Building Momentum In February- Courtnay Osborne-Walker. The F Word.

For many, January is a time of renewal. An opportunity to reset, to start fresh and to set new intentions for the year ahead. We often enter January bursting with hope, optimism and a long list of new goals we hope to smash. However, it’s safe to say that entering a New Year in the midst of a global pandemic is not something we’re used to. Despite the challenges of 2020, more than ever people are reinvigorated at the possibility of a new start. Normality in 2021 was certainly a dominant narrative online, and this hopefulness was a necessarily component in us getting through 2020.

However, it goes without saying, it’s hard to set career goals when you’ve lost your job, the prospect of saving for a holiday that’ll likely be cancelled seems silly and we can hardly commit to a more elaborate social life whilst being trapped indoors. One quarter of UK residents make New Years resolutions, with 47% of those being centred around fitness. But with closed gyms and cancelled events, our drive for change and growth may be dampened.

Often, the media trivialises Resolutions by portraying them as a commodification, as if spiritual change (which is what resolutions and self improvement is) is simply another news item to tick off before moving onto the next story. As Russell Brand puts it, the concept of New Years Resolutions has become deracinated through the medias undermining of the reality of life and the presentation of change as a spectacle. He also suggests that the constant badgering of New Years Resolutions by the media puts pressure on the individual to make changes that are happening at the societal, national and global level. For example, we’re encouraged to ‘lose a few lbs’ in the new year with absolutely no reference to the policies out of our control which render unhealthy foods more accessible and affordable.

Despite what the media may have you believe, it is absolutely okay to NOT have set Resolutions for 2021 (or any other year, in fact). When things are uncertain and as policy takers we’re not in control of factors such as our working conditions and social life, allowing ourselves to flow into the next year free from lists and goals, targets and deadlines, is absolutely okay.

So whether your January has been bursting with HIIT classes, morning run’s and evening yoga, or you’ve found yourself taking your time and figuring out the process, February is an opportunity to reflect and set intentions without the media noise, the external pressure and the shaming that goes along with setting and breaking New Years Resolutions.

In a study, Redbooth found January and February to be the least productive months of the year. Perhaps it’s the post-holiday blues or the dark mornings and evenings, but it seems we struggle to find our mojo directly after the New Year. This is likely to be exasperated in the midst of a global pandemic that has encroached on our health and livelihood. But as the days grow longer and the sun shines that little bit brighter, February is a chance to truly consider how you want to show up for yourself and who you want to be through action (rather than through resolutions) this month.

“As we head into February, you may want to think about the best version of you. What does that best version of you do, think, say, prioritise and feel? How do they move through the world? How do they speak about themselves? How do they eat? How do they make others feel? What do they focus on? How do they spend their hours? What do they do less of and more of? ”

Then, think about the requirements of being the best version of you. In order for you to work on becoming closer to this ‘you’, what do you need to do? As an example, my best version of me would prioritise my own training and save time for my own fitness in between coaching my clients. The requirement of this is that I set my training as a non-negotiable and weave it into my schedule by waking up a little earlier or decreasing screen time in order to train.

Once you have visualised the best version of you and the requirements that come with it, you can contemplate ‘what support you need to get me there?'. Ask yourself, ‘how can I affix a positive guide to my life?’. And, what would that guide look like?

It’s important to know that setting intentions and a plan of action for the month ahead does not need to involve giving things up. It does not need to come with the fear of failure that the media will encourage. And it doesn’t need to be a resolution. An intention is enough.

February is an opportunity for growth. If making lists, vision boards and setting deadlines isn’t working for you, that’s cool. Try visualising that best self, and actioning a few behaviours that’ll get you a little closer.

Perhaps the support you need is in the form of a book club, a new organiser, a therapist or a fitness community. New habit formation and the fulfilment of intentions is a constant process of trial, patience and persistence. Having the intention, understanding the requirements and seeking support in order to fulfil those intentions are great ways to stay on track and put yourself in a position for success.

At Cardio Collective, our new programme ‘Better Feb than Never’ is all about embracing change throughout the year, not just at New Years. It’s about building momentum and making positive steps to your best you without the pressure of creating resolutions. Throughout the month we follow a structured running programme, set goals, discuss mindset, share tips and provide the support each of us needs to become our best selves. There’s no pressure to ditch things, to embark of wild challenges or to smash life long targets. We just set small and manageable intentions, hold each other accountable and support each other along the way. You can join the cardio collective and download your Better Feb Than Never programme here

Click to Download

Don’t forget to follow us on our Instagram & Share this post!