Why it's so Incredibly Important to have a Goal or a set of Clear Intentions

Having a set of clear intentions and clear goals for yourself is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that you are getting the most out of life.  Essentially by having a goal to work towards you have harnessed the power of making a decision, you have made the decision to set out and achieve your goal.  Making a decision is the ultimate power, it is the single factor that shapes and controls your destiny.  It gives you something to focus on that excites you, it gives you something to achieve with meaning.  When you have a clear goal, it's your decision then to follow through and achieve the goal you've set out.  That decision you make at that moment can change the course of your life forever.


So I have been assessing my goals and thinking about some of the times that I've felt my absolute best and most comfortable in my own skin.  One of those times was when I had made a decision to only eat un-processed foods for a whole year.  The intention of that goal was to essentially change my eating habits so that the way I was eating became a lifestyle for me.  I've been thinking about what is truly important to me and what I should be doing to bring my intentions into balance.  One thing that is important to me is to stay true to what I stand for and what I believe in.  I guess I haven't done that because I've been worried about rocking the boat at home.


Last year when I was competing, my relationship with food and achieving my fitness model body was my number one and everything else took a back seat, including my own self love, my fiancé, friends and family.  But I had determination, an unbreakable drive to achieve something and I was not going to let anything get in my way.  Once I had it bought to my attention by my fiancé that he was well and truly sick of what I was doing.  I reassessed my goals and decided that fostering a loving relationship with my man was way more important to me than eating chicken every 3 hours on the dot.  So I stopped what I was doing, essentially, I didn't have a goal to work towards anymore.  That brings me to today.  I've made some huge life decisions and I have some big things going on in my life, but I don't have any clear cut goals that I am so incredibly passionate about, that fill me up with light and that add energy to my life, more importantly I haven't flexed my decision making muscle in months.


I really had to get clear about what is important to me and how I can be living my life with integrity.  Some things I don't want is to go back on a cookie cutter diet program that doesn't take into account how my body is actually feeling and what it is telling me, but I do want to feel better about myself and I do want to loose some weight, but I want to do it in a way that makes me feel incredible not deprived.  I also want to get my business off the ground, I have all the time in the world right now to be making my dreams become a reality but I'm not using my 24hrs wisely.


With those parameters in mind I need to create some SMART goals for myself and make the decision to achieve these goals that I am setting for myself today.  There are three main goals that I will be setting today:

• A health goal;
• A fitness goal; and
• A business goal.

Because my blog is health and wellness related I'm going to share my health and fitness goals with you, my tribe as a bit of a declaration.  Because I believe in the law of attraction and what you put out into the universe you will get back.  Also I love having someone to be accountable to and sharing goals and tracking those things with my tribe is a sure fire way of being held accountable because I don't want to let a sista down!

Deep breath, ok here we go!

Health 

For the next 60 days, I will only eat un-processed foods, using my knowledge of nutrition and healing, so that I will look and feel my absolute best on my wedding day.  I will keep an online journal (here) of my daily food intake so that I am accountable for my actions and so that I can measure my progress.

Fitness

By the 21st September 2014, I will complete Kayla Itsnie's BBG program, I will not miss a single day, so that I will look and feel my absolute best on my wedding day.  I will keep track of my progress in an online journal (here) so that I am accountable for my actions and so that I can measure my progress.

 These are my goals and I have made the decision today to achieve these goals in a loving way that serves me.  I believe that I can achieve what ever it is I put my mind too.  I know that I can achieve these goals and I now have you my beautiful tribe to keep me accountable.

xx

Are you up for the Challenge?

I've been feeling a challenge coming on for myself.  But I've been hesitant to start it because one of my focuses this year was to find BALANCE and I've been feeling as though if I started a challenge, I'd fall victim to the "all of nothing" approach which in turn could end up in the "if I have one bad thing then I've stuffed my diet up, and may as well start again tomorrow" territory, which I don't want to happen.  So i've been breathing through these feelings and meditating on the thought of doing a 42 day vegan challenge to make sure that it's not my ego driving my desire to do this, but that it is coming from a deeper desire for absolute health and wellbeing.  I've had to be honest with myself and realise that right now, the way I'm going I'm not feeling my absolute best.  I really want to be a walking advertisement of health and wellness, I really want to practice what I preach in the hope that I can inspire just one person to change the way they view their lives and start living a healthier more abundant life.

So why 42 days and why a vegan diet?

