And now back to our regularly scheduled program

 Before I was so rudely interrupted by the happenings in Washington D.C. the other day, I was talking about making some positive changes in my life.  I was inspired to do this because of the Kilted Coaches.  They believe in fitness...both body and mind.  The "body" part is the diet and exercise program.  I am doing well with both of those by bicycling every morning and eating right.  The "mind" part is a little harder.  I began by scheduling myself in a way that I hadn't done since Steve's death.  Going to bed at a certain time, getting up at a certain time, exercising at a certain time, journaling every day, eating at certain times, etc.  They also believe in setting goals that fit into a vision for your life.  They have a catchy acronym for their goals setting process called S.M.A.R.T.  Each letter stands for a characteristic of your goals:

S = Specific.  Your goals should be specific enough for you to be clear on exactly what you are trying to achieve.

M = Measurable.  If you expect to be successful, you have to be able to measure your progress and quantify your results.

A = Achievable.  Make sure that the goal you set for yourself is something that you can achieve or you are doomed to failure before you even start.

R = Realistic.  This goes along with achievable.  Make sure that your goal fits in to the reality of your life.

T = Timed.  Set a time limit to achieve your goal to keep you focused and motivated.  This can always be adjusted.

Following these guidelines makes the goal-setting process a whole lot easier and the goal-reaching process a lot less stressful.  It was amazing to me that just by scheduling my day to include a time for each action that would help me attain my goal of mental & physical fitness, I could energize my life and actually be excited about fitness in a way I never had been able to before.  The last guideline - Timed - is something that I haven't talked about yet.  My short-term goal is to lose at least 20 more pounds by the end of April, 2021.  My long-term goal is to maintain my goal weight.  In order to do that, I will have to be SMART and stick to my scheduling/eating/exercising regime.  Right now, I don't want to put a time limit on that.  I hope this becomes my lifestyle.  Only time will tell.