Crestwood Employee Center
With the new year in full swing, and life’s complexities ebbing and flowing in unexpected ways, it is easy for our aspirational goals to quickly fizzle out. Our minds are often riddled with questions like, “How can I stay motivated?” When it comes to our goals, we must become gardeners. We must nurture our goals the same way we do our office plants and our backyard zucchini. Like a gardener who tends to their plants, accomplishing goals requires motivation led by inspiration, consistent action that nurtures growth, and a daily routine that builds momentum. Motivation, action, momentum, that’s the secret formula.
Motivation is like the soil that we plant our goals in. Action is the water that jumpstarts the germination process and nourishes our growth. Momentum is the budding potential that builds new habits, daily routines, and lifestyles connected to our desires. The more we water our goals with actions, the more momentum we build, and the more growth and progress we see. Essentially, the mystery behind motivation is cultivating momentum through action. Momentum is the MVP. It sustains us when motivation fades and is the invisible hand that pushes us to keep going. So, when life is challenging your ambitions, here are a few steps you can take to foster the momentum that you need to keep going:
- Build a daily routine that supports small goals – attach your small goals to the bigger aspiration.
- Start with incremental steps – start small, add more responsibilities over time.
- Get an accountability partner – partnering up transforms a personal pursuit into a shared one.1
- Celebrate small wins – treat yourself, whether that’s ice cream or a concert ticket.
- Maximize your down time – be intentional about rest and building your new habits.
- Use a planner to track your routine and progress – seeing how far you have come can spark motivation.
At Crestwood, we champion a culture that helps our staff and persons served strive to achieve their goals and become their best selves. What are some habits that have helped you maintain momentum towards personal or professional goals?
Are you looking for some more tips on setting goals? Why not try making a SMART goal? SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Take these components into consideration when forming your SMART goals:
- Specific: Is your goal too broad? Narrow its scope and focus on a specific objective.
- Measurable: How will you measure the progress of completing the goal?
- Achievable: Choose a goal that will be attainable for you. Consider if there are any obstacles outside your control that may interfere with achieving your goal and adjust as necessary.
- Relevant: Does the goal fit your overall objectives? Does it feel relevant to what you want to achieve?
- Time-bound: Set a goal with a realistic deadline; don’t leave it open ended. When do you want to complete your goal by? Next week? Next month? Set a date!
Making SMART goals may help you better achieve what you set out to accomplish. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals at once. Start small and specific, with attainable deadlines and don’t give up on your goals!
Did you know that Valentine’s Day is closely followed by Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17? Both Valentine’s Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day invite us to express genuine care for others, in our words and in our actions.
Kindness can be expressed in many forms, from a written note of appreciation to a thoughtful gift just because. It could be a heartfelt compliment or words of affirmation, or it may be taking the time to listen to someone share about their day or a challenge that they’re facing. It could be offering to help someone complete a task to lighten their load, or it may mean spending a few hours of quality time with someone to show how much they mean to you. Opportunities for kindness spring up everywhere throughout our day, if we’re intentional about noticing them. How do you cultivate a culture of kindness at your campus?
Emotional self-awareness is an essential part of mindfulness. It gives us the ability to survey our feelings and create healthy coping mechanisms that support emotional regulation. When we are mindful about how we are feeling, we can examine dormant emotional triggers, proactively set boundaries, and prevent ourselves from making long-term decisions based on short-term emotions.
Our ability to proficiently identify our emotions is one of the first steps toward emotional stability. To encourage mindfulness and cultivate greater self-awareness, consider using the Mood Meter. The Mood Meter is an evidence-based tool created by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. This mindfulness graph helps individuals pinpoint their emotional disposition and track their emotional health over time. The Mood Meter is divided into four zones: red, yellow, blue, and green. Each zone represents different emotions that are measured by pleasantness and energy level.
- The Red Zone: high in energy and high in unpleasantness. Some examples of red emotions are enraged, frustrated, and provoked.
- The Yellow Zone: high in energy and high in pleasantness. Some examples of yellow emotions are ecstatic, overjoyed, energized, and happy.
- The Blue Zone: low in energy and high in unpleasantness. Some examples of blue emotions are hopeless, tired, and insecure.
- The Green Zone: low in energy and high in pleasantness. Some examples of green emotions are unfazed, at ease, secure, and fulfilled.
At Crestwood, we encourage mindfulness practices and value tools that promote emotional regulation skills. Click the link below to try a two-minute, guided mindfulness exercise using the Mood Meter.
Guided Mood Exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xbDQm-HOVc
Download the Mood Meter here.
Reach your health goals with Kaiser Permanente’s One Pass Select Affinity, which includes access to:
- Gyms and fitness locations
- Live, digital fitness classes and on-demand workouts
- Grocery and home essentials delivery
- And more!
View the flyer here and check out kp.org/exercise to learn more.
February 1 – 28: Black History Month
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 14: Valentine’s Day
February 17: Presidents’ Day
February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
We hope you find the Employee Center to be a helpful resource. If you have any questions or suggestions on what you would like to see featured on the site, please email us at employeecenter@cbhi.net or fill out our feedback form.