30 May 2020
Well, here we are, the final week of Springboard For Better! Our timing could not be better, as the whole idea of the campaign was to prepare you for the positive changes you want to make in your life as we leave lockdown.
Summer is here, the sun just wants to keep shining, we are easing out of lockdown and you are motivated and have a strategy of positive change just bursting for you to take action - Whoop Whoop!
There was a clue for our final week, but first a quick recap of our mindful wellbeing campaign Springboard For Better in conjunction with our friends at EmotionMatters.
InStep 1 - Self-Reflection we asked you to slow down, and lean into the space you create, connecting with your inner wisdom to answer some reflective questions.
In Step 2 - Identifying Change That You Desire we asked you to rate different areas of your life, and then identify between 5 to 10 intentions for change.
In Step 3 - Creating Your Strategy For Change we asked you to become clear with your objectives and tactics that will help you achieve your goals, so you can create a life you love as we leave lockdown.
Last week in Step 4 - Motivation To Take Action we got you fired up to achieve your goals by visualising your outcomes, focusing on small steps of change, and aligning your goals with your values.
You’re all set right, ready to launch out of the starting gates, full of energy bursting to make positive change your new reality?
So to take you over the finishing line, this week we will look at accountability and celebration. You have done so well to get this far! Let’s do this!
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Step 5 - Being Accountable & Celebrating Your Success
You know what you want to change, you have a plan of what you need to do, and you are motivated to change your life for the better - GREAT!
Now, all you need is consistency to take action to achieve your goals.
Taking responsibility and being accountable are going to be your trusted friends on this final part of the journey.
When you are responsible for something, it is your duty to complete tasks and actions you are expected to do, and accept the consequences of the outcomes you achieve.
When you are accountable you accept and understand the consequences of your actions in areas where you choose to be responsible.
So being responsible and accountable neatly dovetail together, and give you some mind muscle to drive through procrastination so that change happens.
Here are some useful exercises and ideas to make change happen!
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Alarm Reminder
It is as easy as the title suggests, and maybe you have done this before. Setting a reminder in your phone is super easy and can be a great way to jolt your memory and activate your thinking that you have agreed to do a task.
You may already have planned a tactic of ‘hobby time’ to achieve your goal of ‘having more fun.’ You may have already scheduled enjoying your favourite craft for 60-minutes on a Tuesday and Saturday. Now set a reminder on both of these days, at a time when you are most likely going to benefit from the alarm reminder.
Often when you get the notification on your phone, it can just cut through the old mindset you had before lockdown, of ‘I must work until late.’ We suggest you use the alarm reminder on no more than two actions in a week, so that it stays fresh and helpful.
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Weekly Review
This is our favourite coaching exercise for accountability, it is really simple, but the questions just cut to the chase and get you to focus.
Sunday is a good review day, so you can look back on the week just gone, and look forward to the week you want to have ahead. Find a quiet spot with no distractions for 15 minutes, and ask yourself:
What did I achieve and do well this week?
Our minds are sometimes programmed to answer this with what you didn’t achieve in the week, so watch for this. We want you to start with the positives, and in doing so, you are starting to celebrate your small steps of success. This self-praise builds confidence, the mental energy you need to reach the finish line.
What was challenging?
Again, careful here. It is easy to spurt out lines of criticism of about yourself - this is not the question. Activate your rational mind. What was it about a situation, circumstance or relationship that you found challenging. Stay objective, and keep it away from a personal attack on yourself.
What will I do differently in this situation next time?
You’ve described the challenge above, now activate your solution-focussed thinking. What are the options available to me to get a different outcome in a similar situation next time? Look at your choices and then go with your gut feeling to choose one action you will do differently in this situation next time.
What is my focus for the week ahead?
Now look at the week ahead, what will help you make progress in the next week? What has been working and useful over the last couple of weeks? What do you need a little more / less of that will help? Choose 3 things, and drop them into your mind while doing some deep breathing, meditation or a yoga pose!
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We mentioned celebration a few times in this blog. It really is a lifeline of positive, motivating energy that feeds your thirst for change.
Tell yourself ‘I’ve done really well here’ or say ‘I’m being courageous, I’m so proud of myself.’
Praise and recognition are the golden bricks that build a robust self-esteem and self-worth.
Some people can struggle to accept compliments, let alone telling themselves they are rockin’ it! Get over this faulty wiring in your head, be kind to yourself and celebrate all of your small achievements, all of your qualities that make you the amazing, wonderful, unique human being you are!
Be generous with your praise and celebration, dust your week with random acts of kindness to yourself and others. Now if we all do this in some small way, just think how this will make an awesome life post lockdown for us all to enjoy.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this Springboard For Better series of blogs. We hope it has got you excited about the positive change you want (and will have) in your life.
To honour and celebrate in true Boom party style we have an opportunity for the brave ones in our crew. We invite you to share with us your Springboard For Better most important goal for change. Come on, there is nothing like a public declaration of commitment for ultimate accountability!
All you need to do is screenshot these constructive templates below, fill in your answers, share on your Instagram Story and don't forget to tag us. We will be releasing more templates on our Instagram soon so be sure to keep and eye out for them.
A huge THANK YOU to our friend James Lamper and his team at EmotionMatters for putting together the Springboard For Better campaign with us. If you need any support with your mental health, reach out to these guys, they’ve got it covered.
