**

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, it's becoming increasingly apparent that mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being. Yet, despite its significance, mental health remains a stigmatized and often overlooked issue. At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to changing this narrative and creating a world where individuals can freely discuss and address their mental health needs.

### The State of Mental Health Today

Mental health affects us all, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, or background. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people will experience a mental health disorder each year. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for accessible, affordable, and effective mental health support services. Unfortunately, many individuals struggle to access the care they need due to a lack of resources, social stigma, and inadequate mental health infrastructure.

### Arfi Foundation's Approach to Mental Health

At Arfi Foundation, we recognize the importance of addressing mental health through a holistic and multi-faceted approach. Our organization is dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health services, education, and advocacy to empower individuals, families, and communities to take control of their mental well-being.

We offer a range of programs and services, including:

* **Mental Health Counseling:** Our team of licensed therapists provides confidential, one-on-one counseling sessions to address a variety of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship issues.
* **Group Therapy:** We offer group therapy sessions focused on specific topics, such as stress management, mindfulness, and coping skills.
* **Workshops and Education:** Our workshops and training sessions provide individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to maintain good mental health and well-being.
* **Advocacy and Support:** We advocate for mental health policy changes and provide support to individuals and families affected by mental illness.

### Breaking Down Stigma and Promoting Awareness

One of the key challenges in addressing mental health is stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental illness. At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to breaking down these barriers through education, awareness, and advocacy.

We believe that mental health is just as important as physical health and that individuals should feel empowered to discuss their mental health without fear of judgment or rejection. Our organization works tirelessly to promote mental health awareness through various campaigns, events, and community outreach programs.

### Practical Tips for Maintaining Good Mental Health

While Arfi Foundation is dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health services, there are many practical steps individuals can take to maintain good mental health:

* **Practice self-care:** Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies.
* **Build a support network:** Surround yourself with loved ones, friends, and a mental health professional who can provide emotional support.
* **Stay connected:** Regularly check in with others, whether through phone calls, video chats, or in-person visits.
* **Prioritize sleep and nutrition:** Establish a healthy sleep routine and eat a balanced diet to support mental health.

### Conclusion

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and it's essential that we prioritize this area of health. At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to providing comprehensive mental health services, education, and advocacy to empower individuals, families, and communities to take control of their mental well-being. By breaking down stigma, promoting awareness, and providing accessible resources, we can create a world where mental health is valued and supported.

### Get Involved

If you're struggling with your mental health or know someone who is, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us at [insert contact information]. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for mental health.

**EXCERPT:** Arfi Foundation is breaking the silence on mental health, providing comprehensive services, education, and advocacy to empower individuals and communities to take control of their mental well-being. By promoting awareness, breaking down stigma, and offering accessible resources, we're creating a world where mental health is valued and supported.

**

At Arfi Foundation, we believe that mental health is just as important as physical health, yet it's often overlooked and stigmatized. Mental health affects one in four people worldwide, and it's time we break the silence and start a conversation. In this blog post, we'll delve into the world of mental health, discussing its importance, common misconceptions, and how Arfi Foundation is working to make a difference.

**Understanding Mental Health**

Mental health encompasses a range of emotional, psychological, and social well-being aspects. It's not just about feeling happy or sad; it's about being able to cope with life's challenges, build strong relationships, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Mental health issues can be caused by various factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences. Common mental health conditions include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

**Common Misconceptions**

There are many misconceptions surrounding mental health, which often hinder people from seeking help. Here are a few:

- Mental illness is a sign of weakness. This is far from the truth. Mental illness is a treatable condition that requires professional help and support.
- Mental health issues are only experienced by a small percentage of the population. As mentioned earlier, one in four people worldwide experiences mental health issues.
- Talking about mental health will only make things worse. In reality, talking about mental health can help individuals feel heard, understood, and supported.

**How Arfi Foundation is Making a Difference**

At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to breaking the silence and providing support to those struggling with mental health issues. Our organization works tirelessly to:

- Raise awareness: We organize workshops, events, and campaigns to educate people about mental health, reduce stigma, and promote understanding.
- Provide counseling services: Our team of trained therapists offers one-on-one counseling sessions, group therapy, and online support groups to help individuals cope with mental health issues.
- Empower communities: We work with local communities to develop mental health programs, build awareness, and provide resources to those in need.
- Advocate for policy change: We collaborate with policymakers and influencers to push for mental health-friendly policies and legislation.

