Chances are that some time in your life you’ve made a new goal — and then broken it. Right? Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. If you’ve been following my guidance all year long, you’ll know that I drafted a similar blog, 5 Steps to Achieving Your Dreams, in January of 2015. I wanted to revisit this issue because for many, staying on track of your goals is not the easiest thing to do.

Many people are unsuccessful in keeping on track of their goals because they need to be thoroughly guided on how to stick with them. 2016 is only a few days away, so now is the time to follow through with any new (or old) goals you’ve set out for yourself.

Here are five tips to help you stay on track…

Know The Intention Behind Your Goals
Think about your goals as intentions for yourself and for your life. For example, if your goal is to stay healthy by giving your body what it deserves – what is your intention behind that? If you know why you’ve set out these goals for yourself, you will understand that you are not just looking to achieve a goal, but rather, you are looking to change your life for the better by achieving this goal. Think about it. Many of the greatest lifestyle changes start with a simple goal.

Take Small Steps
If you’re goal is a major lifestyle change, don’t be alarmed if it seems unachievable. Instead of looking at the big picture, take small steps to get there. Create a plan for yourself by breaking down your goal setting steps month by month, week by week, and day by day. Actionable baby steps are more manageable and doable.

Encourage Yourself
A little discouragement is normal, but you mustn’t let it take over. Become a positive coach for yourself, and continually give yourself positive feedback, praise, and recognition. It is important to look for small signs of progress and celebrate them.

Stay Solution-Oriented
If you aren’t making progress or if you slip into old habits, don’t dwell on your “mistake.” Rather than staying stuck in self-judgment and guilt, take action and admit what you did or didn’t do. Stay solution-oriented. Ask yourself, “What am I going to do about it?” Self-forgiveness improves both self-esteem and determination.

Accept Setbacks
We’re all human and we all make mistakes. It does no good to get depressed or disillusioned by setbacks in trying to reach your goals. In fact, if you know ahead of time that there are going to be times in which you cannot live up to a certain step or schedule you’ve set, accepting it and moving on will help you stay determined. The last thing you want to do is quit if something doesn’t go as planned. Tomorrow is a new day, so let go of the past and try again.

Keeping these few simple tips in mind may help to increase your chances of success. Consider that 2016 is not only a time to make changes in your life, but also a time to be thankful for being alive and well for another year.

For more information on how to stay on track with your goals, or if you’d like to book a 2-hour complimentary coaching session with me, please email me at info@paulagalli.com.

I also invite you to check out my book ‘Weighing Love,’ which was written with the intention to help anyone who is dealing with eating disorders/disordered eating, self-esteem issues, body image issues, and negative thoughts, or for anyone who is trying to reach touch with their authentic self.

Xo Paula

The holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends. Unfortunately, for many of us, it also becomes a time where we forget to practice mindful eating habits. I’m here to tell you that the holidays don’t have to break these habits we worked so hard on all year long. By implementing a few simple tips, your eating habits can stay practical, even through the holiday season.

Here are a few tips to help you out…

Don’t Over-Indulge
The truth is, you’re going to eat more around the holidays. Between staff parties and family get-togethers, food will definitely be in the picture. I’m not telling you miss out on these delicious treats, but rather to proportion your plate. Don’t just eat all the cookies at the party or stack your plate full of bread. Instead, mindfully taste each food for what its worth and eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed.

Be Realistic
It is important to remember that it doesn’t matter if it’s the holidays or not, your relationship with food should always remain the same. Choose to eat your from a place of self-love, where the most important things about eating are filling your body of nutrients and not holding back on the things that you enjoy.

Don’t Skip Meals
You should never starve yourself during the day because you know that you’ll be eating a lot that night. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or some trail mix to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.

Don’t Focus On Food So Much
Turn baking time into non-edible project time like making wreaths or art decorations. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t solely centered around food.

Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking
Prepare healthy holiday dishes to promote healthy holiday eating. You could also bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering to keep yourself (and others) on track.

Staying on track of your mindful eating habits during the holidays doesn’t have to be difficult. Just remember to plan a time for fun activities, incorporate healthy recipes into your holiday meals, and don’t restrict yourself from enjoying your favorite holiday foods. In the long run, your mind and body will thank you.

