Planning and Goal-Setting for Health with Carolyn Cohen EP 232
Jan 6, 2025
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Carolyn Cohen, a dedicated health coach, shares her passion for wellness and goal-setting. She discusses the benefits of having a wellness planner and effective habit tracking. The conversation touches on the power of wearable tech for health insights and customized planning. Carolyn introduces the innovative idea of a health planning retreat, emphasizing flexibility and self-compassion in goal-setting. Listeners are encouraged to navigate setbacks as opportunities for growth, making health a seamless part of daily life.
Carolyn Cohen emphasizes the importance of the WHOOP method for effective goal-setting by identifying wishes, outcomes, obstacles, and actionable plans.
Flexibility in tracking health habits is crucial, as shifting focus from perfection to progress fosters resilience and long-term motivation.
Deep dives
Carolyn's Journey to Health Coaching
Carolyn Cohen's journey to becoming a health coach began from a place of resistance. Coming from a family that emphasized health, she initially rejected those ideals until personal health challenges shifted her perspective. After being diagnosed with a chronic condition and witnessing similar health issues in her children, she realized the importance of health and began making changes. This personal transformation led her to explore health coaching, where she now focuses on helping others navigate their health journeys with actionable plans and insights.
The WHOOP Method for Goal Setting
One effective planning tool discussed is the WHOOP method, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan. This approach encourages individuals to articulate their wishes for health goals while visualizing the desired outcomes. Importantly, it emphasizes identifying potential obstacles and developing strategies to overcome them. By integrating this method with planning tools, clients can create actionable steps that accommodate their unique challenges and increase the likelihood of success.
The Importance of Flexibility in Tracking
The conversation highlighted the necessity for flexibility in tracking health habits, as overly strict adherence can lead to discouragement and burnout. Carolyn emphasizes that tracking should not be burdensome and encourages a mindset shift from perfection to progress. Individuals can benefit from recognizing accomplishments rather than fixating on missed goals, promoting positivity and sustaining long-term motivation. This perspective allows for building resilience when setbacks occur, treating them as learning opportunities instead of failures.
Quarterly Planning and Health Retreats
Rather than traditional yearly or monthly planning, Carolyn advocates for quarterly planning sessions to establish and assess health goals. This method strikes a balance, providing sufficient time to build habits while allowing for reflections and adjustments every three months. Additionally, she encourages self-designed health planning retreats, where individuals can dedicate time to focus on personal wellness priorities. These retreats serve as a vital practice for reflection, planning, and cultivating a supportive mindset toward health and wellness.
Carolyn Cohen is a health coach passionate about helping others reach their wellness goals, and she chats with Sarah today about how planning and goal-setting intersect with health and wellness. She discusses the pros and cons of having a separate wellness planner, effective habit tracking, the benefits of data from wearables, and more. She also introduced the idea of a health planning retreat!
Find more from Carolyn at wellnesswhilewalking.com, or check out the Wellness While Walking podcast in your favorite player!
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