Tag: goals
You know when you’re in a good groove and everything is coming together nicely in life and you’re getting things done? That’s all the time, right? Ah, if only it were that simple.
When you #LiveInSync and have your life in alignment, that’s when you can push yourself to reach for…well, greatness. Now, I know that sounds dramatic, but by greatness I mean trying to achieve your full potential, and that’s always changing as you grow as a person. It may mean completing a race you’ve always wanted to do or going for that lofty promotion, for example, or taking the plunge and moving to that city you’ve been dreaming of. Reaching for greatness means striving for those goals that can sometimes seem so daunting you don’t even share them with anyone, or goals you’re afraid you can’t accomplish…but living in-sync is what can help get you there.
Living in-sync is a constant juggling act because there’s an endless number of things being thrown your way that force you to readjust. Lately, for me, having to travel regularly has been forcing me to recalculate my route. It throws my schedule off, and this can make life very chaotic. Two months ago, it was back pain I had to contend with. A while before that, a strained friendship. Life is always throwing things at you, and how well you manage these challenges is determined by the degree to which you’re in tune with yourself.
I’m always working to be as in-sync as I can be, because the payoff—that feeling of being at one with myself and capable of reaching my goals—is worth it.
How do I #LiveInSync? To start, I exercise regularly (and to commit to that, I put it into my calendar and register for events so I commit to training). Without exercise, I feel sluggish and not as sharp. I can’t say I love working out (it’s usually more of a love/hate type of relationship with most sports). But I recognize we are nothing without our health. I’m grateful to have never had any serious health issues, but with friends and loved ones who’ve been affected by health concerns and disease, you realize being healthy is everything.
With fitness, there’s also the reward of seeing what I’m capable of accomplishing; I’m the girl who could barely run one-minute intervals not that long ago, and have now completed nine marathons (and, in one case, was less than two minutes away from qualifying for Boston). That type of accomplishment can make you feel like you’re capable of anything and that confidence affects how you approach life. For example, I may not have swum any sort of distance since I was little, nor do I bike other than for leisure, but I recently decided to do a tri. Consider, too, it’s not long ago that I never would’ve even considered driving in a city I do not know, but I did that for a week this spring. I believe my accomplishments in running have helped me be more fearless with these other pursuits.
Being in-sync involves more than just fitness, of course. Following a healthy diet fuels you to be your best. And so I put effort into making sure I get more veggies in my meals (that’s where I can falter) and while I will indulge in dessert or a cocktail, it’s definitely as an occasional treat (it’s all about that 80/20 rule; that ratio works). Except for maybe when it comes to French fries. Those are my weakness and I can’t stop eating them. We all have our vices!
Being in-sync calls for getting enough rest, too. Getting enough sleep helps me function better for work and play. Besides rest, though, decompressing mentally helps keep me clearheaded. And although I don’t meditate or practice yoga regularly, I need quiet time to just be with my thoughts, so I fit it into my daily life in my own way. Often it has to be when I’m running (it can be hard to find a window of free time otherwise), or I use the time I spend walking around the city to work things through in my head. When I’m traveling, and there’s the chance to enjoy a great sunset or sunrise view, I do what I can to schedule my day around dusk or dawn so I can use that quiet half hour or so to just be.
I think of life as an intricate net. And when you live in-sync, that net is flexible and resilient — it’s nurtured and strengthened by the things you do to help you stay on track. So when something is thrown into it, your net handles it with ease. When not in-sync, it’s as though that net is being pulled and stressed in many directions; the cords are taut, straining and weakening, in danger of snapping. So, to be your best self, you need to maintain that net regularly. Sync it up, ladies!
(Now, who else has an N*SYNC song stuck in their heads??)
Being InSync is that special state when body and mind are aligned, we are in touch with our core, and we are driven from within to achieve our full potential. The positivity that radiates from being InSync will benefit all aspects of a person’s life — at work, in personal relationships and in the all-important relationship with oneself. Activia is an expertly designed yogurt with exclusive B.L. Regularis, carefully selected ingredients and a refined texture. Activia, #LiveInSync.
