How To Make 'SMARTER' Goals

 We are already into the beginning of March and some of our 2021 goals are slowly slipping away as we often get caught up in our old routines. You might think there is always next year to try again… but it is still not too late to get back on track! Whether your goal is smaller or big, near future or longer-term, or you do not even have a specific goal in mind, try implanting some of these strategies to help you set and keep on track to achieving your goals. 💪

Maybe you have heard of the acronym “SMARTER” goals which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, evaluated and re-adjusted. Too often when we set goals, we do not have any way of measuring them or think to do so. As a result, we may think we have come to think we have done so much more to achieve our goals than we really have. Or maybe you think you haven’t achieved anything when you have but instead you “throw in the towel” and all it quits. 

So, starting with step one, “S”- Specific, when you set your goal don’t just say "I want 2021 to be better than 2020". Say exactly what it is you are going to do to make 2021 better, such as: "I am going to workout 3 days a week rather than scrolling through Instagram all day, I am going to love myself, I am going to get straight A’s," etc. 

Step 2, “M” - Meaning. When something is meaningful to you, it is going to be more important to you and you are going to be more willing to do what it takes to achieve your goals. So, continuing with the goal of making 2021 better than 2020, why is it important to you that this year is better than last year? 

Step 3, “A” - Achievable. It is important to make sure your goal is within your reach, but do not make it such an easy goal that it will not make you much effort to achieve it. Since we are still in a pandemic and depending on where you are there could be a lot of restrictions to keep that in mind when setting your goal. 

Step 4, “R” - Relevant. Your goals should be relevant to you, it should not be because someone told you this should be your goal. If the goal does not match your values and beliefs, you might find yourself having trouble achieving goals. 

Step 5: “T” – Time-bound. You have to set an exact date on when you plan to achieve these goals. Since in the first step you make specific goals you wanted to achieve during this year. Depending on your goals, set intervals of when you want to have accomplished parts of your goal. This way you can measure your goals and see your progress. For example, if one of your 2021 goals is to get stronger and you are currently only able to squat 50 pounds, but your goal is to be able to squat 90 pounds by the end of the year. Break that down to 3-month intervals so in 3-months your goal is to be able to squat 60 pounds and so on. 

Step 6: “E” – Evaluate. In this step you’ll want to be continuously evaluating your methods you’ve implemented to achieve your goals. If you do not, it is easy to slip up and slowly fall out of habit and lose sight of your goals.  

Step 7: “R” – Readjust. This is the final step! So, if you find yourself getting suck or not making much of any progress to achieving your goal, you want to readjust your approach. This does not mean you have to give up on your goals but rather try out different things until you find something that works for you. This is why it is important to constantly evaluate your goals. 

While you begin implementing your SMARTER goals, it is important to be aware of your mindset as that can easily make or break your ability to achieve your goals. A few months ago, I was reading this book and one thing that really stuck with me was often people say things like “I am shy, lazy, messy", etc. to describe yourself or “this is just how I am.” By saying things like “I am this type of person” you have cut off yourself from any potential growth as you’ve decided this is who you are. It creates a negative cycle, since for example you say “I am shy” but then an amazing job opportunity arises but you can’t take it, why? Because you are shy. Unfortunately, we often lose sight of who we can be as we get stuck in the past and solely focus on what we have done rather than what we can do. My point is it is important to challenge any negative mindset you may have that is holding you back from accomplishing your goals.

-From your favourite, Peer Support Team 💚😎

Nutrition

July is all about nutrition. This month, we want you to focus on incorporating at least one NEW healthy food into your diet. This can be a daily snack, a side dish, or a whole meal. But is there anything in particular that you want to improve on in your life? Maybe you want to improve your memory, or buff up on your energy?

