Setting Goals for the New Year
The New Year is a time when many of us consider setting new goals for our health. The beginning of 2024 is an opportunity to start something new, but any time is a good time to begin healthy behaviors. Maybe you would like to start the New Year with a wellness visit. This can be a great way to complete health screenings and identify areas where improvement is needed.
It is a common belief that creating a new habit takes 21 days. The amount of time this takes will be different for everyone, but research has shown that on average it can take a person around ten weeks for a habit to become automatic. Repetition and consistency of any action help our brain learn this new task without as much effort. It helps make the new behavior part of our routine and easier to maintain long-term. This new behavior will get progressively easier over time.
There are strategies you can use to set yourself up for success. Consider what is important to you and what you are willing to do to attain these goals. We can even make short-term and long-term goals to reach the desired outcome.
How do we make a realistic goal?
S-Specific: Your goal should be specific. Avoid general statements such as “lose weight”. Instead, your goal could be about a specific number of pounds, to fit into a certain piece of clothing, to exercise for a certain amount of time each day/steps per day/times per week, or to make specific changes to your diet.
M-Measurable: Your goal needs to be able to be measured. How will you know when the goal is met?
A-Attainable: Your goal needs to be realistic for you to attain. Can you accomplish it? Do you need to make it smaller? Here is where you can break it down into short-term and long-term goals.
R-Relevant: Your goal should be meaningful to you. Does it match your values and beliefs? Are you willing to put forth the effort to achieve this goal? What is your motivation?
T-Time-based: Your goal needs to have a timeline or an end point. Set a date and mark it on the calendar. When you reach your goal and want to continue, you get to make a new goal!
Example Goals:
- I will walk for 30 minutes five times per week for the next three months.
- I will journal five times per week for the next three months.
- I will read five books by the end of 2024.
- I will learn one new recipe per month during 2024.
Make your plan
Take some time to think about what you want for the week, month, year, or more. What is important to you? It doesn’t have to just include your physical health. What about expanding your mind by reading more books, getting outdoors, learning something new, volunteering, or spending more time doing things that make you feel like YOU.
Write it down using the techniques from above. This will remind you and help you keep track of what you are doing and what needs to be done next. You may find it helpful to break it down into smaller chunks which are more manageable. Plan what you will do to get started and then make a timeline including each step along the way.
Is there anything that could side-track your plans? We all have weaknesses. How can we avoid these situations or deal with them when they happen? Making a plan ahead of time can help you have the tools you need to work through the situation and move past it.
Share your goals with a trusted friend or family member. They can cheer you on and hold you accountable. They may even join you. Plan regular check-ins to follow your progress. Review your goals regularly to see how you’re doing. Re-evaluate your plans, make some changes, and try again.
Celebrate your success! If you achieve your goal-good for you!! If you didn’t quite make it, celebrate the progress you’ve made. Certainly you are closer to your goal than before you started. Remember to be kind to yourself. Your desire to make improvements in your life is commendable. Even small changes can make a big impact on your health and well-being.
Wishing you success as you reach for your dreams in the New Year!