By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic
Los Alamos

Ah yes, it’s that time of year again. The pressure is on to make resolutions and crush it in 2023. Writing down our lofty goals is the easy part but it’s another thing to actually reach them once the buzz of our excitement wears off. Have you ever noticed how gyms are extra packed in January and then as if by magic back to normal by February? Do you want to know the secret to smashing you’re goals once and for all?

Don’t make goals bigger than you can manage. Go small at first, guaranteed achievable stuff. As you hit smaller goals, the success becomes addictive, and you can add more challenge. Instead of beating yourself up for never achieving those big resolutions, you will be feeling confident and ready for more. Start with 5 pounds lost or 20 minutes a day of movement sprinkled throughout the day. Signing up for daily bootcamp at 5 in the morning is a big ask of yourself…right? I’m not saying people don’t succeed at committing to the bigger things it’s just far more likely to achieve something when we build into it.

Set a reasonable timeline to reach your goal. Losing 5 pounds over 4 weeks is an achievable goal that you can maintain. Fasting to lose 5 pounds in a week is achievable but probably not maintainable. Commit to 20 minutes of movement per day for 4-6 weeks before expecting yourself to be up at 5 every day for a bootcamp class.

Be task oriented and not ego driven. When we are driven by ego, we set goals to impress others. Ego has a trophy mentality and expects rewards for success. Of course, appealing to our ego does have its place in goal achievement. However, the ego has an insatiable appetite that always wants more. When we breakdown goals into smaller tasks, the self-confidence we gain motivates us internally to keep going all the way to a big finish.

On that note, I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2023.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.” –Greg S. Reid

Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is in the Mary Deal Building on Trinity Drive.