Recently, I found an article about the Mediterranean diet at www.sciencedaily.com. For those of you who don’t know, the Mediterranean diet originates from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean sea in Europe. “Mediterranean diet consist(s) of fish oil, olive oil, fish meal, butter, eggs, black and garbanzo bean flour, wheat flour, vegetable juice, fruit puree and sucrose.” (ScienceDaily) Meals made for this diet are usually higher in healthier fats than the typical Western diet that most domestic students are accustomed to in Canada. This diet boosts energy and, in turn, confidence, as you may not feel full and bloated after eating. Exercise is easy to add into a daily schedule as this “diet” isn’t really a diet, it’s a number of healthy choices compiled into your regular meals. The fats (olive oil, butter, eggs) mean that you will be eating less junk and fewer greasy foods because you won’t be craving them anymore. You’ll find yourself turning to chicken/fish or any kind of protein, and vegetables for lunch and dinner. These choices are the best for your stomach, according to ScienceDaily. It increases the good bacteria in your stomach and allows for better digestion.

To a large number of students, summer means vacation, sun, and relaxation. The summer months offer tons of beautiful weather to enjoy. This also means there has been a shift in the meals students eat. The summer is the best time to switch to a healthier diet. It has a plethora of delicious ingredients. Chicken souvlaki is my go-to dinner (but you can use souvlaki marinade with anything) and it majorly utilizes summer ingredients in the salad. Here is the recipe that you can use, or even play with a little — www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-souvlaki. Hopefully this meal will lead to healthy eating choices for the rest of your summer semester.

— Piper (Active KSA)

Fitness

Fitness! It’s easy to say you’ll keep up with it, but it can become a chore. Have no fear, Active KSA is here. We still have spots for our Standup Paddle Boarding Lesson and Whistler Hike (open on June 25). Fitness can be fun when you plan things with friends. Get the word out about these two awesome events!

If you can’t make it to our events, it is easy to find others instead! Articles on DailyHive will show you cool things offered this summer. Vancouver Trails is a great source for finding sweet trails to go hiking, no matter your skill level. And check out your local community centre for other group events that will get you outside and get you moving. We will have the Fall Events posted on our website and Eventbrite very soon!

— Piper & Nate (Active KSA)

Five Exercises to Study

Over the next few months, Active KSA will start to bring our readers tips and ideas to help them strive for a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Physical health is one of multiple things students tend to avoid with their hectic study and work schedules. You might think going to the gym once a week is enough, but when it comes to your body, take care of it — it’s the only one you’ve got.

Here are some ways to #getactive without leaving your study area:

1.  Pushups. 10 a day will increase the strength of your arms and chest, and help with the upper back too! Those long hours of studying will not tire you out so quickly with better posture. You can modify the pushups if the traditional way is tiresome, then build up to it.

2.  Shoulder raises. Raise them periodically from time to time, bringing them right up to your ears for about 10 seconds at a time, and it will drastically relax your body during the study session.

3.  Planking. Try to do it for 30 seconds, 3 times a day. This exercise tones stomach muscles and you will find that your balance has significantly improved over the first few weeks.

4.  Head Rotation. Try doing this when your brain is too full and starts pulling your head toward your notes. Sit up straight in your chair. Then look at the ceiling for 10 seconds. Then the ground for 10 seconds. Repeat for left and right sides. Rock your head back and forth shoulder to shoulder while looking at the ground. But never do a full rotation.

5.  Squats. Aim for 15 a day! Not only do squats tone your legs and glutes, but you’ll find that running and jumping will improve as well. Also, by strengthening your legs, your circulation will get better and you may find yourself more awake and alert.

Without regular exercise, a body becomes stagnant, depressed, and slow. The negative side effects are evident within a month of not exercising. But by adding in small workouts to your everyday routine, you can conquer the low-energy blues and #getactive!

— Piper & Nate (Active KSA)

New Year, New Perspective

Every year when the clock strikes 12 and the calendar shifts into a new year, you get that feeling that you’ve been given another chance to get your life together.

Well, that’s the dream at least…there’s that perpetual feeling that the chalkboard has been swiped clean and you get a fresh start from the troubles you want to leave behind.

So what do you do with that kind of power? Most consider: joining a gym, starting a meal plan/diet, making new friends, trying new experiences? Why not attempt it all? You’re excited, pumped even. You can’t wait to do it and be the best version of you.

Well that’s where things get rough. You start the year ambitious, you do it all, you join the gym and meal plan and make friends with the person taking the boot camp class beside you and try online dating and join a book club. By the end of January you feel like a brand new person. You can do it all, handle it all and life is flying high. Then you skip a morning workout to catch up on sleep and ignore the text from your friend reminding you of class. You stop by McDonalds on your way home because the idea of making quinoa, steamed broccoli and chicken for the 3rd time this week makes you cringe. You abandon the dating app because you’re tired of no replies or inappropriate unwanted pics. You feel even more defeated than you did at the end of 2017.