This post was brought to you by Activia From Danone via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed here are those of the influencer and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Activia from Danone.
September 6, 2016
When it comes to setting goals, I’ll admit, I falter when it comes to long-term goals. And I’ve found out I’m not alone. In a survey conducted with millenial women, 67 percent find that classic job interview question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” overwhelming. I know that sometimes I feel like I don’t even know what I”m doing next month, never mind in five years.
With today being International Women’s Day comes the launch of the #3YearGoals campaign. Today, after all, is about celebrating women’s achievements, and empowering women to continue to make strides toward equal rights. So, rather than 5 year goals, which may seem overwhelming, let’s think in terms of 3 year goals. This way we can actually set goals since this is a time frame we can wrap our heads around. (The same survey found that 85 percent of the millenial women who took part in the survey feel empowered to set goals with a three-year time frame and that 80 percent know what they want to achieve in the next three years.)
And what better spokespeople for this #3YearGoals campaign that the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Chloe, Justine and Maxime, the Olympic skiers who made Canadian history last month by placing first, second and third at the Freestyle Ski World Cup. Three women who obviously know how to set goals and achieving them.
When I think of the next three years. I’d like to set a few goals for myself centred around fitness and travel. For fitness, well, this is a goal I’ve had for a little over a year, and have yet to achieve, which is qualify for the Boston Marathon. I came so close to qualifying without realizing it in 2014 in the Chicago Marathon…and have yet to come that close again since 2015 was a very disappointing race year for me. First step I need to do when it comes to reaching this goal within the next three years: wrap my head and heart around training, really training hard, because I know I can qualify. But it may (will…) call for traveling less often so that I can train more seriously. And I will admit, I am reluctant to give up on the traveling. In any case, since I think I can only manage two qualifying marathons a year, this gives me six attempts to qualify. Deep breaths…I can do this.
As for my travel goal? Take at least one true vacation a year. A trip I don’t have to write about. Where I’m not running around to do and see as much as possible (unless that’s what I want to do!). I know you may not believe me, but the traveling I do is certainly enjoyable and exciting but it’s also tiring. I actually took a vacation last year to Vancouver and it was wonderful not to have my brain constantly thinking about work (that’s the downside of being freelance, it ain’t all workin’ in your PJs, ya know!).
And let’s just throw in a third goal since we are talking in threes right now. This one’s a biggie…I’d like to adopt a dog. This, too, is a goal I’ve had on my mind for awhile, but it’s just not been the right time. I want to be able to have the time and energy that having a dog calls for. I’ve done a ton of reading of what type of breed I’d like, but this was before I became a runner (and so I only chose low-energy dogs). I’ll start my research again. Just no one tell my two cats yet, OK? They’re already stressed out enough as it is.
(edited) Alright, now that I’ve been thinking about nothing other than #3YearGoals all night, I have one to add, and this one is a biggie: In three years, I’d like this blog to be my main focus and source of income. Right now, I focus more on freelance writing, which I enjoy. and do want to continue doing. But to be earning enough on my own little project, well, that’d be major.
What would your #3YearGoals be? By March 2019, where do you want to be in terms of career, finances or school (those were the top ranked priorities in the survey)? While you’re thinking about this, do you want to have a baby in the next three years? 60 percent responsded they do not want to have a baby in the next three years. If you were to unintentionally get pregnant, how would this impact your goals? If having a baby in the next three years isn’t in your plans for the next three years, talk to your doctor about what your contraceptive options are, and you can also learn about some different contraceptive options on www.birthcontrolforme.ca.
Because when setting your goals, you also have to make a plan to help you reach them, and this includes foreseeing any possible barriers and having tactics ready to overcome them (you know what, this goal setting and planning calls for doing a SWOT analysis…ah, so I DO remember something from my marketing degree from Concordia after all!).
So, ladies, let’s do this together. Three years from now, where do you want to be?
Oh, and stay tuned for the next #3YearGoals post to come in the month of April!
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(Goal Digger image from BelleChic)
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March 8, 2016
This was not an easy year.
