Fresh Start 0.2

Making changes and sticking to them

Planning is the secret to making change happen. A great plan shows where you are today, sets out where you want to be in the future and describes what you need to do to get there. 

Here’s how to get started:

Find a quiet spot.
Spend about 15 minutes imagining how you would like life to be in 3, 6 or 12 months and why.
Picture what that would look and feel like.
Try to write it down or draw it.

'Goals help you understand what is important to you and why. This will keep you motivated as you start to make changes'

Not setting goals in the right way can often be the reason they don't work out.

The right way to set a goal is to:

Give yourself a set amount of time to reach it.
Make it something you can measure. This often means it has a number, for example ‘I will eat five portions of fruit and veg a day’.
Write down why it is important for you to reach your goal.

Get Going

  'Actions are the small steps you need to take to reach your goal. The best actions include what to do and when to do it'

What first?

Actions that may help you manage your diabetes include eating healthy food, being more active, sleeping better and showing yourself kindness. But you can choose anything that helps you get closer to your goal.

The trick here is to be as specific as possible. For example, rather than saying ‘I want to sleep better’ you could say ‘I won’t watch television or use my mobile phone in the hour before bed.’

When?

The best actions are ones that you can make part of your daily routine. For example, walking to the shops instead of getting the bus, swapping your morning biscuit for a piece of fruit, or spending the hour before bed doing something that helps you relax instead of using your phone. Actions need to be realistic.

Start planning by using our Goal and Action Planner below to see some examples and create your own plan.