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For more information on how to practice mindful eating habits during the holidays, please visit my earlier blog, or the media section of my website, where there are multiple radio interviews regarding mindful eating during the holidays.

Additionally, if you would like to book a 2-hour complimentary coaching session with me, please email me at info@paulagalli.com.

I also invite you to check out my book ‘Weighing Love,’ which was written with the intention to help anyone who is dealing with eating disorders/disordered eating, self-esteem issues, body image issues, and negative thoughts, or for anyone who is trying to reach touch with their authentic self.

Happy Holidays!

Xo Paula

In light of this month’s theme, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite quotes about self-confidence. I know first hand how rewarding it is to receive positive reinforcement, and many times, I look for it in inspirational quotes like the ones I have outlined below.

If you have times when your confidence is low, please know you’re not alone. Of course, we all need some simple reminders of this truth. We need something or someone to derail us from this negative thinking so we can retrain our brains to accept the positive truth about our potential for greatness.

So, to remind you that who you already are is pretty incredible, and to inspire you to become even more awesome — here are some of my favorite quotes about self-confidence.

1. “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

2. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

3. “Don’t let mental blocks control you. Set yourself free. Confront your fear and turn the mental blocks into building blocks.”
― Roopleen, Words to inspire the winner in YOU

4. “Fear? What has a man to do with fear? Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown. Best live as we may, from day to day.”
― Sophocles, Oedipus Rex

5. “You are magnificent beyond measure, perfect in your imperfections, and wonderfully made.”
― Abiola Abrams, The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love

6. “Trust your eyes, Trust your tummy, Trust yourself. That’s how you know who to listen to.”
― Land Before Time

7. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”
―Marianne Williamson

8. “Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered — just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.”
―Barrie Davenport

9. “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
―Dr. Benjamin Spock

10. “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
―Vincent Van Gogh

For more information on boosting your self-confidence, or if you’d like to book a 2-hour complimentary coaching session with me, please email me at info@paulagalli.com.

I also invite you to check out my book ‘Weighing Love,’ which was written with the intention to help anyone who is dealing with eating disorders/disordered eating, self-esteem issues, body image issues, and negative thoughts, or for anyone who is trying to reach touch with their authentic self.

Xo Paula

If you can determine what your talents are, you can tap into an amazing resource that can help you in every aspect of your life. A talent is an ability or natural capacity that we have. We all have them, but not always are we successful in identifying what they are. Sometimes our talents can be right in front of us, and we miss them completely.

If you still haven’t found what your talent is, don’t fret! Many people, even well into adulthood, have yet to figure this out. Why? Because we are often too close to what is going on in our own lives to notice our natural abilities. That is why I have listed (below) five simple ways to find your hidden talents.

Listen To Others
Sometimes it’s easier for others to see your talents better than you can. I’m sure you’ve heard others tell you that you’re good at something, right? Now is the time to listen. You may just discover something new about yourself!

Gauge Your Abilities
Determine the things that come easy for you. If you can do certain things super easily, that others find super difficult, then you’re one step closer to figuring out what hidden talent you may have.

Ask Questions
Ask the people close to you to give you an honest assessment about how they see you and what they think your talents are. Ask them to share the one or two things that they think you excel in. Make sure to ask these people one-on-one rather than in a group. This will allow you to compile the results separately and then compare to see if their answers relate.

Go Back In Time
Take a step back and look to your past. As you reflect on yourself in search of your talents, start by looking at the things you’ve done, the things you’ve enjoyed and the things you’ve really excelled at. Ask yourself questions like “What am I most proud of to date?” or “When was I so proud that I didn’t care what anyone thought?” This reflection will help you discover your hidden talents. I promise!

Keep Track Of Your Successes
If you’re feeling talentless, it could possibly be because you’ve been missing out on your own successes. As mentioned, we are often too close to what is going on in our own lives to notice what our natural abilities are. That is why it is important pay close attention to your successes, as they will help you identify things for which you might have a natural talent for.

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For more information on discovering your talents, or if you’d like to book a 2-hour complimentary coaching session with me, please email me at info@paulagalli.com.

I also invite you to check out my book ‘Weighing Love,’ which was written with the intention to help anyone who is dealing with eating disorders/disordered eating, self-esteem issues, body image issues, and negative thoughts, or for anyone who is trying to reach touch with their authentic self.

Xo Paula