What Are SMART Goals and How Can They Help You Make a Change?

Ok, you want to change something. Now what?

Setting a goal can be very helpful in getting you from point A to point B. Let's talk about how you can use the SMART* approach to set goals that actually help you get the outcomes you want. SMART is an acronym that you can use to support your goal setting.

S: Specific

What do I want to accomplish? Why do I want to accomplish this? Who/what will be involved in meeting this goal?

An example of a specific goal is: I want to pick up my grandkids without pain.

Goals are going to be much easier to achieve if you have a clear reason WHY you want to achieve them. I find goals that promote better function, ease and enjoyment of life are going to be easier to implement than a goal that is more arbitrary. Picking up your grandkids without pain is a great goal! It’s helpful to understand what you want to accomplish (no pain with this activity) and why you want to accomplish it (because picking up your grandkids brings you happiness but back pain hurts!). Who/what will be involved gives you the opportunity to have support with your goal. Do you need someone to help you get strong, give you tips on body mechanics, or offer support in another way?

M: Measurable

How much?

How many?

How will I know if I’ve achieved my goal?

We want your goal to be measurable. Things are constantly changing, and sometimes we won’t realize how much progress we’ve made toward a goal. So being able to measure the goal in some way can be really helpful. If we use the grandkids example, you might have a goal to be able to lift them five times. You’ll know that you’ve achieved your goal when you can lift them five times without pain during or after. Of course, these are your goals, so you get to decide how you’ll measure them.

A: Achievable

How realistic is this goal?

Are there other constraints that are limiting?

Most of us aren’t going to the Olympics anytime soon. Your goals should reflect something realistic for YOU. Lifting your grandkids five times without pain might be realistic. Throwing them up into the air and catching them might not. Are there things that are limiting you that make a goal unachievable? We all have limits and getting clear on what yours are will help you to know if a goal is achievable for you.

R: Relevant

Is the goal worthwhile?

Is it the right time?

Yes, picking up your grandkids without pain feels very worthwhile! You might explore if it is the right time to pursue the goal. For example, if you’ve had an acute back injury and need more medical care, this goal might need to take a back seat until you are healed.

T: Time bound

What can I do today?

What do I want to do in one month? Three months? Six?

Understanding where you are currently and making a roadmap helps you stay accountable, feel supported and gives you a clear plan and path forward.

Want help reaching a specific goal? Reach out, I’d love to support you!

*SMART goals were developed by George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham in their 1981 article “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management goals and objectives”

A Simple Spring Asparagus, Edamame and Mint Salad

This salad is fresh, bright and satisfying. It’s always a favorite to share if you need a dish to bring to a barbecue or party, but it’s easy enough to make quickly at home and keep it all to yourself!

Ingredients:

*this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, and tastes good as leftovers too!

1 cup asparagus tips (2 inch pieces)

1 cup edamame

1/4 cup fresh mint

3 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup shaved pecorino or parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Boil 1 cup asparagus tips in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water or place in an ice bath.

For the edamame, you can use fresh. However, frozen shelled works fine. For frozen, defrost in microwave or gently cook in boiling water 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Place asparagus and edamame in a bowl, add chopped mint, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Top with shaved cheese and enjoy!

Thai Basil Chicken With a Little Spice and Everything Nice

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOM NOM PALEO

This recipe is SO easy. I really enjoy recipes from Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo. They are super easy and fast to make, which is so helpful when you’re short on time but still want a delicious and healthy meal.

Dish serves 4 or serves 2 with leftovers.

Ingredients:

2 TBs coconut aminos (or soy sauce; the coconut aminos give a sweet taste)

1 ½ TBs of fish sauce

2 TBs avocado oil and more for frying the eggs

2 large shallots thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves thinly sliced

3 Thai chili peppers finely chopped

1 ½ pounds ground chicken (or turkey) thighs

½ pound green beans cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups basil

4 large eggs

Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots soften, about 1-2 minutes.

Add garlic and chili peppers for about 30 seconds. 

Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes

Add green beans, coconut aminos and fish sauce, combine well and cook until beans are crisp and meat is fully cooked, about 2 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and add the basil leaves until wilted.

Heat a small skillet, add avocado oil to cover the bottom of the pan. 

Crack an egg in the pan and cook until the whites are golden brown and the yolk is cooked to your desired preference. Sprinkle with salt and set aside on a plate and cook additional eggs as needed.

Serve the Thai basil chicken over rice, cauliflower rice, or rice noodles, top each bowl with a fried egg and enjoy! 

A Whole Person Approach to Pilates (and Life)

I don’t think we can easily separate parts of ourselves into neat, tidy containers, and I don’t think that we should try. I think that the whole of who we are filters into all aspects of our lives. What does this mean for a Pilates session?

If you’re struggling with something in your life that isn’t related to your physical body (mental health, nutrition, relationships, stress, family or kid worries, nutrition, etc., etc.), our work will be more supportive and helpful to you if you feel comfortable showing up as exactly who you are in the moment.

Does this mean you need to spill your soul in Pilates? Of course not. Movement can bring up a lot. We hold past experiences in our physical bodies and doing exercise where you focus on what you are feeling can bring awareness of things that you might not have noticed before. If something comes up for you in your session that’s not purely about your body and movement, my goal is for you to feel comfortable sharing it if you like.

There is so much benefit to be had from tuning into our bodies, being present and aware of sensations and emotions and supporting health in a deeper way.

I’ve put a lot of thought and intention into making my studio a place where you can show up as your authentic self. I’ve completed additional training outside of Pilates so I am trauma informed and can support you. My goal is always to support you in coming home to your body.

Why Learning About Your Nervous System Supports Your Health

The nervous system guides our fight or flight response, and understanding the way ours guides us to respond to stress has huge impacts on our overall health. So what is the nervous system, exactly? It’s worth taking a moment to learn more.*

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) automatically regulates all the basic functions of our body as well as our survival responses. It has two branches (sympathetic and parasympathetic), and it does all these things on its own, automatically and outside of our conscious awareness. This is pretty cool and useful (your heart just keeps on beating without you telling it to, for example). 

This is also why you can’t “make” yourself be more relaxed, or think your way out of situations when you feel triggered. In working with your ANS, we want to focus on feeling safe and taking our time.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) helps us rest, unwind, reorganize and regenerate after threat or stress. Some examples of the functions it serves:

• Helps us let go of muscle tension

• Lowers heart rate and blood pressure

• Warms our skin

• Aids digestion

• Slowing and deepening of breathing

• Sends blood to peripheral vessels

• Helps immune system function fully

• Secretreting bodily fluids (saliva and bile for digestion)

The PNS branch acts like a brake pedal for our nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) gets our whole body ready for action. It regulates arousal and increases activity in times of stress (good or bad stress). It’s active when we are alert, excited or engaged in physical activity. It prepares us to meet emergencies and threat by:

• Increasing our heart rate, respiration and blood pressure

• Shifting blood away from digestion and to our muscles

• Moving blood away from the skin to prepare for potential injury

• Dilating pupils

The SNS branch acts like the gas pedal of our nervous system. It gives us energy for any action we plan and helps us prepare for threats. 

Ideally our nervous system will move between these two states with ease. Through trauma, however, we can get stuck in one state, or oscillate between the two and that can cause symptoms of dysregulation, which can be unpleasant as well as impact our health negatively. Our nervous system does what it does to keep us safe. Often when we’re feeling symptoms, it's stuck in a pattern that is no longer serving us.

Learning about how the nervous system works and about our personal patterns can support greater regulation and overall health.

Our systems have the capacity to come back into balance. Sometimes we just need a little support to get there. In Somatic Experiencing, we work with your nervous system to release the held trauma and this allows symptoms to reduce. 

*The learning in this blog comes from Somatic Experiencing International (traumahealing.org). I am training to become a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, which will allow me to work with clients on nervous system-focused trauma healing. If you’re interested in booking an SE session with me, you can sign up online at a discounted rate while I’m still training.