Why I won't be drinking more water in 2019

In a bid to set some meaningful goals for 2019, I've been following Lara Casey's series, which has been really inspiring and got me thinking about the kind of goals I'm setting and why I'm setting them. I've gone through the whole process, of reflecting on 2018 and on my current situation, trying to visualise where I want to be in 2020 (or even 2070), and then thinking about what I can do now in order to get there.


I decided on my word for the year, and then scribbled out some possible goals. Now, here is where it gets tough. You're supposed to write down the goal (making sure it's SMART), and then write down the WHY behind it.

I had all these grand dreams, all these visions of how 2019 was going to be amazing. I was totally going to finish up the year looking fabulous, feeling fabulous, having some kind of fabulous life... and then I asked myself the Why question.

And most of the time? I couldn't answer it.

You see, the why question, I've found, really exposes your motivations and priorities. I had analysed seven areas of my life, and come up with fourteen goals in total. But upon closer inspection many of them were things I felt like I 'should' do, or were things that other people are probably doing but that I actually have no interest in.

For example, drinking water. It has been (rightly) pointed out to me that I don't drink enough water. Don't get me wrong, I drink a lot... of lattes, diet coke and wine, but I don't drink enough water based products. If I am feeling very virtuous I might forego my mid-morning latte for an orange squash.

I know, that I would probably feel more healthy if I made more of an effort in this area, but I also know that I won't. I don't like water, I have easy access to lattes, I need a regular caffeine boost - there are numerous reasons why I will continue in my current habits, but there are far less reasons for me to drink water (other than I should).

So that put paid to that. I couldn't find a strong enough 'why' behind my 'drink more water' goal, so it got scratched off the list. I do have a couple of other health goals that will remain on the list for now, but that won't remain a priority. I'll explain more of that in a bit, but to get started, here's the rest of the list:

  • To eat less junk
  • To run once per week
  • To contact a far-away friend once per week
  • To utilise Sunday afternoons as a social day with friends
  • Date night out once per month
  • Family days once per month
  • Invest more in time with our parents
  • Read Bible in a year
  • Keep prayer envelope
  • Stick to a budget
  • Pay off specific debts
  • Blog at least once per week and work towards a YouTube presence (watch this space...)

So, the ones in bold are the priority ones. They are a priority because either they are really important, or they require significant, intentional changes in order to be achieved. The others, I am hoping will come to pass if I focus on my Word for the Year - and that change in mindset will give way to lifestyle changes.

(By the way, I know what I've written here are not SMART goals but I didn't want to bore you with all the details!).

So, what have I learnt from this goal-setting process?

  • You don't have to have it all sorted by January 1st - heck, I don't! My goals are still evolving, I'm still learning about how I feel about last year. I have more time now than I did on December 31st. And there's always a new day to get started!
  • There's no point aiming for something if you know you're not even going to start. Drinking more water? What was I thinking? Let's be real, it's not going to happen!
  • You have to have a strong enough 'why'. And sometimes, the obvious reasons (e.g. it's healthy) aren't enough for you - it's got to be real to you, personal. You want to set yourself some health goals? Try 'I want to have enough energy to achieve all the things I need to get done in a day', or 'I want to set a great example to my kids'... sometimes the 'right' answer isn't the one that's going to motivate you to begin.
  • I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. My goals need to be big. I could have put 'read the Bible every day' - it's not enough. What am I reading? Where do I start? I've tried bible reading plans before that are like five days long (start small!), and failed after day 1. It felt almost too achievable! It needs to be a challenge, a big goal that I feel like I need to get out in front of. Bible in a year? Hell, yes, I am already three days ahead.
  • I've got to enjoy it. I've got to make it fun. If it's not interesting, enjoyable or fun, I ain't bothering!

And if you need another goal-setting, productivity ninja who is real, and full of wisdom - check out Jordan Page - love her content!

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Why I won't be drinking more water in 2019 Why I won't be drinking more water in 2019 Reviewed by Love Emily on January 20, 2019 Rating: 5

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