From Aligned Goals to Action: Moving Beyond Baby Steps

Yay! Someone read my blog! But, oops — I got caught.

Okay, so it was my mom. My mom reading my blog still counts, right?

Here’s the story. Late in the afternoon, she called to check in and ask me about a brush fire in the mountains near my home that made the news. My mom has a notorious reputation in the family for only calling at the worst possible times. I was transitioning between jobs, wrangling four kids, and trying to start dinner. Finally, I told her something like, “Mom, I don’t know anything about the fire. I haven’t seen the news. I don’t know if there’s smoke in the air — I’ve been at my computer since 4:30 this morning.”

She immediately went full Mom mode: “I thought you said in your blog you were going to start getting up from your desk and walking for ten minutes every hour.”

Yep, she caught me. I did write:

“Eating healthier and caring for my body isn’t just about hitting a number on the scale. It’s about living in alignment with my purpose so I can show up fully and wholeheartedly — for myself and everyone I serve.”

Walking ten minutes each hour was my first baby step toward that goal. I connected the goal to my purpose. It resonates with me. It’s important to me. So why haven’t I done it?

Aligning Goals Is Only the First Step

I took the first powerful step by aligning my goal with my purpose. But here’s the truth: that’s only the beginning. I didn’t follow through with a rock-solid goal-setting process.

In my last post, “SMART Goals: The Key to Turning Big Plans Into Achievable Progress,” I shared the SMART framework and these four steps:

1. Write down your big goal.
2. Use the SMART framework to clarify and make it actionable and time-bound.
3. Break it into smaller, actionable steps.
4. Identify potential obstacles and brainstorm ways to overcome them.

Let’s be honest — I didn’t follow my own advice. I wrote down my big goal: eating healthier and caring for my body. Then I jumped to step 3, picking the small step of walking ten minutes every hour.

The Missing Steps: Making It SMART

Here’s where I went off track: I skipped step 2 (making my goal SMART) and step 4 (identifying obstacles). Had I done that, I would have realized:

1. My goal wasn’t specific.
2. I hadn’t considered potential barriers, like the need to adjust my calendar or set reminders.

Let’s revise my goal using the SMART framework:

• Specific: I will complete Dr. Mindy Pelz’s 30-day Reset Plan and walk a minimum of 30 minutes daily.
• Measurable: I’ll track my eating, water consumption, and walking in a journal.
• Achievable: Yes, this goal is realistic. I didn’t jump straight to, “I’m going to run a marathon in March!”
• Relevant: This goal aligns with my purpose — to show up fully and wholeheartedly for myself and those I serve.
• Time-Bound: I will achieve this by March 1, 2025.

Baby Steps with Flexibility and Grace

You don’t need to map out every baby step all at once, but you do need to dig deep and identify what’s stopping you from moving forward.

For me, it’s often negative thoughts. That constant focus on what I’ve done wrong or how far I still have to go keeps me stuck. When I look in the mirror, it’s easy to get caught up in a self-deprecating cycle: I’m aging fast. I look tired. I’ve gained so much weight. But here’s the truth: that negative narrative doesn’t help me move forward — it keeps me where I am.

I also face practical challenges like lack of time and overwhelm. Some days, it feels like there just aren’t enough hours, and the stress spills over into my family life. Overwhelm hits hard, showing up as anxiety, moodiness, and even physical symptoms.

So how do I move forward? I focus on small, actionable steps and tackle each obstacle head-on:

• To combat negative thoughts, I reframe them. When I see a tired face in the mirror, I remind myself: “I’m proud of you for showing up today.”
• For lack of time, I carve out early mornings to get a jump start on what is important to me, even if it’s just 30 minutes.
• When overwhelm creeps in, I stop, focus on one immediate task, and let go of the rest.

From here, I can start with baby steps that are more specific to my goal, like adjusting my calendar, setting alarms, and blocking in an hour to build my 30-day journal and make a shopping list.

These steps aren’t rigid. They’re flexible and realistic, designed to help me keep moving forward without losing sight of my bigger goal.

The Power of a Coach

Here’s where a coach can make a difference. Having someone to ask the right questions and dig below the surface is a game-changer. Yes, you can do this on your own, but it’s hard to see past your limiting beliefs. I know this because I’m a coach — and I struggle to apply it to myself. Finding a coach who specializes in health and wellness is on my list of steps.

Whatever Your Path, Give Yourself Grace

Life happens. Progress won’t always look perfect, but today is a new day. Start small, stay flexible, and keep your goals SMART. You’re in this for the long haul.

Aligning your goals with your purpose is what keeps you motivated and moving forward, even when life gets tough.

Keep showing up — you’ve got this!

What’s your next baby step?