Well studies have shown that creating a new habit takes 21 days to stick, well in my history... I need a bit longer than 21 days.  To be honest, I'm just getting the hang of things at 21 days, but I haven't formed a new habit.  This brings me to doing something for 40 days, research has shown that after repeating an new pattern for forty days, you can change the neural pathways in your brain to create long-lasting change.  Mythical examples range from Moses's forty days and fort nights spent on Mount Sinai to the story of the Buddha reaching enlightenment on the full moon in May after meditation and fasting under the bodhi tree for forty days.  So I'm taking cue from the mystics and committing to a 40 day vegan lifestyle change, and because I like to have things even, I'm aiming for 6 weeks so that makes it 42 days, the extra two days are just a bonus!

Why a Vegan diet specifically?  Well I've been flirting with a vegan diet for a few months now.  I've been having meat and dairy free meals at least 2 meals a day, and the days I fully commit to a vegan diet, I wake up feeling more vibrant and full of energy than the days that some cheese or even some meat may have crept into my meals.  Now I'm coming to understand a few new truths.  Diet and meal choices are not one-size fits all, so while this feels right for me at this point in time, it might not be right to you.  It's certainly not the right fit for my fiancé, he needs his meat and that's ok.  So if you're thinking you want to embark on this 42 day challenge with me, but following a vegan diet isn't right for you, give something else a try.  It might be quitting sugar, or giving up dairy, or following the Paleo principles, or even just implementing one vegan meal into your diet a day / week.  Do what ever feels right for you at this time.

People choose to be vegan for health, environmental and/or ethical reasons.  For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products.  That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products.  Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.

The main reason I'm doing this is for my health, I've lived a vegan lifestyle before and honestly that has been the best I have ever felt.  But it also feels pretty darn good to choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world.  I know that I am not perfect by I believe I have a responsibility to try to do my best, while not being judgemental of others.

The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety.  A heathy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds and legumes.  And for me I will still include some eggs.  I have chooks at home, I know how they are being treated and I know what they are being fed, and I am content that they live in a great environment.

If you will be joining me on this challenge.  Take some time before hand to become clear on why you are wanting to embark on this challenge.  Also work out what you want to achieve at the end of your 42 days.  Because if you are not clear in the beginning it will be easier for you not to stick to it and fall back on old bad habits.

Why not follow me on my instagram account for photos of meals and I'll also be loading a heap of recipes up on the blog to give you heaps of ideas and keep you going.  I'll also keep a bit of a online journal of my progress if you are interested in it.  I'll also track down some inspiring vegans and have a chat to them about they reasons for choosing this lifestyle and the positive way it has impacted their lives.

What an exciting way to start Autumn.  Hope you have a great Saturday!

Nic
x

Re-charge your intentions for 2014

January, hot summer heat waves that have soared through our beautiful country, long sunlit days, cooling down in the ocean, slightly sunburnt skin, connecting with some beautiful minds, catching up on some reading, hottest 100, relaxing with an iced herbal tea, drinking straight from coconuts, spending time with the love of my life and staying true to intentions set at the beginning of the month.  This has been the best January yet and such a great way to begin 2014.

With February knocking right on Januarys door, I want to keep the momentum that I created at the beginning of January flowing right into February.  For me this means revisiting my intentions set for 2014.  I'm trying to work towards something that feels right for me in 2014 as apposed to setting a goal.  For example my goal in 2013 was:

to loose 10kg and get up on stage in my green bikini on the 23rd of May for my first ever INBA bikini/fitness model competition

You know what I did achieve this goal and it felt brilliant standing proud on stage with some of Brisbane's most beautiful women.  It was a privilege and a moment in life that I will cherish forever.  But I was so intent on that 1 GOAL that I lost sight of everything and everyone else around me, it ended up consuming my whole year as I considered doing it all again in 2014.  I ended the year feeling deflated and running around in circles chasing something that just didn't feel right to me.

Thinking about what make's me feel amazing, and chasing a feeling of true happiness is what has carried me into 2014, and I'm keeping on track with that by adapting and evolving my intentions for each month as new opportunities come my way.

By taking off the blinkers and being open to new opportunities and new ways of thinking, I have opened a door to endless possibilities and am more open and willing to accept guidance in all areas of my life.

Here is a little exercise that you can do at the end of each month to help keep driving your power right into February and beyond.

Find some time (at least 30mins) that you can dedicate to yourself without any interruption.  Grab your favourite journal and a pen.  Answer these questions for yourself coming into the new month.

How do you feel after the month just passed?

What positive changes did you make and what did you learn?

How did focusing on this area affect other areas of your life?

What are 5 things you have been grateful for?

What are 3 things you did in the month passed that have left you feeling empowered and above all happy?

I hope this exercise leaves you feeling empowered and committed to turning your dreams into a reality.  Want a little extra motivation, subscribe to receive my weekly email (click on subscribe above).

Also if you are a healthy foodie come along to The Pot Luck Picnic Instameet on the 15 Feb 2014.  It's a great way to connect with other like minded souls, want more information check out this post.

Sending out my love and motivation to you all.

Nicole
xx