Good morning!

I do tend to get discouraged if I make big goals without stopping to set smaller goals to keep me motivated.

One of my goals is to drink more water. I know water is good for me - certainly better than the Diet Coke I would rather have - but I don't particularly like it. IF I just left my goal as "I'd like to drink more water" that doesn't set me up for success. First I need to know what I mean by more water. Is one glass a day enough? Four? I have to define it.

And then, I have to make some mini-goals. Do I need to consume a certain number of ounces before lunch? By dinner time how much should I have consumed?

And lastly, I have to give myself every chance to succeed. So in this instance, I put a small cup near the kitchen sink and I have one on my desk. Any time I get up to go downstairs, I check my desk cup to see if I need a refill. When I wash my hands throughout the day, I fill that cup up and get a few more ounces in.

In the evening, I tally up how much water I've had, and I am usually pretty pleased at how much it is.

This kind of behaviour tends to work pretty well for me for other goals, too.

Here we are on day 24 of the new year, and this is working for me so far.

Stephanie ,

Great steps towards achieving your goal. Setting your cups up throughout the day is a wise way to ensure you are getting adequate hydration.

I do drink a lot of water these days. I drank a lot of Diet Coke in the past to boost my energy on days of high fatigue . However. Diet Coke breaks down to specific acids that can damage our kidneys and bladder. I wish I really understood this years ago..Water is certainly our best bet.
Setting a timer on your phone is another option to be reminded of the need for more fluids. :)