Setting a goal is easy, but how do you stop yourself from being one of the 92% who give up?
Every client I work with is asked at the beginning of therapy "What will this look like when we are ready to end?" This question is important because it lets my clients lead what their treatment looks like, and it lets me know if their goal is realistic, related to treatment options, and most importantly, reachable! I'm telling you this because these are the same type of things to look for when setting a New Year's Resolution.
1. Is my goal realistic?
This is probably the easiest question to evaluate. If you goal is to make more friends, how many are you thinking? Because making a few close friends or several not-so-close friends over the course of a year is possible, but a new best friend overnight is not. Traveling to new places can be done on nearly any budget with enough time and planning, but traveling to another country when you know the new year isn't looking financially better might create a barrier. Many resolutions revolve around health or fitness, if you're not sure if a resolution is possible in a healthy way, a visit to your general physician may help give you better insight.
2. Is what I want to do related to my goal? Do I have the resources to acheive this?
If your goal is to make new friends but your measurement of this is "how many adds I get on Instagram", you might have to check in on if the steps to your goal are really related. Similarly, if you know you want to make more friends, but you can't think of anywhere to go to meet people, have struggled with making friends in the past, and feel anxious around others, you may need to address these issues first before they become a barrier to your success.
3. Is it reachable?
This one relies a lot on you... why do you want to have this resolution? If you know the reasons for this goal and they are really something you value, you are more likely to stick with it! If your reasons are not as strong, you are really relying on will-power, which doesn't last too long and can leave us feeling a bit burnt-out once we have reached the end. Once you know why it is important, make sure to figure out a way to reward yourself for making steps toward your goal. This will help keep you feeling confident and motivated to keep going.
Happy New Years Everyone! Good Luck with your Goals!
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