The Studio Barre “New Year” is right around the corner! Okay, okay, read the last blog if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Like I said in that post, Labor Day Weekend marks the official end of summer, and the official start of project “all about you”! We don’t need to wait until January 1st to make resolutions about taking better care of ourselves – we have RIGHT NOW! So instead of putting it off, we’re pushing you to step up to the barre and make some positive changes in how your body feels and looks.
Now, as we all know, change can be really exciting in the beginning. We make a resolution or set a goal, and the idea is to work towards completing that accomplishment. But did you know that just a mere 8% of people actually succeed in their January 1st New Year’s resolutions and accomplish their goals?! Isn’t that nuts? How depressing! We don’t want that to be the Studio Barre statistic. We REFUSE to let that be the Studio Barre statistic!
So let’s talk about follow-through. Let’s talk about not giving up just when it gets hard (wait, barre is ALWAYS hard). Let’s talk about you. Ultimately, there’s nothing better than when members come up to me and tell me about how good they feel – it’s WHY I started this crazy venture in the first place, and it’s why the entire Studio Barre crew continues to work unbelievably hard to keep delivering amazing, body-transforming workouts on a daily basis.
To begin with, we need to focus on the actual goal(s) you’ve set. Have you ever heard of SMART goals? That stands for “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely”, and making every goal a SMART goal is absolutely critical to your long-term success. For example, a statement such as “I want to increase my leg strength and tone, reduce my waistline measurement by 2 inches, and comfortably fit into my favorite jeans by October 31st. I will do this by attending the 8:25am class at Studio Barre three times a week starting this coming Monday” is a pretty good SMART goal. The goal is clear, the timeline is set and realistic, and I think it’s totally attainable. THIS is a goal that someone can definitely work towards, and they haven’t set their standards too high. So in the interest of seeing you succeed, it’s really important that your goals are just as SMART.
Next, we need to talk about the barre workout, and the reality of how it feels. Did you know that it NEVER gets easy (that was a post as well – read it!)? I know, I know – it should, right? Well as any of our devoted regulars will tell you, it doesn’t. Find a Centurion and they will agree wholeheartedly. But there’s a method behind such madness, and that is that it doesn’t get easier because you keep getting better. The stronger you get, the better form you take. And the more you straighten your legs and point your toes and tuck your seat, the more effective the movement. It’s a challenge in the beginning because you can barely do the move and the reps we’re counting out, and it’s a challenge 6 months later because you’ve gotten THAT MUCH BETTER at doing it. This is also the reason we change our choreo every 3 months – we can’t let you get bored! We create new moves so that every single member, new or old, is challenged to change and improve.
And on top of this darn workout always being a challenge, we have the fabulous challenge of LIFE. Whether you’re single, a parent, an executive, an empty nester, etc., we ALL have daily challenges that can make it hard to stay on track or on schedule. And for most of us, the challenge is simply to not let our own needs get lost or overlooked in all the chaos. In all of this, the mantra that we ALL need to repeat over and over again is DON’T GIVE UP. Stay strong in your efforts. Remain committed to your goals. You need to see the results to believe in the process. You need to follow-through on your SMART goals and know that you have our support. You must believe that in taking better care of yourself, you are more capable of taking care of those around you!
It all comes back to follow-through in the end. 8%?!?! Let’s buck that trend! Remember, you don’t need it to be January 1st to make some resolutions. We’re waiting for you at the barre, ready and excited to help you accomplish your goals. Cause when the going gets tough, the tough TUCK IT OUT!
Happy Tucking!
Shannon
