How to do a self audit and why you should try it [free graphic!]
For this post I was planning to do a “2021 goal review” to check up on how I’ve been doing on the goals and intentions I set at the beginning of January, and hopefully inspire you to do the same. But I thought, how much more helpful would this be if I guided you in doing this yourself? Do you ever do little self-audits or check-ins to see how you’re doing right now compared to where you’re trying to be?
Truthfully, I learned so much in my training to become a transformational mindset coach (TCM). If you haven’t heard of TCM, it’s a coaching strategy that is used for pretty much any type of coach - health, life, writing, sports, you name it. TCM is a method that helps you redirect your neurological pathways to either stop bad habits, or create new better ones. Talk about powerful, right?
These “self-audits” are a very regular practice in the coaching world and I have loved bringing them into my personal life ever since. A self-audit is a practice where you take an honest look over each area of your life (habits, goals, etc) and see whether or not you’re making progress, if you’re going the direction you are wanting to go, and see what has been working in doing so or what hasn’t.
Oftentimes we’re going through life at full speed, maybe a little overwhelmed but not quite sure why. On the opposite side of the spectrum we might be fully thriving unlike we have in years. Either way, isn’t it important to notice what could be causing either the stress or the really great times? What have we recently changed that is working really well, or not at all?
There’s a massive movement in the wellness industry right now advocating for mental health and I am definitely behind that one. Mental health is arguably just as important as physical, if not more important. The times when I feel my happiest I notice that I’m being much more intentional with my thoughts, my routines, my mindset, and my everyday life. Personally, the lowest points in my life physically have been the lowest mentally as well. Even in my coaching practice, every single time a client had an issue losing weight or getting to the healthy lifestyle they desired it was because something else in their life was also off. Enter self-audits!
Let’s dive in and go through one together!
Habit Check
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit” - Aristotle
At the beginning of the year I mentioned a few goals that I had for myself. Most of those I broke down further into monthly goals. For January it looked a bit like this:
Run 5 miles per week
Do 1 pullup
The one touch tidying method
Floss Daily
Don’t be so hard on myself
How it went:
5 miles per week - Well friends, I figured out that this is not a goal I actually wanted. I love running for the mental aspect, but I also love so many other types of workouts. The intention of this goal was not to workout more or harder, but to go back to my running days that I loved a few years ago. But, I quickly realized that in January in Northern Italy, it just doesn’t have the same effect! Often I found myself running because I said I would, not because I really wanted to. Especially in the colder months it doesn’t give me the mental high I love because I’m so darn cold! This one I gracefully said goodbye to.
1 Pullup - nailed it! This was a great example of the fact that we are stronger (mentally, physically, emotionally) than we think we are.
Floss Daily - Missed a few days, but pretty much nailed it! It’s small wins like these that help make the process of the bigger ones possible.
One touch tidying method - I’ll be honest it’s about a 50/50. But the days that it happens I feel great! It’s sort of like the idea that when your home is in order, your mind is in order.
Not being so hard on myself - she’s a work in progress my friends. This is another post for another day, but I try to be vulnerable with you and show you that no matter what, we all struggle with this in one way or another and it takes work and grace to improve. But work and be graceful we shall!
With the completion of the month you can do a little look back like I did, and from there, create next month’s goals in a way that will help you get even closer to the ideal version of you that you desire to be!
You can do this by asking yourself some of these questions:
What habits do you want to keep from last month?
What are 3 things you’re proud of from last month?
What worked well for you in making a new habit stick? Why did it stick?
What didn’t work for you?
Were there any goals you had that you figured out aren’t really helping you be your best self (like my running goal!)?
What habits or goals did not make you feel your best? Either new or old.
What do you want to improve on next month?
When you go through the questions that ask what didn’t go well, or what didn’t make you feel your best, take it one step further by asking yourself what you need instead. Maybe you need more connection, friendship, sleep, rest or relaxation time. Or maybe you need to focus more on a healthier diet, or more exercise. Try to objectively look at these and really let down your ego (don’t worry, we all do it! I talk all about that in my book To Kale And Back).
I like to take this even deeper by looking at each area of life and considering where I may be holding myself back without even being consciously aware of it. Use the image below as a little cheat sheet from my e-course Thrive: Food, Fitness, And Life to see how to do that!
A life would be all dots on the outside forming a perfect circle. But remember, nobody is perfect and most of us have something that resembles nothing like a circle! All we can do is try to show up better than we did yesterday.
The goal is to direct your attention and every day habits or efforts to the one or two things you are least satisfied with. Like I said, this may actually surprise you!
P.S. if you’re having trouble sticking to good habits or getting rid of some bad habits, I just read “Badass Habits” by Jen Sincero and I really enjoyed it. Check it out if you’re looking for a little extra guidance!
I would love to hear how this blog helped or inspired you. Never hesitate to leave a comment, or DM me over on Instagram! Let me know all of your wins!