But First Pilates

     by Lesley Logan

     Lets get rid of the word "resolution."  Seriously. Let’s not resolve to do anything for 2016. Instead, what if we started making daily, weekly changes that allowed Pilates to be in our regular life and not on our “to do” list?

     First, grab a paper and Pen. Yes, a paper and pen. I will wait. Take the paper and draw out the old fashioned seven day week. Seven columns and label them S, M, T, W, R, F and S. Or you can start with Monday and end with Sunday. How ever makes sense in your mind. This is YOUR calendar.

     Second, write in all your Pilates sessions. If it’s just once a week but you want two sessions a week put it in there two times. Talk to your teacher and/or studio and snag another time slot.

     Then, fill in all your other desires. Book clubs, coffee times with friends, dinners with family etc. Put in your lifestyle first. I know you’re thinking “but Lesley I have work, commitments, carpool etc.” I know you do. I know that there are plenty of things that fill in your time. But, for this to work we have to eliminate them. Remember there are 7 days in a week and 24 hours in a day. Also, whens the last time you wrote your calendar in cement?

     If you want to achieve the desires of your life you will have to make changes. If you didn’t you would have already had what you are sitting here wanting. Think about it. If you always do what you have always done you will always get what you already got. If commitment to a healthy lifestyle is a desire, goal or insert-motivational-word-here, you will have to move some things. I promise in a few weeks it’ll seem smooth and easy. It’s just the beginning that’s a little rocky.

     After you have your desired lifestyle in your calendar. Then add in the other things. Your business, your to-do’s. If you come upon a “double booking” do everything you can to make the switch. Maybe it means asking a friend to meet on Fridays instead of Tuesdays. Or even better have that friend meet you for Pilates or whatever it is that is the double booking. What’s that old saying? Friends who do Pilates together stay together? Ok, maybe that isn’t the saying but you get my point.

     The best part is you can take these steps and use them for almost any desire you have.

     I’ll be the first to say I love change. With change comes growth. I will also say I often dislike change. I hate moving things around. But, I am always glad I did. Each time I have made a big schedule change I have found myself closer and closer to the lifestyle I want to live.

     Last year I made a commitment to having at least three Pilates sessions a week and joining my husband for yoga and breakfast three mornings a week. Now, I already was going to my Pilates with a teacher once a week. I was going with my husband to yoga three times a week but was skipping breakfast with him for work. It was important to me that I not just work myself out but have more time with my instructor. It was also important to me to enjoy time with my partner. There were many hours a day we wouldn’t spend time together. So, change to the schedule was necessary.

     I did the above. I pulled out a blank calendar. I acted as if in the perfect world I could have my three Pilates sessions, my yoga and my breakfast with my husband. After I put those in I put back in my work schedule. I realized i had to move a couple things. So, I asked those it affected if they could do any of the other times I had available. Wouldn’t you know it but it actually worked out better for them. I later found out they were keeping their time slot because they didn’t think I had another time. I was keeping their time slot because I didn’t think they had another time. Now, a year later we are all doing what we had been wanting to do. No longer living our lives around our work. Instead enjoying our lifestyle and building our work schedule around it.

     I’m not saying that making these changes is going to be as simple as a text or call here and there. It may take you a few weeks, a few months or even all of 2016 to make the changes to your business, work and other commitments. But, if you know what you are working towards and you make the commitment to sticking with it you will get there. Then 2016, 2017 and beyond you won’t have to think up these “resolutions” You’ll already be living the lifestyle you always wanted. Your body, your mind and your loved ones will be the beneficiaries of this new you!