Setting SMART Goals Beyond Trends
SMART GOALS 2025
Resolutions Beyond Trends
The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Setting SMART goals is all about breaking down your objectives into smaller, more manageable components that are easy to track and achieve.
Specific: Clearly define what you want to accomplish. Instead of a vague goal like “get in shape,” specify “exercise 4 days a week.”
Measurable: Establish concrete metrics to track progress. This could involve tracking your workouts, your daily food intake, or your weekly run mileage.
Achievable: Keep your goal realistic and attainable. Setting an overly ambitious goal can lead to discouragement.
Relevant: Align your fitness goals with your overall objectives and lifestyle. Consider how achieving this goal contributes to your long term well-being.
Timely: Set a clear timeline for your goal. Rather than aiming to “run a marathon someday,” specify “complete a half-marathon in six months.” This provides a sense of urgency and helps you stay on track.(Greffenius)
The Evolution of Beauty: Health, Fertility, and the Pursuit of Joy
Beauty is an ever-evolving ideal, shaped by culture, art, and society’s shifting values. Yet beneath the surface of these changing standards lies a constant thread: at the origin of all beauty ideals are signals of health and fertility. From ancient civilizations to the modern age, beauty has often been a reflection of our biological instincts, tied to survival and the propagation of the species. As we advance as evolved beings, it’s crucial to ask: if beauty has always been linked to health and fertility, how can we redefine the concept of beauty to focus on the creation of the healthiest humans—humans who are capable of embodying joy, engaging in community, and living life to its fullest potential?
Ancient Foundations of Beauty Ideals: The Biological Basis of Beauty
The earliest beauty standards, found in ancient civilizations, were deeply rooted in signals of health and fertility, the very qualities that ensure the survival and flourishing of a species. In ancient Egypt, beauty was associated with symmetrical features and smooth skin, which were early indicators of genetic fitness and good health (Dabiri, 2019). Cleopatra, with her remarkable allure, symbolized not only royal power but also the capacity to attract healthy offspring—an ideal that resonated across millennia. Similarly, the ancient Greeks and Romans emphasized athletic, proportionate bodies as a reflection of both physical prowess and the ability to thrive in society. The famous sculptures of Greek gods and athletes celebrated a harmony of body and spirit, suggesting that physical beauty was, in part, a manifestation of vitality and capability (Sullivan, 2006).
In ancient China and Japan, beauty ideals were also closely linked to fertility and health. The practice of foot-binding in China, though painful and oppressive, was originally seen as a mark of femininity and, by extension, a woman’s ability to attract a partner and bear children (Ruan, 2007). In Japan, the idealized geisha figure, with her delicate features, pale skin, and small feet, embodied a beauty that spoke to a certain physical frailty, but also to the promise of nurturing and maintaining family and social structures (Tobin, 1992).
Renaissance to 18th Century: Full Figures as Symbols of Fertility
As Europe entered the Renaissance and then the Enlightenment, beauty standards began to evolve, but the connection to fertility remained a constant. During the Renaissance, full-figured women were celebrated as symbols of fertility, wealth, and vitality. Artists like Sandro Botticelli, with his iconic The Birth of Venus, depicted women with rounded forms that suggested a connection to the Earth’s abundance and the promise of fruitful life (Kennedy, 2006). These ideals reflected society’s recognition that robust health—evidenced by a full, strong body—was essential to the well-being of individuals and communities.
The 18th century, with its Rococo style, shifted slightly, favoring pale, delicate women who conveyed elegance and a more ethereal sense of beauty. However, even in this period of light, frilly dresses and powdered faces, the underlying signal was one of health—a soft, rounded body shape indicating a life of comfort and security, and the potential for reproduction (Morrell, 2002). Corsetry may have sculpted the body into an idealized hourglass, but the true allure lay in the idea of sustaining life, both through the nurturing of family and the cultivation of wealth and status.
Victorian and Industrial Ages: Health and Morality
In the 19th century, as society moved into the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution, beauty ideals began to take on a more moralistic dimension, closely tied to ideas of modesty, purity, and femininity. During this period, the hourglass figure remained desirable, often achieved through the restrictive use of corsets. However, it was also an era in which health took on new importance, as rapid industrialization brought new challenges to the human body. Beauty standards continued to signal fertility and the ability to nurture, while increasingly emphasizing moral character. A healthy, “pure” body was seen as the foundation for both moral integrity and the ability to sustain family life (Stearns, 2000).
As industrialization progressed, however, beauty ideals began to shift. The growing emphasis on natural appearances, simplicity, and practicality spoke to a deeper understanding of health, as people sought to embrace more functional and less restrictive lifestyles. This shift toward a more natural appearance suggested that beauty could also be rooted in the body’s ability to thrive in a changing world, beyond mere ornamental value.
