Many of us see the New Year as a time for reflection and a desire for change. As behavioral health providers, we see every day as an opportunity to begin again. To reflect and make positive changes to better our lives emotionally, physically, or monetarily.
We do encourage you to make resolutions. These can start now, in February, March, April, May, June, on your birthday, or an anniversary…you get the idea.
We all want to be successful and achieve our goals, but sometimes, we are not set up to succeed from the start. With that in mind, we have developed a few simple tips that can help achieve your Anytime Resolutions.
Tips to have a Successful Anytime Resolution – Click Here for a Helpful Worksheet!
1. Start small – Don’t try to be perfect. Just try to be better. If you desire to have dinner with the family more or spend more time with a loved one, then make a goal for a slight increase. Don’t make it unrealistic. Another example is weight loss. Set small goals a month out. Not a significant goal by next year.
2. Change one behavior at a time- Unhealthy behaviors develop over time. Thus, replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones requires time. Don’t get overwhelmed and think that you need to reassess everything in your life. Instead, work toward changing one or two things at a time.
3. Tell people about it- This helps keep you accountable. Share your goal with someone who will encourage you and keep you positive.
4. Track your progress and stay positive – Post the resolution in 5 places you’ll see daily as a reminder of your goal.
5. Reward Small Achievements – When you reach a portion of the goal, be kind to yourself. Recognize the accomplishment; this will help keep you focused and excited about achieving your goal. Remember: It’s never too late to start over. A start date can be reset. You can start again tomorrow morning or next Monday instead of next year. But this time, set yourself up for success. Click Here for a Helpful Worksheet!