My what has changed a lot over the years, especially as it concerns my fitness.
As a kid and teenager, my what was sports. I played volleyball, basketball, and softball. My what was about competing and developing athleticism and friendships. And competing.
By college, my what became lacrosse and later, running. By then, my what was about exercising and staying fit, even though I couldn’t have told you that at the time. These days, my what is based purely around staying healthy and feeling strong enough to strength train a few times per week.
Those what’s are an evolving process for all of us, but sometimes we’re so close to those what’s that we lose track of the why.
We spend a lot of energy, especially at this time of year, trying to figure out our what. Do we do the Whole 30? Go paleo? Back to Weight Watchers? Hit the Peleton? Do more yoga? Strength train?
The thing is, our journey is almost always less about what we do and more about why we do it. But we tend to hyper-focus on the what, and often forget the why behind engaging in those activities in the first place.
The problem is, there are an awful lot of options out there when it comes to the what. And depending on who you are, and what your habits and patterns are, you can get really hung up on what you are doing.
But what if you not only think more about your why, but also about your intentions as we start this new year? Resolutions are based primarily on the outcome. You will lose 10lbs, you will run 10 miles per week, you will eat only a paleo diet.
But why? What is your intention?
To feel better overall? To feel strong? To move more easily? To have better balance?
Perhaps your answer is more basic - to feel good and look good. The thing is, there is no wrong answer when it comes to focusing on your why. It’s about finding out what’s important to you and basing your decisions upon those values.
But that is easier said than done.
So here’s my challenge for you today:
Take a few minutes today and look at all of the what’s that you have on your list for this week, this month, and this year. Now take a step back and look at your why. Look at your intention.
Write that intention down on a post-it note and stick it on your fridge or desk. But no matter where you put it, make sure that it’s something you look at every day.
Because staying connected to your why is going to be so much more important to your what - and you’re going to need to hang on to that why.