This is the year to make moves, obé fam. Maybe you’ve just taken your first step by joining obé (welcome!), or perhaps you’re gearing up for the BodyComp program (our most intense training program yet!). No matter where you are on your journey—or what your fitness goals are—we know big things are in store for you this year. (Get inspired by these incredible moves our members made this past year!)
To help you make moves toward your biggest dreams and goals this year, we tapped instructors Kat B. and Eve C. for all their advice on manifesting—and achieving—everything you want in 2022.
1. Reflect on your past year.
Take a moment to think about the past year before jumping into goals for the new year. Ask yourself: What did you achieve—and what did you not achieve? What brought you joy? What did you spend time on that didn’t bring you joy? For more prompts, we love Silk + Sonder’s list.
Whether you journal your answers, meditate on them, or share them with a friend, reflection is an essential exercise. “It’s so, so important to get centered on who we want to be and what we want to accomplish as one year passes and another creeps in,” Eve says. Her method of choice for this reflection? The shower! “Long showers are where I do my best thinking—it’s the only time I have truly alone in the day!”
2. Look forward—and grab a pen.
“The best way to start setting any goals (including fitness goals) is with some clarifying breath work—a form of meditation,” Eve says. “When we flush everything out we can think from a clearer space.” (Or try our on-demand intention-setting meditations with Lulu S. and Liz C.!)
Next grab a pen. “Scribble any and all ideas that float to the top of your mind first,” Eve says. “Then draw big circles around the ones that are goals. Write those down, and keep those top of mind when taking any small action daily to get closer to your goals.
Eve likes to set three big goals at the top of each year: “A few years ago the top of my list was finding a digital platform that felt like home,” she says—and look how that turned out! To her, manifesting really just means deciding: “Manifesting is really just deciding our futures before they happen and making sure we stay on track to get there!”
P.S. Whether you call these goals, dreams, or resolutions, the term doesn’t really matter. “These are semantics,” Eve says. “Goals, intentions, plans, ideas, any and all of the above are great as long as you are setting them with purpose—when we are filled with purpose, we feel our best.” (More on that in #4!)
3. Get specific with your fitness goals.
Kat always encourages her clients to get as specific as possible when setting fitness goals: “It’s wonderful that you want to eat healthy and lose weight, but how are you going to do that?” The questions to ask yourself are WHEN, HOW, and WHY when setting your goals, she suggests.
For example, If your goal is to lose weight, you need to get specific about HOW you’re going to lose weight; for example, by working out and meal prepping healthy foods. Once you’ve established your HOW, ask yourself WHEN you will do these things. Working out before or after work? Meal prepping on Sundays or Saturdays? Establish it and stick to it!
4. Don’t forget your WHY.
It’s one of the secrets to getting—and staying—motivated: Finding your why. As Eve often says in class, “When we attach purpose to our actions they drive us further.”
“Your WHY is what is going to get you up early in the morning, push you one rep further in class when you’re fatigued, and help you to press play when you aren’t feeling up for it,” Kat says. Maybe it’s to feel and look your best , or perhaps it’s to reverse the onset of heart disease and live a longer, healthier life. Regardless of the specifics, your WHY is what gets you to show up day after day, she notes.
5. Set “intentions” for your fitness goals along the way.
Both intentions and goals are important, Kat says. Think of it this way: “Your goal is broader and more future-oriented, while your intention is focused on the present moment,” she explains. “For example, in class, I usually encourage members to set an intention at the beginning of class—aka what got them out of bed that morning and why they showed up today.” A few examples of intentions are to destress, stay present, or take time to focus on yourself.
“Plus, many times, the intentions that we gather throughout our days, weeks, and months help us achieve our goals,” Kat says. “I think of intentions as small steps to reach a bigger milestone, or goal!”
6. Keep revisiting your fitness goals (aka what you want to manifest).
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to manifesting? That you can just sit back and wait. Not true! “Sitting back and waiting for the world to come to you is setting yourself up to fail,” Kat says. “When I want to manifest something, I write it down on a sticky note and post it somewhere that I will see it every morning. This sticky note is a reminder to keep what I’m manifesting in mind as I move throughout my day.”
Also, don’t discount the energy that you’re putting out—as amorphous as that word is, it comes to light with the way we carry ourselves day-to-day, the actions we take, and the words we use (to speak to others—and ourselves!). “If our mindset is negative and full of self-doubt, the energy we give out will inhibit us from achieving what we’re manifesting,” Kat explains. “When we have an open heart and move through our day with a positive mindset, believing that we are worth achieving what we are manifesting, more doors are able to open for us that guide us along our manifesting journey.”
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