Setting Intentions for the New Year
The start of a new year can be a great time to recharge, reset, and renew. But if you’re like most people who set new year’s resolutions, chances are you will have trouble sticking to your goals long-term. Some common pitfalls in setting resolutions include having unrealistic goals, too many goals, or just plain forgetting and falling into old habits.
So what can you do to increase your chances of keeping your resolutions? Here are a few tips to consider:
Make your goals achievable. If you have a big change you want to make, it can help to break it into smaller steps to make it more manageable. This may also lead to seeing progress more quickly, which can encourage you to keep going.
Try changes on for size. Instead of trying to make a long-term change, consider a shorter time frame to try out a new habit, such as one month. At the end of the month, decide whether this change is really working, and if not, don’t feel bad about adjusting or abandoning it.
Consider what is realistic for you right now. While there’s nothing wrong with having aspirational goals, if you set your sights too high you’re likely to fall short and become discouraged. Your goals should be based on your current stage and season, not on how things used to be or how you hope they might be in the future.
Be flexible. When you set rigid goals, it can set you up for failure if you can’t do it perfectly. Aim for progress, but expect there to be times when you won’t be able to stick to your intentions and give yourself grace.
Enlist outside help. Sometimes it can be challenging to see new solutions to old problems. Talking with a trusted friend or family member, or working with a professional who has experience in behavior change can be helpful in defining and reframing your goals. If you find yourself making the same goals each year without seeing progress, it may be time to bring in some extra help. This can also add some accountability and support that may have been missing in previous attempts to make change. You don’t have to do this alone!
