By: Jennifer Hefner
“ALL YOU NEED IS A PLAN, A ROADMAP, AND THE COURAGE
TO PRESS ON TO YOUR DESTINATION.”
~Earl Nightingale~
We all know that to successfully build a house, the builder needs a set of blueprints, the correct materials, tools, and work ethic to get it done. A teacher must have lesson plans, visual materials, white boards, school supplies, and passion to see success in the classroom. The same components are needed for most any job, journey, or goal to be fulfilled.
Have you thought about what tools you need to be successful on your journey to a healthier you? There isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question. There isn’t a one size fits all. What you need to remember is this is your journey and what works for one person might not work for someone else. But finding tools that work for YOU is the most important piece of the puzzle. As you begin, I want to throw out a word that I think is important: SIMPLE. Keep this in mind as you begin gathering tools to help you on this journey.
Simple as defined from Oxford Languages is “easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.” If you read any of my blog posts, you may see me write that I like hard, I like being challenged. Well, this is one area I will be the first to say KEEP IT SIMPLE. If you utilize tools and methods that are simple, the chances are you will continue using them, which will translate to success. So- LET’S TALK TOOLS!!!
1- Of course, I must start out with one of the best tools you can utilize on this journey- our HEALTHY HARRISON APP! Our HH App allows you to set and check off daily goals, read our MINDset blogs, have guided workouts, exercise tips, healthy recipes, and learn about nutrition. It really is a great tool to use as you progress through this journey.
2- A ROUTINE will help you create habits that will go towards achieving your goals. Now this will be different for everyone. This is where you will look at your daily schedule and see when you can plan to exercise, meal plan, cook, journal, pray, meditate, etc. Using a journal or planner can help you set up a routine that works for you.
3- Journals or Notebooks are one of my favorite tools. I have used a GRATITUDE JOURNAL for a while now and it has been simple and works for me. What I love about my Gratitude Journal is it has areas for entering my gratefuls, goals, power/task list, daily workouts, nutrition and has an area for journaling. I use the journaling area to write down my “wins” for the day, any struggles I might have had, as well as my overall mood. What you include in your journal or notebook is up to you, whatever you want to include that will help you on your journey.
4- Planners, not to be confused with Journals, can also be a good tool. If you like to see a calendar and plan out your week or month, this might be a great tool for you. Most planners have a calendar, then pages after to write in daily lists and notes. I feel this is a good tool especially for planning your meals for the week, planning meditation time or prayer, and writing in your workouts (You won’t have any excuses not to do your workout if it is on your calendar!) Planners are great for managing your schedule and time- so no excuses when you plan!
5- Accountability Group/Friend- a must! Ok, here is where I get REAL with you. Be honest with yourself here- are you surrounding yourself with people who understand your goals for a healthier you? Are they encouraging you? Are they supporting you? If you can’t answer YES, then you need to find an accountability group or a couple of friends who will help encourage you. Letting your family and friends know what you are trying to accomplish on your health journey and telling them how they can support you is important to your success. If they can’t support you the way you need them too, it’s ok, maybe they will see your determination and hard work and make some changes too. But an Accountability Partner/Group will help you on your journey. If you are participating in the HH Health Games- The Encore then you have the Facebook Group as an accountability group!
6- READING 10 PAGES OF NONFICTION/PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Ok, I am giving ALL CREDIT on this one to Andy Frisella, creator of the 75 Hard Program. Andy’s program incorporates the 10 pages of reading daily of a nonfiction/personal development book. I will be the first to admit I was not a fan of this task when I did the 75 Hard program. Not the reading, but the type of reading. I LOVE FICTION, psychological thrillers to be exact. BUT- I think it is one of the best tasks I have incorporated into my daily routine, and I have stuck with it. I have learned more about myself and gained skills that have positively influenced my health journey. Ask friends to share books or visit your local library. (I will get a list compiled of some books to get you started, so look for this to come.)
7- YOU!!!! I am including YOU as one of the most important tools on your journey, because you have a CHOICE in what you do. If you read my blog about excuses, well, here is the hard truth. We have the power to CHOOSE. And when we make those “excuses”, we are making a choice to not put our health journey as a priority. Take control and CHOOSE You! Choose Health!
8- GYM SHOES/TENNIS SHOES! We cannot make a list of tools without including shoes! And I don’t think I have to give any details on this one!
9- MEAL PLANNING A must tool for success!!! Coach Kristi Goode has delicious, healthy recipes for you in the “Eat” section of the HH App. Taking time each week to plan will help keep you on track.
10- EXERCISE PLAN How can we finish without including this in our list of tools? I list this as a tool because again, it is part of our health journey. Our HH App has a library of exercises that will get you on the right path. Coach Kristen Summers will be adding some great workout plans, she’s doing the work for you as far as creating a workout. You just need to get moving!
As I wrap this list up, I just want to encourage you to be INTENTIONAL with your journey. Yes you are going to have to work, plan, find what works for you. But remember to keep it simple! If you find the tools that work for you, continuing your journey will be more enjoyable and you will be more likely to succeed. Seeing progress in the different aspects of your health is what we hope you accomplish! And check out my upcoming video where I will talk more about using these tools to help you stay motivated!