Well, here comes the New Year!
It’s a great time to reflect on the blessings, struggles and lessons from the past year and start planning for an awesome next 365 days and beyond. I’d love to hear what goals you have in mind for 2011, so please share those in the comments below!
If you were around a year ago, you’ll remember the incredibly fun and successful Improve Yourself! 2010 event that we held here. Everything from that series of posts is still relevant (other than the giveaways!) if you’d like to check them out to help with your goal planning.
I’ve had a few folks ask me if there will be a similar challenge as we enter 2011. Well, I thought about it, but decided to do something different this year. I want to do something that is more specific, practical and impactful.
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Why the “Big Thing” for 2011 Will Not Actually Be Hosted Here
While I plan to continue to tackle all the big issues impacting marriage here on the blog and in my new e-book 15 Minute Marriage Makeover (coming out soon), I’ve had a particularly strong interest in helping couples and individuals improve their fitness (and their relationships) lately. That’s why Fit Marriage was created with my friend Tony DiLorenzo, and the early growth and popularity of our site makes it clear that we are addressing a real need!
However, I also recognize that many of the readers here at Engaged Marriage may have no interest in fitness-related content or help. So…the “Big Thing” to kick off 2011 will be taking place over at Fit Marriage, and I’ll try to refrain from talking about it much here.
Here’s the “Big Thing”
Actually, there are two “big things” and one of them will start before the New Year even arrives!
I can’t actually disclose the first event (for reasons that will be evident when it is released), but if you are looking to improve your health and fitness in a way that enhances your family life rather than competing with it, you’ll love this.
The second event is something I am very proud to have pulled off (with Tony obviously). It’s a series of video interviews with 12 of the top experts in the world on fitness, nutrition and motivation for busy individuals and couples. It is seriously helpful and inspiring. The best part is we are able to offer access to the full program (called the Quick Fit Formula) for FREE for a limited time when it opens up for registration. It’s not open just yet, but it will be shortly after the New Year.
How You Can Get Access to Both Awesome Fitness-Improving “Big Things”
It’s easy. You just need to get signed up for the Fit Marriage newsletter. Click that link and enter your name and email, and you’ll be all set. And if you don’t like anything we send you, you can “unsubscribe” with a single click…no worries.
The only way anyone will know about Big Thing #1 is through the Fit Marriage newsletter since that’s the only way we’re announcing it. And Big Thing #2 will be opened up first to our newsletter audience. It’s our way of saying “thanks” for being an active part of the Fit Marriage community and allowing us to share our content with you via email every week or two.
So, if you are looking to reach some new fitness goals as we enter 2011, or you just want to improve your marriage by living an active, thriving lifestyle with your family, we are doing our part to help you.
If this interests you, please go get signed up for the Fit Marriage newsletter before you miss Big Thing #1. 🙂
And please share your goals for 2011, fitness and otherwise, below!
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I have a number of goals for 2011, including completing my undergrad degree (in December), building an online business, being able to pass the military physical fitness test (so I’ll be checking out FitMarriage) and more (including two motorcycle rides).
2011 is going to be great! I’m excited already and have made some good progress toward a couple of projects.
Those are fantastic goals, Matthew! I really appreciate you sharing them, and I look forward to following your progress.
And yes, we can definitely help you pass that military fitness test! 🙂
Just get signed up for the newsletter over at Fit Marriage, and you’ll have some help arriving before the New Year is even here.
I just want to continue a downward weight trend (lost 15 lbs this past year) and hope to make it another 15 (would put me at 190 from 220).
I have a few other fitness goals that I haven’t fleshed out yet.
My biggest goal: to be consistent in doing the daily/weekly things in every area of my life. I always come up with SMART goals, but fall short on the small, bite-sized actions for each day.
Thanks for sharing, Brett. You are absolutely right in that most people’s failure to reach (even SMART) goals is that critical component of consistency. I like to take it a week at a time and after 3-4 weeks a new behavior becomes a habit and literally changes your brain pathways to make it your new “normal.”
Congrats on your weight loss success and here’s wishing you all the best in 2011!
I want to run my first 5K. I’m already signed up for it, and training which is a big thing considering I hate running, but it is a fundraiser for a good cause so I’m doing it. I’m training/running with one of my best friends and she is already talking about the next race, so that is the next part of the goal. Get through the first race and keep going and run another one. I would be happy with running 3 to 4 races by the end of the year.
That’s a fantastic goal, Jen! It’s great that you signed up to do it already since that should provide great motivation. I’ve never been much of a runner, but I ran in my first charity 5K last fall alongside my wife (that story is here: http://www.fitmarriage.com/workout-together/3-keys-to-running-with-your-spouse )
I actually really enjoyed it, and my first quarter fitness goal for 2011 is aimed at hitting a certain time mark on an organized 5K run – under 28 minutes.
Best of luck to you!
My goal this year is to keep a tidier and more organized house. Usually I tend to clean like a mad-woman on a weekend, and then for the next week or so I’m very good about keeping it up, and then bad habits start to creep back in and then there are laundry and toys everywhere again. If I have a hectic day at work and then come home to a messy house, then it just makes my whole day even worse. The only way I’m going to accomplish this goal is to get Micah’s full buy in on it. I can’t do this one by myself. A chore list won’t work – there’s nothing Micah hates more on this earth than a “honey do” list. Personally I love lists! I make them for myself all the time! So my challenge is to get both of us to equally contribute to the goal, without making Micah feel forced and also without making me feel like I’m doing all the work.
That’s a very worth goal, Kate! And it’s something that we’ll be working on in the New Year as well, especially since Bethany will be home from work now.
I don’t know what’s wrong with Micah…I LOVE lists! 🙂
My goal is to do a “purge” of our house. I’m going to pretend as if we are moving so that I can get rid of things that don’t have a place. Most of our house is tidy-ish, but I want our kitchen to have a complete organization makeover. I can only do this if my husband is on board and will help to put/keep things in their place. Here’s to a more organized, less chaotic 2011!
Don’t worry, your husband is *so* on board! 😉
My goals this year are simple: I want to continue to lose weight-I lost 20 lbs this year-I would like to volunteer my time helping others (I’ve signed up to be a literacy volunteer and am looking into volunteering at our local homeless shelter) AND I’m planning on working on spending more quality time with my husband.
Awesome goals Chrissi, and kudos to you for including both your husband and those less fortunate than yourself!
MY goal is to help build our counseling practice.