**Practical Information and Insights**

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, here are some practical tips:

- Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional for support.
- Engage in self-care activities, such as exercise, meditation, or creative pursuits, to help manage stress and emotions.
- Practice mindfulness and self-compassion by acknowledging your emotions and treating yourself with kindness.
- Take small steps towards seeking help, such as attending a mental health workshop or joining an online support group.

**Conclusion**

Breaking the silence around mental health requires a collective effort. At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to making a difference by providing support, raising awareness, and advocating for policy change. If you're struggling with mental health issues or know someone who is, remember that you're not alone. Reach out to us, and let's work together to create a more supportive and understanding community.

**EXCERPT:** At Arfi Foundation, we're breaking the silence around mental health by providing support, raising awareness, and advocating for policy change. Join us in our mission to create a more supportive and understanding community, where everyone can thrive.

**

Mental health is a topic that affects us all, regardless of age, background, or socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, it remains a stigmatized issue, with many people struggling in silence due to fear of judgment or repercussions. However, it's essential to acknowledge that mental health is just as crucial as physical health. Our minds are capable of incredible feats, from solving complex problems to experiencing deep emotions and connections with others. Yet, the pressure to constantly perform, achieve, and conform can take a toll on our mental well-being.

At Arfi Foundation, we're committed to breaking the silence surrounding mental health and providing a safe, supportive environment for individuals to open up and seek help. Our team of trained professionals and volunteers work tirelessly to offer a range of services, including counseling, therapy, and support groups. We believe that everyone deserves access to quality mental health care, regardless of their financial situation or social status.

One of the key initiatives of Arfi Foundation is our mental health awareness program. Through this program, we engage with local communities, schools, and workplaces to educate people about the importance of mental health and the signs of mental illness. We also provide resources and workshops to help individuals develop coping strategies, manage stress, and maintain good mental well-being. By promoting mental health awareness, we aim to reduce stigma and encourage people to speak openly about their struggles.

In addition to our awareness program, Arfi Foundation also offers one-on-one counseling sessions and group therapy. Our therapists work with individuals to identify and address underlying issues, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and build resilience. We also provide support groups for those struggling with specific mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. These groups offer a safe space for individuals to share their experiences, connect with others who understand their struggles, and receive support and guidance.

So, what can you do to support mental health and well-being? Here are some practical tips:

1. **Practice self-care**: Make time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies.
2. **Seek help when needed**: Don't be afraid to reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional for support.
3. **Stay connected**: Build and maintain strong relationships with loved ones, and engage in social activities to combat loneliness.
4. **Prioritize sleep**: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night to help regulate your mood and reduce stress.
5. **Stay active**: Regular exercise can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

In conclusion, mental health is a critical aspect of our overall well-being, and Arfi Foundation is committed to providing comprehensive support and resources to individuals struggling with mental health issues. By breaking the silence surrounding mental health, promoting awareness, and offering practical help, we aim to create a society where everyone can thrive. Join us in our mission to revolutionize mental health support and break the stigma surrounding this important issue.

**GET INVOLVED:** If you're interested in learning more about Arfi Foundation's mental health initiatives or would like to get involved, please visit our website or contact us directly. Together, we can create a world where mental health is prioritized and supported.

Like everybody else, at the end of every December, I start thinking hard about what I want the next year to be like for me. You can chalk it up to all the Capricorn placements in my birth chart if you want (and I do!) or blame the cultural obsession with a "new year, new me" approach, but I take my New Year's resolutions seriously and generally try to come up with realistic, actionable plans to improve myself and my life. It's easy to identify the things I want to change and even easy to figure out how, exactly, I should do that, but that doesn't mean it's easy to stick to the new plan. Real life gets in the way no matter what year it is, but the degree to which it does that can be managed. When it comes to habit-forming, sometimes you have to play hardball. Coming off a wildly successful year of sticking to the resolutions I made 12 months ago, here's how I use penalties to succeed in my resolutions.

What do I mean by New Year's resolution "penalties?"

