The B Bar Link Up: Preparing for the Future

For this month’s B Bar Link Up we were asked to talk about the future and how we prepare for it. Since we’re able to talk about any future I thought I might talk a little about my own. (I’m also taking a break from Wednesday wishlist today, BUT, check out my twitter or facebook for some of the pieces I’m loving right now)

Prepping for the future is kind of weird. As I get farther away from my college years (we’re at four years out at this point) and my health becomes more and more important to me, I’ve realized how easy it is to slip into bad habits and let hard work fall apart.

After reading Gretchen Rubin’s Better than Before and taking Jess Lively’s course, I’ve now realized that it was so easy for me to slip out of these habits because I didn’t know why I had established them (what values were important to me) and I didn’t know what was the best way for me to keep these habits.

During Jess’s course I was able to establish my what my personal values are right now when it comes to my personal health and create my intention for that (“to be healthy and thoughtful in the choices I make”). While I was completing the course, I also had the luck of being able to read Gretchen Rubin’s Better than Before for review. Reading it gave me some serious insight into how I can use my personality type to build healthy habits (I’m an upholder). 

From there, I was able to come up with a few habits that I wanted to establish. Since I know I’m an upholder, I know that I can fulfill inner expectations, but I really have to know what those expectations are and make that clear to myself. 

1. Go to bed early and get more sleep. Luckily, the more I try to do this, the easier it’s become. I actually love getting to go to bed early, but sometimes it’s difficult.

2. Work out. I’m one of those weird people who enjoy working out, so it makes it easier when I find a work out that I enjoy AND I know is effective. For me, that’s Pure Barre and Yoga. Both allow me the time to zone out. It’s also allowed some of my best “mind wandering” time, when I’ve been able to come up with post ideas or solve a problem for work.

3. Eat better. It’s vague, I’m aware. to be honest, since bringing a lunch to work every day, this has been much easier. But, I also have a huge sweet tooth (it’s a problem). To balance the two out, I try to make sure that the majority of what I’m eating is healthier, but I leave room for dessert. I’ve also started meal planning so I can have an idea of when I might eat out (less healthy) so I can plan out healthier dinners before and after.

So why am I focusing on my health as I prepare for the future? Well to me (and a lot of other people), my health determines what kind of mood I’m in, how much energy I have, how mentally awake I am, and how easy/difficult it is for me to get sick. These are the things that effect the bigger things in life, so if I don’t focus on the building blocks, it’ll be harder for me to achieve my big picture items (career and relationships)

That was a little bit of word vomit, but as I said, preparing for the future is weird. It’s very personal and very different for everyone.

So what are you doing to prepare for the future?

Check out the other bloggers and learn about how they prepare for the future!