New year’s resolutions are a great concept that are generally executed poorly. Every new year can be seen as an opportunity to make goals that will help you keep moving forward in life, get some of your long-term goals from prior years accomplished, and set smaller goals that you can achieve within the first few months. You can also make changes to your lifestyle, your mindset, your habits. You can do this at literally any other time of the year, but it does feel a bit more intentional and like you will have more support if you commit to doing so by January 1st each year.
When it comes to goal setting, it is important to be realistic. I cannot tell you how many people give up on their new year’s diets altogether by March (if not sooner) or abandon their new habit about the same time. Establishing a good goal that is actually sustainable and not just attainable is extremely important. The science of setting goals tells us that good goals are usually SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). So “I want to finish my first book this year” falls a little bit short. “I want to write 2 to 3 pages a day for 6 months or until my book is complete” is much more fitting because it is specific, measurable, attainable, and timely; it still may not be realistic depending on what else you have going on in your life. If you have mental health struggles or young children or an extremely busy schedule, your goals need to reflect that you only have so much time to devote to them. If they do not, you are going to burn out and give up on your goals.
The idea that you can completely transform your life in a year is only crazy if you do not stick to your changes all year long. The idea that you can finish a book in a year is only crazy if you do not work at it every day you are physically and mentally able. A lot can be achieved in a year if you are consistently working on your goals. Still, it’s not ‘new year, new me’ because you are bringing the old you to the table and improving them. You are not throwing them out. There is nothing fucking wrong with you, you are not broken, you are not trash that needs to be left at the curb in the new year. That mindset will be bad for you. You need love and compassion for your current self if you want to shape them into something better. No major changes take place overnight. You will slip up and make mistakes, and instead of giving up, you can just say ‘Oh well, everyone makes mistakes’ and continue moving toward your goal. Yes, I know it is hard. My brain likes to torture me over every little mistake that I make, but I have to take its power to do so away sometimes because mistakes are human. Do not get discouraged if you stumble on your journey. It does not mean that you have not committed. It does not mean you have failed. It is like falling down walking to your car. Just get up, make sure you’re not broken somewhere, and keep going. If your goal really matters to you, it will be worth it in the end.
I am going to be posting about some of my major new year’s resolutions. Maybe we can all compare notes at the end of 2022 and see how we did.
Resolution #1 – Keep Growing
Because if nothing has killed me yet it is time to keep fucking growing (and growing stranger as I do)
Specific?
- Grow mentally, physically, and spiritually in 3 areas each within one year
Measurable?
- (M) Continue using my tools, improve my communication skills, understand my moods better
- (P) Continue to strengthen my knee, lose weight, finish reversing diabetes, return to work
- (S) Continue my spiritual practices, pray more, devote a day to my spirit each week
Attainable?
- Yes, someone could reasonably attain these goals in my position
Realistic?
- Yes, I could realistically do or work toward all of these things on a nearly daily basis
Timely?
- Yes, I could realistically do or work toward all of these things on a nearly daily basis for one year and attain my goals
Love to all of you who had a pleasant Christmas, an okay Christmas, and to those of you who simply survived Christmas. It is a time of year that is difficult for many and you made it through! So all my love to you.
— Justine
