I have found when I am traveling by car to a destination like a vacation or getaway it is fun and exciting. I have anticipation. If it’s a new destination there are often so many new sights to take in as well. I usually also have a podcast or two I’ve been looking forward to listening to on my drive.

The ride home however can feel longer and less interesting because my mindset is on just getting there! I am less likely to take in the sites and instead I am focused more on the miles to go and time left to get there. The miles and the journey are the same even though they feel so different. The real difference between these two rides is my mindset and focus!

Setting goals or New Years Resolutions can be much the same. It’s no secret that most fail at their resolutions or don’t reach their goals. I believe much of this can be attributed to mindset!

When we focus so heavily on the end goal and not the process along the way it can be discouraging. The end can seem very far away. It can feel like we are never going to get there. It can feel monotonous like that car ride home. How different would our experience be if we enjoyed the process and worried less about when we’d reach the end? The reality is with most goals or resolutions to be successful we don’t just reach the determined ‘end’ and stop … it is often about creating a new habit.

I encourage you to enjoy the ride and the progress along the way. Noticing the little successes on the way are what fuel us to keep going. Moving from not being strong enough to do a plank to a modified plank and finally a plank in a journey to be stronger is exciting and encouraging. Celebrating those steps along the way gives us hope, momentum and the desire to keep going.

This Summer I made it a goal of mine to cut back on sugar. I have a real sweet tooth. Despite knowing how bad sugar is for me - I still found myself using it as a crutch in stressful times. At first I focused on the number of days in a row I did not eat sugar … and to be honest that was much like the return car ride home - long, boring and unsatisfying. I decided to change gears and seek out new recipes to met my goals and that I could be excited about like chocolate avocado mousse with zero sugar! These new finds were my scenic overlooks if you will on my journey to less dependence on sugar. What started off feeling like deprivation turned into a fun adventure of discovery. The only thing that changed was my mindset!

If your goals are to get stronger, lose weight, or get healthier it is most likely going to be a process of integrating changes and seeing improvements. Focusing on those improvements and successes along the way are the keys to keep going. Meaning your success by whether the scale moved enough or not - is most likely going to be discouraging more days than not. With continued commitment and find pleasure in the process - you’ll get there and enjoy it, too!