RESET HUB
RESET HUB

MIND MAP TO SET GOALS

Mind mapping is a great way to make the changes that will work for you. Follow this simple 8 step process to make easy, achievable STRENGTH RESET goals.

Rules:

Be kind and compassionate to yourself: talk to yourself as you would a good friend who you really love and believe in.

Trust yourself: change is hard but you have done loads of hard things before and you can do this.

Be honest: say it like it is, be truthful and realistic with yourself. With kindness!

Instructions - also in video above:

Grab a pen and 5 sheets of paper. At the top of each sheet write one of the four ingredients for midlife strength:

  • Fuel

  • Movement

  • Sleep

  • Mind & breath

(Remind yourself about each of these four ingredients here).

Choose one page to start your first map, and take the first 5 of the 8 steps listed here:

Step 1: My current habits - good and not so good

Brainstorm your current habits: what ARE you already doing that is helping in this area? Then list what you are doing that ISN’T helping?

Eg Fuel

  • Good: eating lots of veg, not eating too much sugar, not getting takeaways that often

  • Not so good: not getting many different veg and fruit in, eating too late at night, skipping complex carbs or fats, not taking time to plan dinners

Step 2: What do I know works for ME?

Ask yourself: “What have I tried before that helps ME or works FOR ME in this area?”

Eg Sleep

  • Set an alarm to remind me to go to bed earlier

  • No phone after 9pm

  • Less caffeine or alcohol during the day

  • Warm shower and a book instead of TV

Step 3: What HARM?

Brainstorm: “What is the HARM of NOT changing my habits?”

What are the immediate effects of my current habits? And then dig deeper into the knock on impacts? Keep going as far as you can!

Eg Movement

  • Gain weight, lose mobility, muscle and bone density; feel sluggish and low energy; get out of breath easily, feel weak and flabby. Get out of exercise habit.

  • Knock on? Feel low and negative self talk. Can’t wear clothes I like. Feel self conscious. Affects mental health. Feel (perceived) judgement of loved ones. Not healthy and energetic for my kids.

  • Long term: risk of serious health problems.

Step 4: Why not done already?

Ask yourself: “I know what I should be doing. So why haven’t I changed this already?”

Eg Mind/Breath

  • I’m not really interested, I’m not that kind of person.

  • Can’t be bothered. I don’t have time. I don’t know where to begin.

  • I’d rather relax by watching TV with my partner.

Step 5: What will send me off course?

Ask "If I do start to make small changes, what might be the triggers or the challenges that make me revert to old habits?”

Eg Fuel

  • A stressful day, work travel, family occasions, social events

  • exhaustion, negative self talk, perceived judgement by friends/family.

WELL DONE - you’ve done ONE of four of your maps!

Now REPEAT this on each piece of paper so you have a map for each of the four areas: movement, fuel, sleep and mind/breath.

Step 6: Plan and goals

Now write in big letters on one of your mind maps: HARD!

This will be HARD, because change is HARD, otherwise you would have done it already! However, you have done lots of hard things in your life, and you can do this.

So how can you make it EASIER for yourself? Looking across your four sheets, write down two or three EASY small changes you could start making.

Easy changes are likely to be in the sweet spot of:

  • Small changes that are familiar

  • Things you have tried before that work

  • You really feel the fear of the HARM if you don’t change

  • You acknowledge the benefits of change outweigh the harm of not changing

Step 7: Choose 2-5 GOALS

Next, choose a TOTAL (across all 4 sheets) of 2-5 SMALL CHANGES you can make during the next THREE WEEKS.

These are your GOALS.

Write them down, and flesh out each one, making sure they are SMART:

  • Specific (get into detail: what you want to do, when and how)

  • Measurable (how will you know when you’ve done it)

  • Achievable (realistic)

  • Relevant (will this change deliver something you really want)

  • Timebound (how long will you do this for, or by)

Final Step 8: The most important: VIDEO!

Cringetastic. Grab your phone and make a 1-2 minute video of yourself reading out your goals, in all their glorious detail, along with the WHY and HOW from your mind maps.

NO one else will ever see this video! But YOU will use it when your mind tells you to stop, give up, change or modify the goals to make them easier.

Congratulations! That was not easy, but now you have your GOALS - you are ready to put your good intentions into practice.