When you're trying to make a change, an intrinsic reward may not always cut it. Sure, you know that you'll boost your endorphins and strengthen your body if you go to the gym more often, but that takes time to play out and is easy to give up on if you're not seeing immediate results. I always recommend cleaning your home in bursts, bit by bit, too, so you won't get overwhelmed—but again, if you don't see fast progress, you can quickly lose motivation.

I've found that the solution here is to stop looking for intrinsic motivation at all and start motivating yourself with external stakes—but more elevated, urgent ones than you might think. My extrinsic motivator for the gym is, obviously, to look better in addition to feeling better, but that takes time. My extrinsic motivator for cleaning is to make my home nice in case people come over, but what if they don't for a few weeks? The stakes need to be higher and more immediate.

Sorry to say it, but you need to assign penalties to your goals, especially your New Year's resolutions. A resolution can't be as simple as, "I resolve to call my mom more often." You need an implementation strategy, like setting up a defined time for when you'll do that, plus a little extra motivation. Consider, then, "I resolve to call my mom three times per week or else I will send her a bouquet." It's easier to make three phone calls than spend over $80 on some flowers, and your mom would probably appreciate both, so the money-saving here should motivate you to get the calls done.

If you aren't already, become familiar with the concept of SMART goals, which are goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound. "I resolve to work out more" is too vague. "I resolve to go to the gym for 30 or more minutes four times per week, every week, for the first six months of the year, or else I will buy a more expensive gym membership as both punishment and motivation," on the other hand...

Ideas for resolution penalties

I use penalties all the time in my daily life and have for years. I've always been a calorie counter and nutrient tracker, but a few years ago, I noticed if I ate a particularly calorie-dense meal (which is fine!) I would simply stop entering in all my nutrient totals for that day (which was less fine). I like turning all the details of my health into measurable data, so the fact that this would snowball into me getting lackadaisical about meal tracking for a few days wasn't doing much to serve my overall goals. I implemented a personal penalty system that involved getting a treat, like a pudding cup or hot chocolate, at the end of every day when I entered all my foods honestly. That worked fine for me, since I am pretty good at holding my own self accountable, but it may not be enough for you. Nothing is actually stopping you from just eating the pudding cup with no preamble. Here are some other ideas:

• Tell a few people about your resolutions and schedule periodic check-ins with them. You don't want to get asked by a friend how your money-saving resolution is going and have to tell them you forgot to stash any away this week. Choose a friend who is responsible and, ideally, one who will give you a little bit of a hard time if you don't follow through. I deputized one of my friends to bother me about my financial habits three years ago and, thanks to her commitment to being as incessantly annoying as possible, paid off a bunch of bills that were hanging over my head. It turns out that what I needed was to be a little embarrassed in front of someone I respect.

• Bet on it. There are apps out there like Forfeit that require you to put money out upfront, then prove that you're sticking to your goals. You can submit relevant materials, like proof of a workout, to stop them from holding onto your money at the end of your pre-defined timeline. It sounds intense because it is—but if you're truly struggling to stay on top of your goals, it can work.

• Set yourself up to win or fail. I'll explain: When I need to clean my apartment but just can't find the motivation, I invite a friend over for dinner a few days in advance. (To be clear: I make a concrete plan instead of hoping someone will come over in the near future.) Then, knowing someone is going to enter my home at a set time that I can't change, I suddenly find the motivation to make sure it's clean. I do this in the gym, too, planning a sick outfit for, say, an event a month in advance, then working out every day with the outfit in mind. Even if no one knows what I'm up to, I'd feel bad if I canceled the dinner or switched the outfit just because I personally failed my own mission. I don't like being disappointed in myself.

Recall my example of the pudding cup after a day of honest nutrient tracking, too. Not getting the pudding cup is a penalty when I fail, but getting it is a reward when I do well. Play around with the system because you might be more motivated by rewards than you are punishments. I'm motivated by daily streaks on apps, for instance, which is how I've come to be on a 288-day streak on the Peloton app. Losing that streak would be like a penalty to me now, so I stick with it, but I also incorporate other little rewards into my goal-setting. Whenever I complete a perfect two weeks of workouts, for instance, I buy myself one new activewear outfit from my favorite brand. The more I think of it, the more I realize almost all of my personal goals are tied, one way or another, to a reward or penalty. I motivate myself to sell my clothes on Poshmark by strictly upholding a one-in, one-out rule and only making clothing purchases with the money I earn from getting rid of something first, for instance.

