How to Set Realistic Goals for the New Year

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A new year is right around the corner, and nearly everyone will be discussing their New Year’s resolutions. Symbolically, the new year represents making changes, moving forward, and getting a fresh start. Many people take time to reflect on what they want in life and make positive changes that they hope will last a lifetime. While many people set goals, enthusiasm and momentum often wear out within the new year’s first few months. Some people may even give up on the practice of setting goals or creating resolutions after seeing so many aspirations go to the wayside within a short amount of time. One of the main reasons that we lose enthusiasm for our goals quickly is that we tried to do too much in too short of a period of time. By learning how to set realistic goals, you can maintain positive changes throughout the year and throughout your life!

Burst of Enthusiasm 

When our goals are too drastic, we set ourselves up for failure. Human beings are creatures of habit. The science is a little mixed and different for everyone; however, learning a new routine or habit generally takes a little over two months on average. When our goals are fresh, we are excited by the novelty. We might have purchased new clothing and equipment to exercise. We have a cookbook of healthy recipes that we are excited to dive into. Our enthusiasm helps us push through the initial resistance. However, we might need to manage our outcomes and expectations to maximize the benefit of this initial excitement. The increase in enthusiasm is enough to propel you initially, but you want to harness your excitement to stay consistent with your new habits. 

Too Much Too Soon

While your goal is new, the excitement of novelty will motivate you. You will get up early and work out. You will go for a run or start reading every night. Unfortunately, the novelty wears off, and reality sets in. When the goal is unrealistic or “too much, too soon,” you might give up after the first instance of failure. If your goal was to run two miles every day of the week, you might get discouraged the first time you miss a day. You might feel as though you have already failed, so you might as well give up entirely. Use the initial excitement to start; however, do not allow this burst of enthusiasm to create unrealistic expectations. You might be influenced by the enthusiasm and the energy of those around you. After a few weeks, though, you might realize that things are not as easy as they seemed at first. You might have a schedule change that disrupts your new routine. 

When you feel that your goals were “too much, too soon,” just recalibrate! Maybe by mid-January, you realize that running every day of the week was too much. Just change the goal slightly; maybe run 4-5 days a week instead of every day. Any progress is progress.  Spending 15 minutes at the gym three days a week is better than spending no time working toward your goals. Forgive yourself, be honest about what you can do for the long-term, recalibrate, and move on. 

Starting With Realistic Goals

Beginning with realistic goals and expectations can increase your chances of success. Even as you go along, you might need to take a step back and revamp your goals. Keep these things in mind when creating your New Year’s resolutions:

  • Any step forward is positive. Even if you make a small change for the better, you are doing better today than yesterday. 
  • Give yourself a range of expectations that allows for flexibility.
    • For example, if your goal is to do yoga every morning before work, give yourself a range: 3 to 5 days a week. The “high” end of the range is your goal, and the “low” is a reasonable expectation that allows for unexpected circumstances.
    • Another example might be healthy eating habits. You might want to eat healthy food for every single meal. After a few weeks, you might succumb to cravings or get fast-food when in a hurry. Give yourself a “cheat” meal every day or “cheat” day every week.
    • You want to find balance and may need to adjust along the way.
  • Create goals that are important to you.
    • You will be more likely to commit to goals that are pertinent to you. 
    • What is essential in your life, and what would you like to improve?
  • Remember: these are your goals, so you set the rules. No one is monitoring you or holding you accountable if you find your expectations were too high at the beginning.
  • Celebrate the small wins! Find healthy ways to reward yourself for achievements. The process of reaching goals can be rewarding; however, you can also find ways to celebrate that will help keep your momentum going!

Setting realistic goals is essential for successful resolutions this New Year. Many people traditionally create resolutions each year as a fresh start. People jump enthusiastically into their new goals, yet give up their new goals quickly. Many resolutions do not last the first month or two of the New Year. You can create realistic goals this year and stick to your resolutions throughout the year! Remember that you can recalibrate and reset your goals as you learn. You might need to be flexible about your expectations. Remember that any step toward self-improvement is progress. Even five minutes spent toward a goal is better than spending no time on it. You might be considering making changes to your life related to addiction. Recovery is possible, and there is hope for change. You might benefit from guidance and support from experts.  The Kimberly Center can help you achieve your goals in recovery. Call us today at (855) 452-3683.

 

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