The STAY Model

As we prepare to ring in the New Year, many things come to mind. Resolutions, a start of a new decade or maybe just the fact that we are in the middle of winter are common thoughts. Another all-too-common thought is the fact that you just threw your routine out the window during the holiday season.

We have discussed the importance of preparation for the holidays. In doing so, we have covered specific ways to keep your routine on track during the holidays despite all the challenges. One thing that we don’t hear as much about is recovering from the holidays. It is easy to say: “get back on track” or “set goals for this year and stick to them”. Those are great ideas, but it is more difficult to actually make those things happen.

The PLAY Model is a guide to holiday survival. Hopefully it helped you get through the season without feeling like you lost track of your goals. For those of you that successfully navigated the gatherings with your routine intact, the next step is to maintain your momentum. If the season wasn’t successful for you, now it’s time to go beyond the previously discussed ideas and put them into action.

The STAY Model is a guide for holiday recovery and long-term success. To review the PLAY Model:

P- Planning
Planning your events and obligations can make it more manageable. Many of us try to be everywhere and do everything. Before committing to going everywhere or doing everything, take a look at when and where things are taking place. Often, by making some decisions or even just minding the order of your events, you can make life much easier on yourself. Plus, once you know you plan on going to an event, you can make adjustments to the rest of your week or day to make sure that you aren’t overwhelmed.

L- Listing
Once you’ve decided which events you will attend, list them or put them on your calendar. Seeing them in an organized (planned) way can feel less overwhelming. Armed with the list of your obligations, you are better equipped to handle the season. Have you ever felt like you were never done? Or you always had another place to be? If you put together a schedule and stick with it, you won’t feel this way. In fact, just seeing the events can help you feel more in control. And when you are in control, everything is easier.

A- Attending
This seems odd, I know, but by attending is the next step. It sounds automatic to be there, but this is taking it to another level. By attending, I mean truly being present the events. When you are consciously and making an effort to enjoy yourself will remind you of why you are going in the first place. Some people like to list all of the positives of attending events before they go in order to focus on the positives. This can help you stick with diet goals by enjoying a conversation instead of going back for more pie.

Y- You
It’s all about you. This should probably be the first step, but that would ruin my acronym. YOU can decide what is realistic and what’s not. As you look at your goals, you can decide what you want to do. Making sure you stick to your plan through busy times will help you stay energetic and feeling good. If you are feeling good and taking the time for yourself, you will be able to prevent unnecessary stress from ruining your holiday season.

Now that we’ve reviewed the PLAY Model, let’s get into the STAY Model. This is your key to keeping things on track during and getting things back on track after the holiday season.

S - Set Goals
You have to set goals to get anywhere. The key to this season is making sure you know what you want to accomplish. That way, you can actually accomplish it. Think of your goal as the plan. Stick to the plan and you will be successful.

T- Take it to the next level
Once you have set your goal, you will run into challenges. That doesn’t mean that you should quit. It just means that you will have to go outside of your comfort zone in order to get what you want. Just doing the same old thing rarely leads to success.

A – Arm yourself
Don’t be afraid to take a look at where you are. If you are not exactly where you want to be, you don’t have to give up. You may just need a boost or change in plans to get you to the next level. By making it easy for yourself, you are arming yourself with the tools you need. Setting up your schedule and focusing on your goals

Y - You
It’s still about you! No matter how you look at it, there is no one else that can determine your health. You decide what you want to do and you can do it. But the only way you can succeed is if you are willing to set goals, take it to the next level, arm yourself and focus on what YOU want.

The better prepared you are to start the new year, the better the year will go for you.