                       

Then you abandon it all and go back to everything you were trying to change for the New Year because you’ve overwhelmed yourself.

How about for 2018 you take a new approach. Choose one thing to focus on. Ask yourself what will improve your day? What will help combat your mental health daily? What is likely to become routine for you? Feeling overwhelmed can often affect your ability to make proper decisions and act rationally. When you take on too much you set yourself up for failure. Give yourself a chance to succeed in 2018, make this the year that your happiness takes precedent.

So join that gym. Just don’t push yourself to hard and go every day or multiple times a day. Start slow and work your way up so it stays enjoyable.

Or, go on another date when you are ready because love isn’t actually dead and anyone who ghosts you and send you inappropriate pics were never meant for you anyways. Just be gentle on your heart. Don’t go on date after date and try too hard, it will find you.

                                       

Or, choose a day to work on meal planning instead of slaving over the stove for hours every night so you have the rest of the week to add new activities like a book club to your life.

The point is to take that New Year feeling and harness it into a new perspective on how you want to approach your life. Because at the end of the day it’s your life and you get the chance to enjoy it as long as you don’t burden yourself with too much.

This blog post was written by Alicia, Kwantlen's Health Plan Administrator. As a KPU Student, you are automatically enrolled in a Health & Dental Plan. If you are covered by a family or work plan (with equal or greater coverage) already, you can opt out. Opting out must be done by February 2nd, 2018 for the Spring 2018 Semester. More information on your health plan here.

  

Movember At The KSA

We’re nearing the end of November, and if you’ve been wondering why you’ve been seeing a hairier campus than usual we’d like to shed some light on the situation. Over the last decade and a half, a mo’vement has sprouted on the upper lip of men worldwide. The origins of this movement lie in Melbourne, Australia - where, in 2003, couple of brucies (men) met at their local boozer (bar) to shout (buy) a couple of butchers (drinks) and yabber (talk)* about how out of style moustaches had become. They decided, on a lark, to bring the ‘stache back, and like all good jokes, they decided to take it a little too far. Thus, they invited 30 of their mates to do their best Tom Selleck impersonation and become Mo-Bros. The challenge was simple - every Bruce would pay a 10 Didgeridollar entry fee and compete for the best moustache by the end of the month (which just so happened to be November). The proceeds of this entry went towards the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

*Editor’s Note: Yes, we know Australian slang is confusing.

The following year the concept was formalized and they were able to find more than 450 men willing to participate. As the tradition (and moustaches) grew, the Movember Foundation was created and a men’s health awareness campaign was launched. The campaign addresses 4 key issues that have been identified as key risk factors in the early death of men: prostate & testicular cancer, mental health, and physical inactivity. By 2007 the Movember movement had made its way across the world with more than 130,000 participants and over $21.5 million Didgeridollars raised - that’s around $21 million Beaver Bucks! At the time of this post there have been over 5 million participants, nearly 16 million donations, and over $80 million raised for various charities.

This year Canada has the third largest Movember registrants worldwide - losing out to the original moustachioed mavericks in Australia, and those pesky Americans. At the KSA we’re getting involved in two ways:

1. You can catch us at KPU rec’s Movember 17 Dodgeball Tournament.
2. To help contribute to the cause, the Kwantlen Student Association has signed onto the Movember Foundation and needs your help to raise some coinage.
   
   

Below is a smattering of the ‘staches that the KSA has produced this Movember, ranked of course (this is a blog after all):

The Duster

Sported by Tanvir Singh, President of the KSA. The Duster is on its way to becoming a great stache, but it needs a little more time before it’s ready for the spotlight.

Verdict: 2.25 High Schooler’s First Lip Hairs/5

The Half-Way to Handlebar

You may mistake Munir Dossa’s (the KSA’s current Students of Colour Representative) stache for a beard, but you’d be mistaken. With just enough room to sneak by and qualify as a lip toupee However the lack of commitment on the curl has us hesitant to call this moustache great.

