The Simple Ways I Am Achieving My Goals

Over the last few years, I have become increasingly frustrated with myself and my lack of progress.

I suffered from a lack of focus in all areas of my life. It felt like I was throwing a lot of things at a wall, hoping that something would stick and make me think I was progressing in life and doing things well (rather than feeling overwhelmed, confused, and getting nowhere).

At the beginning of this year, I set out on a mission to find strategies that connected and worked for me. I told myself I would focus on just one or two options for at least three months. If they worked, I would continue following them; if not, I would try something else.

This has become my number one personal and professional growth strategy— simplification and focus.

Simplifying everything has stopped the overwhelm and improved my consistency, which is key to success. Focussing on one or two things at a time has helped me progress quicker than ever.

The following strategies may give you an idea of how to improve your life through simplification.

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At 50 years old, my body is changing, my mind is all over the place due to hormonal changes, my youngest son is becoming increasingly independent, and I haven’t got a clue who I am.

My goals are to feel comfortable within my body, maintain a healthy weight, enjoy good energy levels, build an online business, and find a level of self-confidence that enables me to know who I am and what I want and not be afraid to show it.

These are the simple way I am achieving these goals.

I stick to three main dietary guidelines 80% of the time.

I go 12–14 hours between my evening meal and breakfast, known as intermittent fasting — no calories between these times.
My meals always contain more fruit or vegetables than anything else.
I say no to junk food and don’t eat takeaways.

These simple rules enable me to maintain a healthy weight and enjoy good energy levels. Focussing on these guidelines has transformed my dietary habits and automatic food choices.

I use the Boho Beautiful app for all my exercise classes and guided meditations.

This app provides me with a one-stop shop for all my well-being needs. The simplicity has dramatically improved my consistency. I now exercise and meditate every day because I can fit it in around my responsibilities.

As a result, my body confidence, strength, flexibility, and mobility have improved.

I use my Fitbit for counting my steps only.

I don’t need it to tell me my heart rate or how well I am sleeping — I know when my heart is pounding, and I know when I have had a good night’s sleep because of how I feel in the morning.

Keeping track of my steps is one way of maintaining awareness of my daily activity levels, which is key to long-term good health. It’s quick and easy.

I am focussing on one area of my online business.

I am writing here on Medium and taking guidance from one mentor, Ayodeji Awosika. I am on his Medium Blogging Course (this is an affiliate link) and am following his advice as closely as I can.

I used to try to do several things at once and do a little bit of each. This resulted in a lot of half-done projects and little progress. The single focus means I am doing the best I can in this one area, forming a foundation of understanding and working consistently on building this part of my business.

Once this works how I want it to work, I will add something else.

I am using only one social media platform to promote my business.

I used to have a website, Facebook business page, LinkedIn and Instagram. Now I am only using LinkedIn to promote my business. I have only just started doing this, but only having to post on one platform has increased my enthusiasm for doing social media and improved my consistency.

The only coaching modality I now coach and use myself is mBIT coaching.

I am a certified life coach and have had many different forms of coaching over the years. mBIT coaching works for me, and I love taking people through the process. I am good at it, and I respond well to it.

Therefore, I am focussing on doing what works for me, what I am good at and what I have a genuine interest in. This allows me to work on this skill and develop my competency in the field and use it to improve my connection with myself and my inner guidance system.

I listen to only one self-help guru at a time and focus on all their content.

My bookshelves are full of self-help books. I became so overwhelmed with all the to-dos I had to take a break.

I now focus on just one person’s content at a time. I take on board the lessons I connect with and forget about those I don’t.

My main focus is on one thing — what feels good.

This simple rule has changed the way I live my life. Focusing on doing and being what feels good every day makes one happy, successful life.

It isn’t always about what feels good now; it can be doing something because I know it will make me feel good in the long term. Or it can be not doing something because I know it will make me feel rubbish after a little while.

Over to you

Whatever you want to do in life, a ton of information is available on how to do it. It is easy to complicate things and become overwhelmed and confused by all the conflicting advice, strategies and tools.

You don’t need to do everything.

Start with a blank page and experiment with one thing, in one area of your life, until you find what works for you and feels good.

Simplify your routines, so they are easy to stick to. Use how you feel to measure how well they work for you. When something starts to feel like a chore, make one small change at a time until you find it enjoyable and beneficial again.

Stop forcing things and find your flow.

Breathe deeply, be kind and drop those expectations that constantly make you feel you are not enough.

A successful life is simple — one of love, laughter and freedom.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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