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Taking small steps towards your goals

November 30, 2009

This is the time of year when we tend to entertain the idea of resolutions that will begin January 1 and take us into the rest of our lives. Don’t take that to mean that I don’t support looking into the future with healthful goals in mind–but I know from experience that it is the crafting of the fine print of those goals that will set us up for successful achievement or a sense of overwhelm and challenge that will thwart our best intention.

Resolutions tend to be a broad stroke approach to a desired outcome, whereas small step goals are specific daily behaviors that allow for success to be experienced. As opposed to “I am going to get into shape in 2010”, two small goals would be created such as “I will eat a mixed and colorful salad for lunch twice per week”, and “I will walk after work, for 15 minutes, three times per week”; these two goals may seem insignificant and not likely to lead to measurable success, but these small-step goals are actually the first steps towards lifetime success. Imagine a client who eats a packaged sandwich from the cafeteria most days, and who does not engage in routine physical activity–committing to these two small-step goals will invite immediate and pleasant success, thereby creating the platform upon which more challenging goals will be considered in the future. “Getting into shape” is a goal that will take months to realize, while tracking daily behaviors of adding in healthful foods and routine body movement are measurable and realistic goals that can be modified every couple of weeks, as success becomes the familiar response to behavior change commitment.

What small steps will you be taking that will lead to your optimal health and well-being?

Robin Mallery
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"The Holiday Survival Cooking and Eating Class exceeded my expectations. It was so enjoyable to learn new ideas for healthy snacks and meals, taste the delicious treats we created and leave with an inspired hope that this will be my healthiest holiday season yet! I am impressed with the knowledge and care that Robin (and Wendy from In the Kitchen) both possess and I look forward to taking more classes in the future. Thanks again!"  --Rose M.   “What a wonderful, yummy class! Not only did we participate in creating several easy-to-make, delicious, nourishing dishes for the holidays and every day, we also learned strategies for surviving and enjoying the upcoming holiday season. Both Robin & Wendy were delightful and imparted their cooking and eating knowledge with love, humor, and enthusiasm. I highly recommend their classes to anyone who is interested in developing a better way to look at food, using thoughtfulness with mindfulness to learn some very valuable strategies for eating any time of the year!” --CAM   “I found the class delightful with great ideas for the holidays. In the Kitchen is a warm and welcoming place and you and Wendy were great teaching collaborators. Good new recipes. I appreciate your healthy eating information. I recommend this class to anyone wanting to enjoy the holidays without stressing over food. Actually, the information isn’t just for the holidays. I want to stay healthy all year and eat well.” --Pat B.   "I’ve participated in several classes at In the Kitchen, enjoyed them all immensely, but it is always a special treat when Wendy teaches a class. The recipes offered in The Holiday Survival class were easy to make and so delicious. And what a plus to have Robin co-teach the The Holiday Survival class with Wendy. Thank you, Robin, for all your great information on healthy eating, which was delivered so professionally, dovetailing beautifully into Wendy’s presentation. Hope you two team up again for more classes of scrumptious, healthy recipes. What a fun evening!!" --Carol B. _______________ I love this positive feedback! How gratifying it is to touch the lives of others in a meaningful way…and to be able to do so around a topic that is so dear to me, is just the icing on the cake (right—pun intended!). Wendy Van Wagner and I will continue to offer seasonal cooking classes in addition to the occasional specialty class…stay tuned!
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