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  Many don’t realize that it isn’t just their workout routine that they need to look at. Instead, look at everything else that keeps you from working out or going to the gym.

  Is your workday long?

  How far away is your gym?

  There are several reasons why people make excuses for not engaging in physical activities. Don’t just set another goal. What is more important is that you need to ask why this goal hasn’t already happened.

  Figure out the variable first.

  Emotions

  The best exercise you can do is to make two separate lists that will recap the last year.

  Write down everything you did well on one page.

  Write down everything you don’t do well on the other.

  By the time you are at the end of it, you will see what you are prioritizing. For most people, that will be work. You might have risen up in the ranks, but you probably sacrificed a lot of family life in the process.

  To help with your emotional well being, you need to understand this fight and look at your sense of balance. You can’t just say, “I will be more balanced this year.” You can instead take time to see what you did well and see how you can make time for the things you enjoy more in life such as making dinner, reading, hiking or enjoying nature.

  Mentality

  Did you read any books last year?

  Did you listen to any podcasts?

  Did you watch any documentaries?

  Did you take the time to learn from anyone?

  If you ask yourself these questions, over a year’s time, you might find you severely lack input.

  This means that you prioritize your output like meeting others, working, and doing a lot more than you input like learning, listening, and reading.

  You need input so you can grow. The number of goals you set doesn’t matter. You must realize that goals mean you will have more output.

  To change, just flip things around. Are there any goals you can make that will give you time for some input also?

  Personal

  You have a good career, great. You have lots of friends, great. Your health is good, great. Your emotional well being is great, fantastic.

  What have you created for yourself?

  Ask yourself questions to turn on your mind at the end of each year. The main question to ask is “Are you working on anything personal?”

  It is sad to say, but most will ask back, “Are you talking about work projects?”

  No, we aren’t talking about work here. We are talking personal.

  Something you are making for you alone.

  This might be writing some short stories, painting what’s inside your heart, writing songs, perfecting recipes, volunteering at a local food pantry or knitting sweaters for the homeless. Whatever you are passionate about, do it. Personal projects are meant to encourage personal growth that will happen only when you get rid of the monetary problems.

  These personal projects are not designed to making you money or advancing your career.

  They are just about feeding your soul.

  Keep Your Priorities Straight

  W hat comes to your mind when you think about your life? Do you see you owning your own business, writing a book, being a world traveler? The way you decide how you want to live your life will be determined by the way you set priorities. You have to know what is the most important to you when you are ready to make changes. It might be hard to figure these out when you are always on the go, and you have lost focus on what you wanted originally.

  Everybody lives a busy life, and it makes it hard to do what is on our long list. To focus on your priorities, you have to ask why after each question. After you understand why a particular thing is important to you, it will be easier to get it done. You might realize that when you have figured out your why, your priorities might shift.

  How can you find out what is the most important thing for you so you can get your priorities straight? It starts with you. You have to commit in making time for just you. When we get caught up in life, our vision can be clouded by what is important to us. Just take time to breathe. You need to relax and figure out how to get rid of clutter so you can see what you might have missed before.

  To help you get a clear vision of what you want out of life, here are some ways you can take charge by getting your priorities straight:

  Find out What is Important

  You have to figure out what your priorities are before you can set them. How can you own your own business when you don’t even know your goals? You have a limited amount of energy and time. You have to figure out what your two top priorities are. Here’s an example: you might want to embark on a new career path, and the other might be to live in a better apartment. These are fairly large goals that need a very tight focus. You need to have a good career in place so you can pay rent. So, find that new career first. When you have it and have established yourself as a valuable part of the team, you can now begin your search for that better apartment. You might even luck up and find one within walking distance from your new job.

  Make a Plan

  Now is the time to take action. Take some time to make a plan about where you want to be in the next few months or years. Put those dreams in line with your priorities, so you can focus on making them come true. Write down what you want for a new job. Go as specific as you can with a location, salary, and what you will be doing. Figure out if there is going to be room for you to learn and grow in the next year. Once that’s done, create job alerts. Change your resume. Talk with two new people every week.

  Set Aside Time for Certain Tasks

  It’s amazing when you set a certain time, and everything just falls into place. In just a matter of minutes, you might see how much you can accomplish after you have figured out a certain time for a task. You have to remember to put aside some time to do things that really matter to you. Watch your favorite show or go out with the girls. You will not be fulfilled until you stop putting things before your happiness.