Doing it this way might seem harsh or elementary at first, but it reinforces the fact that there are consequences for every action and inaction—although, when you manufacture the consequences, they're more urgent and immediate. The long-term consequence of failing to work out consistently is poorer physical and even mental health (which might be why you've named it a New Year's resolution), but that's not immediately evident and it's harder to keep in mind on unmotivated days. Losing my Peloton streak or failing to qualify for my self-imposed rules around buying a new gym outfit are silly in comparison to decreased longevity and strength, but they're more instant, so I avoid them—and, in so doing, avoid those more serious, longer-term consequences by default.

As you get stronger, you become able to lift heavier and heavier weights. That's the idea at the heart of an often-misunderstood fitness concept: progressive overload. Unfortuantely, there are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about this principle, so here's how to use it to plan your own workouts or judge whether a program you're following will keep you on track.

What is progressive overload?

Progressive overload is the increase, over time, in the amount of work or stress you ask your body to handle. The term is used two different ways: as a principle of how the human body works, and as a description of how a workout program changes over time. If you want to know how to "do progressive overload," you're thinking of the second one—how to design a workout program.

The simplest way to implement this is to just do a little more each time you're in the gym. More weight, or more reps, or making the workout harder in some other way. You can still take some easier "deload" workouts (or weeks) from time to time, but over the long term you want to see a trend of the workouts getting harder. They won't necessarily feel harder, because you'll be getting stronger. It's more like the workouts are keeping up with you.

In other words, progressive overload is a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation. As you get stronger, your workouts need to get harder to keep up. But in a sense you are also becoming stronger because you're challenging yourself with harder workouts.

What does progressive overload look like in real life?

If you’re bummed out by the idea of working harder and harder forever, don’t panic. You’ll work harder in absolute terms—by lifting heavier weights, let’s say—but the challenge stays about the same in relative terms. Your workouts will fall into an effort level you might call “hard, but doable,” and you’ll notice progress because your numbers are going up. (A similar approach applies to endurance sports. As cyclist Greg Lemond reportedly said: “It never gets any easier, you just go faster.”)

When I started lifting weights many years ago, 65 pounds was a decently challenging bench press for me. I remember being proud of myself for being able to squeeze out a rep or two at 85 pounds. Now, if I’m going to do a bench workout, I don’t even bother loading those amounts onto the bar. My warmup sets start at 95 pounds, and a heavy single might be around 135. That 135 feels just as hard as 85 used to, but it’s undeniably more weight.

How did I make that progress? Well, I kept lifting the weights that felt heavy for me. Over time, the same weights that used to be challenging started to feel easy, and I needed to add more and more weight to the bar to get something that actually felt heavy. (I have a guide here to figuring out whether you’re lifting “heavy.”)

Most of the time, I either followed a program that told me how many pounds to lift, increasing that amount slowly over time, or one that told me what effort level to lift at (a concept called RPE), which allowed me to choose an appropriate weight each day. Following a program will usually net you better progress than just winging it, but as long as you’re using the overload principle and the progression principle, you will get stronger.

Workout routines that use progressive overload

Here are some examples of workout routines that use progressive overload:

Double progression. Let's say you're aiming for three sets of eight to 12 reps of dumbbell shoulder press. You choose a weight that you can handle for 3 sets of 8 reps. The next time you do shoulder press, try to add at least one rep. If you can't, that's fine—just do your three sets of eight. One day maybe you'll get 10 reps on the first set, then only eight on the next two. Another time maybe you get 12, 10, and eight. After a few weeks you manage three full sets of 12. That means it's time to increase the weight! The next time you do the exercise, you'll use a heavier set of dumbbells and start again at three sets of eight. It's called "double" progression because first you increase the reps, and then you increase the weight.

Linear progression. This is a common progression for barbell exercises for beginners. You do the same number of reps every time (say, five sets of five reps) but add a small amount of weight every workout. Often the program will have instructions for what to do if you can't complete the five sets of five reps at the new weight. These workouts aren't usually realistic for experienced lifters, since you can't keep increasing the weight forever, but they're great for people who are learning an exercise for the first time or returning to the gym after a break.