Verdict: 3 Gastown Hipsters/5

The Subtle Stubble Upgrade

On the other side of the stache/beard divide is Matt Hunt, KSA events coordinator. There is certainly a moustache there - don’t get us wrong. We just can’t rightfully call this a valid contribution to the Movember effort.

Verdict: 1 Midlife Crisis Beard/5

The Woodsman

As with the Subtle Stubble Upgrade, Jeremy McElroy, KSA General Manager, has a beard and not a moustache. However there’s no denying that there’s a great stache there just waiting to be uncovered. There are rumours that if the KSA is able to raise enough money, we may just get to see what his chin looks like. Until then, the best we can do is rate him just above the Subtle Stubble Upgrade.

Verdict: 2 Okay Lumberjacks/5

The Wizened Selleck

The GSTM, or “Greatest Stache of Them All™” is sported by Adam Rhodes, GrassRoots Cafe manager. Rumour has it that he’s been growing it since before Tom Selleck had even contemplated whiskers. We wouldn’t ask him about it though, this isn’t the kind of ‘stache that you question.

Verdict: 5 Magnum PI’s/5

Bonus: The Minimalist

Jay Reedy, Vice-President Student Life, (and author of this post) once attempted to grow a moustache. After 2 weeks this was his progress. Note the adherence to minimalism, the esoteric eccentrism of daring to call this a moustache. Truly this is a stache for an underappreciated, and misunderstood Mo-Bro.

Verdict: 0.5 Disappointing Genes/5

- Jay Reedy (VP Student Life)

Waking Up Early And Creating Routines

I get up at 4:30am every single weekday. Does that seem crazy to you? It seemed impossible to me. However, for my mental health it was a necessary step and now it’s my routine. Want to know how to do it, or how to create a routine? Tune into my story and find out!

Two years ago I went through a series of unfortunate events in my life. I felt like I had lost control of who I was and what was important to me. This led me on a journey to find ways to release my stress and learn new things about myself. Talking with my mom one day she suggested joining a local gym. My initial thought was that I had no time to dedicate going to the gym and building a routine for myself.

 

Reluctantly I joined a gym and once I realized I had to pay that same amount month after month I knew I wanted to get the best bang for my buck. However, I work a Monday-Friday day job and while that gives me the luxury of having nights and weekends off under no circumstance did I want to interfere with that. After work I would dread having to change into my workout gear, drive to the gym, fight to find a parking spot and then fight to find a machine that wasn’t drenched in sweat. Weekends were a GIANT NO because I loved my weekends and the thought of committing to something every weekend wasn’t practical for me. I like to camp, hike and use my weekends for outdoor fun.

So that left me with one option….MORNINGS….

Now, by nature I am an early riser, as a kid I got up at 6am most days. However 4:30am seemed nuts. I wanted the gym to be a part of my day without ruining the routine I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked having breakfast at home before work, I liked to shower at home in my own space. I found out my gym opens at 5am on weekdays. I started getting up at 5:30am. That way I would be at the gym by 6am, workout until 7am, go home, shower, have breakfast and get ready for work. I found the 1 hour at the gym didn’t suffice. I talk way too much and wasn’t putting the work in. So each week I would set my alarm 5-10 minutes earlier. Doing the gradual time change, as opposed to drastically changing it, helped my body adjust to the routine. That went on until I finally got to the elusive 4:30am. At 4:30am the world is quiet and it can be easy to want to stay in bed, but it’s the best time to get up.

I discovered that the people who go the gym at 5am are always in a good mood. I found that to be because they start every day challenging themselves. When you start the day on the right foot it propels you to thrive throughout the rest of your day.

Two years later and I still get up at 4:30am on weekdays. I am the happiest I have ever been. The gym became so much of a routine that I now volunteer twice a week teaching Circuit Classes. I’m not suggesting you be crazy like me but if I can make it work, even at 4:30am, you can too.

- Alicia (Kwantlen Health Plan Administer)

Looking to set up a routine for yourself? The KPU Fitness centres are free for students and we have monthly student passes to Steve Nash Gyms for as low as $5 a month. Switching gears, are you struggling or concerned with your own mental health? Check out the new MyWellness program(Also free) at mywellness.com