  Figure Out How You Want to Live

  This is another way to get your priorities straight. If you just want to work 30 hours each week, but your boss requires you to work more, then it might be time to find a new one. You need to get your priorities straight to live a life full of purpose and fulfillment that just feels right for you. When you know what is important to you, you will be more in tune with what you want out of your life.

  Speak With a Mentor

  Talking with a mentor might show you some problems you might not have noticed. They could help you see from different perspectives and make you focus on what you need to put first in your life. If you can’t figure out what is the most important thing in your life, speak to your friends or a mentor. They might help you with practical things and hear how urgent you need these changes just by the sound of your voice. If you are constantly complaining about work, and you absolutely hate your job, they are going to know that you need to end it and this becomes the main priority.

  Plan Daily Tasks

  If you have been so motivated and made a change, but you went back to your old habits in just a couple of days, you can stop this by planning out everything you need to do daily to keep you focused and motivated. Find out how much time each task is going to take and plan out what you can do daily to keep you on track. Talking to your financial planner will only take a few minutes. You schedule a meeting and then do what they tell you to. But if you are looking for job descriptions to tweak your resume, this might take hours to find just what you are looking for.

  Get Rid of Distractions

  You absolutely must get rid of distractions to set your priorities straight. Turn off every electronic device and put them in a different room. Now is the time for you to focus on making your life better. You have to leave the clutter outside the door. Make time on your daily calendar to fix your priorities. Begin by getting rid of distractions. You might realize you click on every ad that pops up on Facebook. You have to stop doing that. These ty
pes of distractions will take up the majority of your time during the day. Begin showing yourself these things so you will be able to get rid of the clutter. You can set a timer to only allow yourself a certain amount of time to spend on social media sites. You will be amazed by how much free time you have found that you can pursue your priorities.

  Find Time to Reflect

  You need to set some time aside during the day where you can turn off your phone, get out your journal, and even if you have more work to do, this is your priority at the present moment. For example, you have worked for a toxic boss for several years, and they refuse to give you a raise. Can we say hello to a new job search? Look at your life and find out what needs to be changed. If you can’t find the time to do this, then this has just given you another reason to stop, reflect, and prioritize.

  Be Honest

  You need to check your priorities against your reality. Start tracking the amount of time you spend on things every week. Do this for a week or two. Be brutally honest. Last, compare this reality of time with your priorities. Have you given enough time to the things that matter most? If you answered no, ask yourself why? What do you need to do to make your priorities the most important thing in your life? Make the necessary changes, so reality matches your priorities. Sometimes, we need to be hit by a huge dose of reality to understand what we really need. You don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself. You must be honest and figure out what holds the number one place in importance.

  Make a List

  Some people love making lists. It’s a wonderful way to see what we really value so we can see what the next steps should be. When you start to feel overwhelmed, it is hard to see what your priorities are since every single thing seems important. A good thing to do is to make a list of all that is on your mind. Put it all on paper. When you can see it in front of you, it begins to feel manageable. After that, give each item a number from one to ten in order of importance. If you can do this, you will determine what priorities need to come first.

  Take Small Steps

  If you begin feeling overwhelmed by your priorities, step back and breathe. No one is asking you to be Superman to get your priorities set. You only need yourself for you to be happy. The sooner you realize that you will begin to feel better. You can’t always do everything. You can take action in tiny steps and go from there.

  Priorities Will Change, It’s Perfectly Normal

  Your priorities are going to change as you age. This isn’t a bad thing. With time, you mature, and your priorities will need to be adjusted to what is the most important in your life at that moment. You need to be aware that priorities will change just like how life and circumstance changes. Some will be what we focus on for a long time, and others will be what is currently happening in our lives. Keep this in mind and make two lists. One will have the main areas of your life. The other will have the ones that don’t need much attention. Take the time to go over every aspect of your life. Write down all the priorities and ideas that will help you in your life now and in the future.

  Check Yourself Regularly

  Once you know what your priorities are, check in from time to time to be sure you are staying focused and can conquer them. Make a date with yourself to get a coffee and don’t forget. Check in often. Ask yourself if the priorities are still the same. Do you hold yourself accountable and are you living on your own terms?

  Don’t get upset if it takes you some time to find your priorities. Remember, your priorities will change from time to time. Be nice to yourself. With some patience, you will be able to figure out what are the most important things in your life.

  Put Your Health First

  T hink about what you might accomplish if you put your health first. All actresses and actors have to get in shape for their movies. Let’s pretend you just need to eat healthily, get lots of sleep, and exercise regularly to be in peak condition.

  Would you be Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman?