Set progression. This may be used along with double progression, or may be its own thing. You start with just a few sets of an exercise per workout, say two or three, and then add a set each week. Once you're doing, say, five sets, you'll start over with heavier weight. If you're using it with double progression, you'll increase sets, and then reps, and then weight.

Density progression. This is commonly used in timed sets, like Crossfit WODs ("workout of the day") or for accessory lifts. Set a timer for several minutes and do as many reps as possible in the given time, resting as needed. The next time you do the workout, try to do more reps in the same amount of time. Once you can do the lifts with little to no rest, you'll either add weight or find another way to make the exercises harder (for example, doing dips instead of pushups).

As you can see, weight isn't the only variable that progresses. You can increase reps, or sets, or increase the amount of work you do in a given time by decreasing rest. You can increase the difficulty by choosing a harder exercise (like progressing from dips to pushups). As long as things get harder over time, you're doing progressive overload.

How to use progressive overload even if you can't add more weight

Adding weight is part of most progressive overload schemes, but you don’t have to add weight to the bar literally every time you lift. There’s a wide range of weights and rep ranges that can be effective for building strength and muscle. For example, if I did a bench workout today, I might do sets of 10 at 100 pounds, or sets of five at 120, or some heavy singles at 140, or any combination of these. If I’m really tired or stressed, I might decide to do the sets of 10 at just 90 pounds. If I’m feeling great, I might be able to do them at 105. This is what I mean by a wide range: All of these are hard enough work to spur my muscles to adapt and get stronger. (There are reasons you might choose one of these workouts over the others, but we don’t need to get into those details at the moment.)

What wouldn’t be progressive overload? Well, if I did sets of 10 with just the bar, that wouldn’t help me get stronger. If I had a mini barbell set, and it maxed out at 85 pounds, my strength would stagnate once I got to the point where 85 pounds isn’t a challenging weight anymore.

Even as your strength improves, you don’t have to do more every single workout, as long as you’re getting stronger in the long term, and your workouts are still in the range that is challenging to you.

So let’s say you’re doing bicep curls with a 10-pound dumbbell. You can do eight or 10 reps with it. Perfect. But the only way to add weight, at your gym, might be to pick up a 15-pound dumbbell. If that weight is too heavy for you, that’s okay. Keep working with the 10-pounder, and in time you’ll be ready for the 15.

You can progress on more than one metric

While you’re probably itching to lift heavier weights, weight on the bar is not the only way to progress. Sometimes you can’t add weight because of equipment issues, or just because your strength is improving slowly. (Even if your beginner gains were meteoric, everybody’s progress slows down at some point.)

But if you’re smart, you probably don’t want to only get better at one specific thing. A lot of beginners start off doing squat, bench, and deadlift in sets of five reps, and trying to add weight each workout. But you’ll be a more well-rounded lifter if you also know how to lift heavy singles and sets of 10 or 15. Depending on your goals you might consider front squats in addition to back squats, and reverse hypers or kettlebell swings in addition to deadlifts. There are ways to improve at all of these things, and it’s normal for a lifter to be simultaneously increasing their reps in accessory lifts, increasing their weight on the bar for heavy singles, and increasing the amount of time they spend on conditioning workouts.

How to spot workouts that don't use progressive overload

Not every workout or routine will have progressive overload built in. For example, if you have a favorite workout that you do every day, but you never make it any harder (say, it's always three sets of ten pushups), you won't make progress over time. That's OK if you enjoy the workout for another reason, like if you're just trying to get the mental health benefits of a little exercise boost in the morning. But if you want to get better at pushups, you need to find a way to do more of them over time, or make them harder in some way (like elevating your feet, or doing them with a backpack on).

Workouts with progressive overload tend to be personalized to you. If the workout tells you exactly what to do, down to the exact weight of dumbbell to pick up, it's not giving you room to choose the weight that matches your current strength level. The 12-3-30 treadmill workout, for example, is the same for everyone every time. If it's one-size-fits-all, there's no way to progress.

That said, some workouts have a sneaky progression built in. If you jog for 30 minutes each day, chances are you'll get a little faster over time even if you don't realize it, and then you're doing more work within the same amount of time. Or if you do "three sets of 10" of an exercise, but each day you pick up whatever dumbbells feel appropriate for that level, you'll probably end up using heavier ones over time. Just make sure you don't get stuck doing the exact same thing month in and month out.

