weight and changing the shape of your body is an external experience that all can see.

When you lose weight you also have internal experiences that are not visible and contribute to your overall happiness. These could include better health outcomes, better emotional and mental clarity, increased self-esteem and self-confidence, more energy, better sleep, feelings of being in a good mood, having positive emotions, a sense of freedom and more enjoyment and overall feeling fitter and healthier.

Enjoy your new found goals, habits and happiness!!!