We hope 2019 has gotten off to a fantastic start for you! Most of us start the year off with some lofty resolutions: pole goals, new lyra tricks we want to master, climbing the silks all the way to the top without our arms falling off, or even the classic “lose a few pounds.” But if you’re anything like me, that strong drive at the beginning of January fades pretty quickly, and by the end of the month I suddenly find myself floundering, if not forgetting about my goal altogether by about March. What can we do to keep from falling into the same trap this year?

Experts have a few tips to help us reach our goals and not give up on our resolutions:

• Set concrete, actionable goals. “Get stronger” or “spend more time working out” are vague and abstract, which means it’s going to be hard to keep track of how you’re doing and how close you are to your destination. Instead, try to state your goals clearly, with specific actions in mind. For example, “no-hand scissor climb to the ceiling” or “take three silks classes per week” are both specific, concrete things you can achieve and track.
• Keep track! Write down specific dates to check in on your goal and write down how it’s coming along, or take progress pics or videos. It’s hard to see the little bits of progress day to day, but checking in once per week or even once per month will give you a better idea of your improvement. If you want to make sure you’re working out a certain number of times per week, make a big red check mark or add a sticker to your calendar for each day you make it work.
• Share your story. By making your goals public and sharing your journey with a friend, you keep yourself accountable. Bonus, it’s always good to have someone to vent to when you get frustrated, or to celebrate with when you make a landmark. Great thing about Lotus is there is a whole tribe to share your goals with!
• Split it up. Take those huge, overwhelming goals that may feel just out of reach and split them into bite-sized chunks. First step to that climb? One lift. Getting your feet off the floor is a huge deal. Like they say, every journey begins with a single step. Celebrate each bit of progress, no matter how small it may feel. After all, what’s the point of any of this if you can’t have fun doing it?
• Forgive yourself for moments of failure. Backslides are part of the process. Many of our goals may feel like two steps forward, one step back. Got busy at work and couldn’t make that third class this week? Frustrating, but don’t let it derail you. Make up the extra day another week, or just write it off and move on. (I mean, don’t get me wrong, day jobs getting in the way of aerial are pretty much the worst thing ever, but don’t let it get you down. Gotta pay for new Pleasers and legging somehow!)

Any time you set a big goal for yourself, remember it won’t happen overnight! Big changes take a long time to start showing, so be patient and kind with yourself. Anything worth doing takes an investment of time. Consistent, small gains eventually create huge results. That’s why you give yourself a whole year to work on it. The sky is the limit, and your Lotus tribe is here to boost you up. See you in the air!