The limits of progressive overload

One last thing, now that we’ve discussed what progressive overload looks like. It’s important to remember that progression happens in the long term. Some competitive lifters might not test their one-rep max outside of competition, which means they’ll only find out once or twice a year how much their deadlift has gone up. That doesn’t mean they haven’t progressed in the meantime. If they’re doing an effective program, consistently challenging themselves, they’re still working.

Plateaus are a fact of life when you’re a lifter. Sometimes it takes a while to get stronger. Sometimes you need to work on your technique to be able to express your newfound strength. Sometimes factors like stress or weight loss or changes in your training can make you weaker in the short term, but if you keep training in a way that challenges you, you’ll set new PRs soon enough.

I am not a morning person, and I never have been—well, unless I have to make money. For years, my start time at my old job was 5 a.m. and, against all odds, I made it in every day. Now, I teach a 6 a.m. spin class twice a week after being moved off the more-tolerable late morning shift. Until a few months ago, though, I was sleeping through every alarm on all the other days, even though I knew I should be getting up and going to the gym early as a solid way to start my day. It took me a long time, but I have managed to force myself into being the kind of person who is up before the sun and done with my daily exercise routine before my friends are even out of bed. Here's exactly what I did.

I concocted financial stakes

Since starting to teach the 6 a.m. spin classes, I've noticed two undeniable things: I can drag myself out of bed for the promise of money with no problem and my day is measurably better when I start it with a workout. I am just more alert, productive, and all-around pleasant when the morning begins with exercise than I am when it begins with sleeping in. It was obvious I needed to start every day that way, whether or not I was getting paid to do it, but tricking myself into exercising "for free" was my first challenge.

The solution was one you might not like: I had to tie a financial stake to what I wanted to do. Instead of getting money, like I do when I teach, I had to pay money so I would be motivated not to let my investment go to waste. This was a problem because one of the perks of my part-time teaching gig is a free membership at a luxury gym here in New York City. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but having free and unlimited access to a fancy gym didn't exactly motivate me; it would be there whenever I wanted to go and if I didn't happen to want to go at all, it wasn't like I was losing money on it. So, I started signing up for introductory offers at every studio in my area. Usually, these lasted one to two weeks and cost less than a regular membership at the studio in question would if I weren't on a trial offer. I had paid, but hadn't paid a relative bunch, and that was good enough to start. Up I got each morning, slowly but surely building a habit. The intro offers expired, though, and I'd find myself scrambling to find a new place to go, which upended my routine and wasn't conducive to consistency.

Next, I downloaded ClassPass and set up an autopay for every month, but since my unused credits roll over to the next month, that wasn't as motivating. I took note of how much more consistent I am in a use-it-or-lose it scenario, kept ClassPass because it still comes in handy, but looked for more options. Ultimately, through ClassPass, I found a studio in my area that offers a Pilates-inspired strength training class. I became obsessed with it—but an unlimited monthly membership was a few hundred dollars. I put off getting that because it seemed exorbitant, but in the end, I realized that might be the only way to get myself to stick to the routine that was slowly forming. Eventually, I pulled the trigger. I traded away a small fortune for access to a studio full of something known as "megaformers." I have been in that studio every single weekday morning at 6:30 (except on teaching days, when I run over at 7:30) for a month now. Sometimes, I go at 5:30 just because I can. Who the hell is she? I am not only prepared, but excited, to buy it again going into this next month.

Do you need to spend hundreds on this? Absolutely not. But for me, tying financial stakes to my mission was crucial and, also just from my perspective, they had to be intense. A low-cost, big-box gym membership has never motivated me. What's $25 slipping out of my checking account every month along with all the other subscriptions I've forgotten about? When I've paid a little more to go to gyms that offer free classes, even signing up for morning ones didn't always do it, since there was no fee associated with skipping them. (As a teacher now, I realize exactly how nasty that mindset is, but I'm just being honest.) My subconscious is stubborn, it deeply desires staying in bed, and I had to take an extreme measure to beat it.

For you, a lower-cost gym membership might work just fine, but I'll caution that what has to go along with the financial investment is a time-based commitment. It's not that I struggle to work out in general; I do it every day, but I wanted to start doing it in the morning, not cramming it in at night or whenever I thought of it throughout the day. That's why paid classes have been so crucial: They're strictly scheduled. I can't just go whenever I want, nor can I decide I don't feel like going when the time rolls around. The combination of paying a noticeable amount and having to be there at a set time is elemental to what I'm doing.