  Would you look as good as Hugh Jackman did as Wolverine?

  Would someone walk up to you and think you were Chris Hemsworth as Thor?

  It’s great to daydream about the ‘what ifs.’ What could we really do if we put nutrition and exercise before all other aspects of our lives?

  Many would answer by saying they would be in their best physical shape. This just isn’t possible and here is why:

  Everyone has some of these:

  Significant other

  Girlfriend – Boyfriend

  Husband – Wife

  Pets

  Kids

  Work

  Not enough money

  Obligations

  Friends

  Go out on the street and ask the first person you see. They will give you one or more of the answers above as to why they can’t put their health first.

  Philosophy of Putting Fitness First

  You have to do whatever it takes to reach these three goals:

  If any obligation keeps you from sleeping or working out, you can say no.

  You eat only healthy food to help you achieve your goal.

  You NEVER miss an exercise routine.

  When you are getting healthy, it might be hard to be selfish when others tell you that being healthy isn’t a priority.

  Everyone at some time in their life will say they want to exercise more. In reality, it isn’t what we say that is a priority, but what we do. You have permission to be selfish while you get in the habit of working out regularly. It will be a challenge to get through all those bad habits and pressures.

  If you don’t think you can put getting healthy first, look at some examples:

  Workouts

  You have scheduled yourself to work out a few days each week. You have the mindset that nothing is going to stop you from exercising. You tell your loved ones, friends, coworkers, and boss that your exercise routine is going to come first.

  If you are in a meeting and it runs late, if you have to stay late because your team was unproductive, you can just leave when your day is over so you can do your workout.

  After leaving work at the end of the day instead of working overtime, you begin to work more efficiently and learn to get your work done on time. You have more energy from working out, and you still had time for your family. You have inspired your children to get healthy. People will learn to respect your time and won’t bother you about it.

  Eating Well

  You have to get in the right amount of healthy calories each day. You have to eat lots of protein and vegetables. If you travel and your expense account allows for restaurants where you can eat more vegetables instead of settling for fast food, that’s the route you take. If you cook at home, do it right by cooking more whole grains, vegetables, and protein. Let the kids help. This shows them what they should be eating.

  You might spend a little more money on eating out due to eating at actual restaurants instead of driving through the drive-through of the local fast food place. When you spend time cooking, you are forcing yourself to manage your time more effectively. Your family and friends are aware of your goals, and they begin to support you. Those fast food employees that know you by name will eventually forget who you are.

  Sleep

  You have to make a bed time and stick to it. Tell your friends you can no longer stay up all hours playing that video game. You turn off the television and computer a few hours before going to bed, so you aren’t struggling to get to sleep. You will even start getting seven-plus hours of sleep.

  You figure out that most of what you watch on television is garbage anyway. After turning it off, you don’t really miss it. To get through your morning, you no longer need a gallon of coffee. You are making a great improvement at the gym. Your eye circles have disappeared. You can now throw a football like Ben Roethlisberger. You still have time to play your favorite video games, at least the ones that don’t suck all your time.

  It Just Can’t be Done

  You are thinking that there is no way you can pr
ioritize all these things without losing your friends, your job, and making your family mad.

  No one is asking you to turn into a terrible person or abandon your job or loved ones. This is never an option. When you realize that you have set your mind to not missing any workouts, the unimportant stuff just goes away.

  If you can put your health first before all other things, once a week or so has come and gone, and you have learned how to rush and do everything, you are still going to have time to do everything that matters to you.

  You will have to let your boss and coworkers know when you have to leave work.

  You will have to talk to your family and friends about it to get them on board.

  At work, you are going to have to learn to be more productive.

  You are going to have to work out every detail of your day.

  You will have to give up a few television shows.

  You are going to have to discipline yourself.

  You are probably wondering if all of this is going to be worth it. Yes, it will be worth it. Remember, the main purpose is to put your health first. Be selfish if you need to while you are building your healthy habits. Soon, you will be able to sleep, eat, and workout effortlessly. You won’t even have to think about it. It will all be second nature.

  Journal Daily

  I f you have ever tried to write in a journal every day, you’ve probably had the problem of quitting just a few days in.

  You get excited when you think about keeping a journal, and for about a week, everything goes great. Then, one day, you get busy and figure that missing just one day won’t hurt. Then the next day, you’re busy again. Two days turn into three, and before you know it, you’ve stopped completely.

  How do you begin a journal? The biggest mistake you can make is just writing about what your reaction to outside influences.

  If you feel happy, you only write about optimistic things.