Inspired Action: The Building Blocks of Progress
Manifesting your healthiest self is a journey of inspiration and progress. As you prioritize your wellness, you become the change you seek by making intentional, different choices. The key to making progress lies in inspired action—deciding to act in a way that aligns with your goals and brings you closer to your vision.
But here’s the catch: To make meaningful progress, you must be inspired into action.
Inspired action is intentionally doing something you believe will move you closer to your goal. Think of it like building a foundation: you must take one step before taking the next. So, how do you ignite inspiration to start taking action?
Be Inspired: It Starts with Excitement
Inspiration sparks excitement and enthusiasm, making you eager to create change. However, wanting to change or feeling enthusiastic about it isn’t enough. You need to harness that desire as a catalyst to act—whether trying something new, stopping a habit, or modifying your current routine. Let’s look at two people and how their different mindsets affect their motivation.
A Tale of Two Goals: Sally and Nancy
Sally's Goal: Sally wants to lose 20 pounds, so she joins a weight loss group. She picks a diet that suits her needs, hangs up her old bikini as a daily reminder of her goal, and joins a gym. Excitedly, she clears her kitchen of non-compliant foods, goes grocery shopping, and prepares healthy meals for the week ahead.

But the night before she begins her new action plan, she stands in front of the mirror, staring at the bikini in her closet. Suddenly, the doubts start creeping in:
“I’m so fat; this is going to be hard.”
“I can’t eat anything outside my planned meals.”
“This means I can’t go out with my friends anymore; I’ll eat or drink something I shouldn’t.”
“It’s supposed to rain on Thursday, so I won’t be able to walk like I planned, even though I joined a gym!”
“What if I lose weight but have loose skin?”
“I’ll never look good in that bikini again.”
Are you inspired? Me neither.
Shift Your Focus: From Deprivation to Possibility
Sally’s mindset puts her in a place of deprivation and resistance. She focuses on what she has to give up and how she wants things to return to the past (like fitting into an old bikini). This mental trap keeps her stuck and makes it harder to take positive action.
Sally is undermining her progress by focusing on what she can’t do. Instead, if she shifts her focus toward the future, she can build excitement for the possibilities ahead. She could start imagining how she’ll feel when she reaches her goal and how good it will feel to step into a healthier lifestyle without the pressure of the past.
Make Progress: The Power of Future-Focused Goals
Nancy's Goal: Nancy also wants to lose 20 pounds, but her focus is slightly different. Instead of obsessing over the number on the scale, she decides to re-engage in an activity she used to love: hiking. She’s excited about the possibility of hiking again without knee pain or losing her breath. Her goal is to work her way up to a 6-mile hike on weekends.
Nancy also chooses a diet that fits her needs but doesn’t just focus on weight loss. She focuses on how she wants to feel when hiking—strong, energized, and pain-free. Each small change she makes brings her closer to her goal, but her inspiration is rooted in the future—what she will gain rather than what she’s giving up.
The night before Nancy begins her new plan, she imagines how adding small daily changes will help her feel stronger:
“If I walk an extra 500 steps a day, that’s over 3,000 extra steps this week!”
“I’ll ice my knees if I feel discomfort to keep inflammation down.”
“I’ll park at the back of the lot to get in some extra steps on the way to work.”
“I’ll eat my lunch outside or in the cafeteria instead of at my desk to get more steps in.”
“While I watch the news tonight, I can walk on my rebounder.”
“I can’t wait to hike this summer!”

See the Difference?
She examines how she will feel when she reaches her goal and the activities she’ll enjoy. By shifting her attention to the exciting possibility of hiking again, Nancy stays inspired and motivated.
How to Make a Future-Focused Goal
Ditch Resolutions and Focus on Self-Care: Instead of making rigid resolutions prioritize self-care. When you care for yourself, you naturally start to gravitate toward the things that are right for you, setting you on the path to your goals.
Reflect and Honor Your Past: Embrace every age you’ve ever been and every experience you’ve had. They’ve all contributed to who you are today. Honor your journey as part of the process of moving forward.
Identify Your Needs and How You Want to Feel: Identify what areas of your life need attention and focus on how you want to feel. Once you know what needs your loving attention, you can take action—whether it’s doing something new, stopping something old, or letting go of something that no longer serves you.
Choose to Love Yourself No Matter What: Intentional self-love means you’re actively creating your future. By choosing to love and believe in yourself, you raise your vibration and set the stage for positive change, personal growth, and a fulfilling future.
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