I reconfigured my schedule

That leads me to the next big thing I did. Buying classes, packages, a gym or app membership, or whatever else, isn't enough on its own if you don't make space in your life for using them. I had to take a hard look at my schedule. I fell back on a lot of scheduling tips I've written about here, like time blocking and time boxing, plus I started using prioritization techniques to figure out what could be rearranged. The MIT—or most important thing—method was helpful because it allowed me to calculate the impact my daily to-dos have on my larger goals, leaving space for me to acknowledge the positive impact morning workouts have on other parts of my day. With other kinds of prioritization approaches, working out didn't rank as high because it is something a little more optional than the work I have to do to keep a roof over my head, you know? But my goal here was to make more space for it and create a lifestyle that specifically positioned it as a morning activity, so the MIT method helped me center it.

Like the financial investment, this meant something undesirable: I initially tried to get more serious about going to bed early. That is not aligned with who I am in the deepest parts of my soul, and it never has been. To be completely transparent, more often than not, I simply didn't do it. Asleep at 1 a.m. and awake at 5, I have just been tired a lot. I give myself grace with things like this because if I'm too hard on myself about it, I'll demoralize myself and that won't help me with my overall goal. Eventually, if being tired starts to annoy me too much, I'll course-correct and be asleep at 10 p.m. like a smarter person. As it is now, I've been making space in my schedule for some naps (which isn't something I've ever done much of before). Breaks are an important part of overall productivity, as is leaving yourself space to be who you are without trying to make too many drastic changes at once, so the temporary nap-allowance system is just fine. I'm also trying to avoid strenuous activity at night. I can't force myself to go to sleep early, but I can at least stop starting new projects at 11 p.m., which will just make me sleepier the next day than if I am relaxed pre-bedtime.

I've noticed myself making small, subconscious changes even though I haven't become an early-bedtime gal yet. I'm calling it a night a lot sooner than I normally would when I'm out with friends, even though I'm not necessarily going home to sleep so much as I'm just going home not to be out. I also was struck by the inspiration to paint a piece of furniture last night at 11 p.m.. Normally, adherent to the 10-minute and one-more rules that I am, I would have jumped up and done this the moment I thought of it. Last night, I didn't do it, knowing I shouldn't get too involved in something tricky when I needed to be winding down ahead of this morning's Pilates class. These are baby steps, yes, but they're a lot more helpful to developing long-term, sustainable habits than complete personality overhauls are. Those rarely last, but little, incremental changes add up to longer-term success.

I sought out incentives

This part is fun, so there's the reprieve. For me, any meaningful life change has to come with little rewards, and I'm not talking about the mental health benefits of exercise, looking better, or feeling more productive after a workout. I'm talking about little treats. First of all, commitment to my new schedule opened up the opportunity to crush my goals with the various apps I use to track my workouts. I am serious about using my Peloton app to track all my workouts, even the ones I don't take through the app or using my Bike, largely because I think it gives me a better data breakdown than when I use the native workout-tracking function on my Apple Watch, but also because it contributes to my daily streak (as of today: 274 days). Getting a workout inputted into the app first thing in the morning secures my streak, which is literally just a number on a screen, but it motivates me.

I have also started using something similar to a SMART goal to track and reward progress. SMART goals are ones that are specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound. So, I tell myself things like, "If I go to class at 5:30 tomorrow morning, I will stop at Dunkin' for a donut on the way home," or, "If I work out every morning this week, I will get myself one new activewear outfit on Sunday."

Wearing silly little matchy outfits is also integral to my personal process, as it puts me in a good mood before I even leave the house and makes me feel more put-together and capable at the gym, but that might not be true for you. In fact, none of these things specifically need to be for you, but they can be a guideline. The general through line here is that I took the time to consider what I wanted (to wake up early and work out); and what I know about myself (I'm motivated by money, my schedule wasn't conducive to this activity, and I need constant mini-rewards to keep going); then combine those facts into a new, incremental strategy that worked for me. No matter what you want or what motivates you, you can do the same by relying on a few productivity tricks and your own self-awareness.