New Year, New You, Right? Sometimes it is much easier said than done!
Updated: Jan 31, 2019
By: Marcella Day, Company Dancer & Choreographer | Professional Fitness Instructor
Every year, about an hour before the clock strikes midnight, I realize that I haven’t set any New Years resolutions for myself. This year I’m trying to set these resolutions before I slip into my bedazzled dress and sip on a glass of champagne.
Getting started is the hardest part but I’m very thankful that by working at lululemon (Where I have been an educator for over two years now) that I have had a plethora of resources for crushing my goals. I’ve had a lot more success by starting with the end result I want and then working backwards. For example, I want to run a 5K by next Thanksgiving. I have said this every year for the last two years and now that I’m putting it out on the internet it really has to happen! Having a deadline of Thanksgiving 2018 gives me plenty of time to work backwards on what I need to achieve that goal in a comfortable timeline. So let’s say that by the end of March I will be able to run two miles on the treadmill without stopping, next I want to be able to run two miles outside without stopping by the end of June. Then I will work my way up to three miles without stopping my the end of August, leaving me with all of September and October to pick the perfect 5K to run! Talking about your goals is also an amazing way to have others help hold you accountable and to even make it fun! As a dancer, my goal every year is to always take more classes and I frequently invite friends to those classes.
One reason for doing that is I am less likely to cancel if I know I have someone relying on me to be there, second is I have someone to share feedback with me about what I’m doing well and not so well in class! Another way that is pretty tested and true to keeping track of your goals is to write them down. It’s as simple as putting them on your fridge to look at every morning or even writing them in a journal. I have a planner that has goal setting sections included in it. I got mine at Target for about $15 but there are other brands such as Passion Planner and Cultivate What Matters that go more in depth with goal planning. Now the passion planner is more of a typical planner where you can write down appointments and important dates where the Cultivate What Matters goal books are mainly just for goals and timelines. It takes some digging to find which one works best for you but I have learned that there are several options for every budget. So I’m sure you’re wondering what my goals are for this year. They are kind of random but also really simple. Besides taking more dance classes, booking more dance jobs, and running my first 5K, I want to start my Pilates certification by the end of 2018. I’m currently looking at studios and prices so I can see which works best for me. It’s an expensive process but it is something I would love to offer to my dance students. Another goal of mine is to go to my first dance education conference. Now that goal is pretty broad because there are so many conference topics to choose from such as dance in higher education or the roots of jazz. I love dance education and I know dance in higher education is where I want my future to go, so why not start learning more now? I hope you find one of my tips helpful in crushing your goals! Remember that your goals are important and the size of them doesn’t change that! Happy Holidays from all of us at Exhalations Dance Theatre and have a happy goal-crushing New Year!