And I’ve been putting off writing this post as I wasn’t sure what to write. But I see from friends on social media today, also reflecting on the year, that it’s been a tough one for many of us, and I suppose there’s some comfort in that, knowing that we’re not alone in our struggles and knowing that we are all looking forward to a fresh start in the year ahead.
As I mulled over this past year for a few weeks, as much as things were rough, and as stubborn as I can be, I have to admit that there were bright, happy moments and lessons I’ve learned. Indulge me if you will as I reflect on them (and take a moment to remember your top highlights of the past year as well, if you haven’t already — it helps, I swear!).
Travel is a huge part of my life and this year, although every trip always gives me something new to enjoy, having the opportunity to travel to Chile was beyond incredible. Without me even realizing it was a dream of mine, it was a dream come true. Standing there in the stillness as the sun set and taking in the fresh air and feeling so fortunate to be alive and there seeing such beauty is something I think of often and it’s a moment I hope I can keep fresh in my memory always. Add in skiing in the Andes Mountains, glamping beneath the stars and laughs with new friends (love you guys!), well, this Chilean adventure is one for the record books.
Truth be told, there’ve been many terrific trips. I also had the chance to travel for work with one of my closest friends to Southern California, where I fell in love with the beaches and lifestyle, and tried surfing for the first time. I plan to go back for more surfing as soon as I can. I visited Squamish twice and became equally obsessed with the hiking and views there (I also did a via ferrata climb for the first time). Early in the year, I went to the Cayman Islands for the first time and not only got to swim in the gorgeous blue water of all three islands, I also attended Cayman Cookout where I got to eat food from and meet Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Jose Andres and so many more top chefs that those days are a bit hazy because my head was spinning — it was almost too much for this food lover to handle. Palm Springs, Calgary, Cayman Islands (for a second time), Los Cabos, Las Vegas, St. Martin, Banff, Montreal, Portland, my passport got well stamped this year.
And, for once, I took a vacation. I know many of you think I’m always on vacation, but most of my travel is for work. And this year, I took my first trip in several years where I did not write a thing about it. And it was glorious. Just poking about on my own schedule, and exploring the things I wanted to.
When it comes to work, this year included lots of great opportunities to partner and work with brands including Purina, Gatorade, Shoppers Drug Mart, McDonald’s, Scotiabank, GM, Adidas, and so many more. And I also started working on iRun magazine as editor at large, with a super fun team. This year, though, one of my favourite jobs is unpaid: I began volunteering with Save Our Scruff, and learning that a dog that I’ve helped in some way find their forever home is the best news in the world. My heart feels like it could explode when I find out via email about a lovable dog being adopted, and I look forward to doing more with the organization.
Ah, running. This year was not a good year for running. No personal bests, and some of my slowest races. Which made it mentally difficult as I raced more than usual this year (I think, I haven’t actually done a tally). But I crossed the finish line and now I will figure out how to tackle what to race in the year ahead. Silver linings include the fantastic 15k race Nike put on (if only the weather had cooperated, that would’ve been even more stellar), and having my running buddy run the last leg of the Scotiabank Marathon with me (which, although, it was a slow race, convinced me that I can indeed qualify for Boston).
What I take away from this year…well, I felt more than ever that I was running around on empty. Scattered and disorganized. And so I’ve been forcing myself to take a step back from things, which is not my natural inclination, but for my own sanity I know I have to. And as much as I post on social media (and I know I do), I also put away my phone more often. “But you’re not getting a photo?” said a friend surprised as we watched a fireworks show. “I know, but when I’m taking a photo, I can’t get to take it all in,” I explained. At the NKOTB concerts (yes, I saw them two nights in a row this year! Best decision ever!), instead of snapping away with my camera, I took the time to fully enjoy Jordan’s abs. And it goes without saying that oh yes, it was worth it! Tee hee
This year flew by even faster than the last somehow…but that’s enough looking back. Here’s to looking forward, and for 2016, my heart is hopeful that exciting things are happening, and that new adventures are in store both with old friends and new ones that are still to be made.
Wishing you a very happy 2016! — Karen xo
December 31, 2015
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