20th Century: Fitness, Glamour, and the Modern Woman
The 20th century witnessed a dramatic evolution in beauty standards, as mass media began to influence public perceptions of beauty. In the 1920s, the flapper ideal embodied youthfulness and liberation, with a focus on slender, androgynous bodies. The thinness of figures like Clara Bow and Greta Garbo was not only a fashion statement but also a reflection of a society eager to break free from the constraints of the past (Reilly, 2009). Yet, this thinness also symbolized a kind of fragile health, one that was more tied to appearance than to the vitality that sustained the human body.
In the mid-20th century, figures like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor returned the focus to curvier, more robust forms, once again linking beauty to fertility and health. Monroe, in particular, with her full hips and bust, was not just a symbol of sensuality but also of the vitality and fecundity that societies have long associated with an idealized female body (Baker, 2015). These stars represented an era where beauty was as much about vitality as it was about glamour.
The 1980s marked the rise of the fitness culture, with aerobics and physical exercise at the forefront of beauty standards. Celebrities like Jane Fonda became icons, promoting the idea that the ideal body was one that was strong, toned, and athletic (Harris, 2009). In this era, health became synonymous with the ability to perform—to dance, to move, to exert energy. This focus on physical fitness not only encouraged women to care for their bodies but also framed beauty as something inherently linked to joy and the vitality of life itself.
The 21st Century: Digital Influence, Diversity, and Health
As we moved into the 21st century, beauty standards became increasingly complex, influenced by the rise of social media and digital technology. The proliferation of Instagram influencers and celebrities has diversified the beauty landscape, challenging traditional standards and promoting a wider range of body types, skin tones, and features. However, the digital age has also amplified the pressure to conform to often-unrealistic ideals. Filters, photoshopped images, and the normalization of cosmetic procedures have raised questions about the authenticity of beauty, creating a disconnect between the signals of health and the pursuit of an ideal that is often unattainable (Fletcher, 2018).
At the same time, movements like body positivity have emerged as a direct response to these narrow beauty standards. Advocates for body acceptance, such as Ashley Graham, have led the charge in promoting health at every size and rejecting the idea that beauty is confined to one particular body type (Fletcher, 2018). This shift challenges us to rethink beauty as a manifestation of vitality that transcends appearance, focusing instead on holistic health—mental, physical, and emotional—and its ability to foster joy, connection, and community.
Reimagining Beauty: Health as the Path to Joy
In light of these trends, we are left to ponder a vital question: if we are evolved beings, how can we redefine beauty to emphasize the creation of the healthiest humans? The connection between health and beauty has always been clear, but now, as we strive to create a more inclusive and holistic definition of beauty, we must consider the full scope of what it means to be healthy. Health is not just about outward appearance; it is about vitality, energy, and the capacity to enjoy life fully. True beauty, therefore, should not just signal fertility or physical fitness but should be a celebration of life in all its forms—embodying joy, nurturing relationships, and contributing to community.
As we move forward, beauty should no longer be measured by conformity to an ideal body type or superficial standards. Instead, we should focus on cultivating health in a way that enables all individuals to thrive. The true essence of beauty lies in the ability to experience life to the fullest—emotionally, physically, and socially. As we embrace this deeper understanding of beauty, we are not only changing how we look but how we live.
In Health,
Megan Sherlock is a wellness professional passionate about somatic movement and holistic healing. She combines her expertise in fitness, yoga, and nutrition with the transformative power of energy work to help clients reconnect with their bodies and emotions. Megan holds certifications in NASM CPT, RYT 200, CGFI, CNC, BCS, CF1, ViPR, TriggerPoint SMR, Usui Reiki Master, and PN1.
Works Cited
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Dabiri, E. The Beauty of Ancient Egypt: A Study of Art, Culture, and Ideals of the Body. Archaeological Studies Quarterly, 14(1), 34-46.
Fletcher, T. Body Positivity and the Modern Media’s Role in Challenging Beauty Norms. Health and Society Review, 42(1), 77-90.
Greffenius, Emily. “Your Ultimate Guide to Setting (Realistic) Fitness Goals.” Precision Nutrition, Precision Nutrition, 15 Jan. 2024, www.precisionnutrition.com/how-to-set-realistic-fitness-goals.
Goodman, N. The Supermodel and Her Body: The Phenomenon of Thinness in Fashion and the Media. Fashion Studies Journal, 19(3), 182-200.
Hall, A. The Twiggy Effect: The Impact of the 1960s Fashion on Beauty Standards. Journal of Fashion and Culture, 10(1), 55-70.
Harris, D. The Aerobic Revolution: How Fitness and Health Became Central to Beauty Standards in the 1980s. Journal of Health and Fitness History, 28(4), 191-205.
Kennedy, C. *Renaissance Beauty: The Rise of the Ideal Female Body in the 14th-17