A new year brings a fresh chance to begin with a clean slate. A new year encourages us to start fresh by getting rid of things that no longer bring us joy or adding more of what does. We're a few days into 2020. If you haven't already, this is a great time to think about your New Year’s resolutions now that the chaos of the holidays is winding down. A New Year's resolution is a tradition in which a person resolves to accomplish a personal goal, change an undesired trait or behavior, or otherwise improve their life. At Smart Start of Alabama, we encourage you to set SMART goals. The acronym SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, rewarding, time-based) can help to improve your chances of sticking to your resolutions and being successful.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Don’t make resolutions just for the sake of doing so. If you set resolutions you know you’ll never stick to, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. Don't be too ambitious. Fill your resolution list with reachable, good-for-you goals even if your list is only one goal long. With even just one small improvement in your life, you’ll feel better and live better.
BE SMART ABOUT YOUR GOALS
Whether your resolutions focus on decluttering your home or life, using your time more wisely, getting in shape, fixing your finances, improving your mental health, spending more time with family and friends, or giving up alcohol or another addiction, writing effective goals is a great starting point. Remember to make each goal:
Specific: Consider who, what, where, when, and why.
example: I will purchase a membership at my local gym and exercise at least three days each week.
instead of: I will become healthier.
Measurable: Consider how many/much is enough or how you will know if you have reached your goal.
example: I will reduce the amount of alcohol I drink and will limit myself to 1 drink per day.
instead of: I will drink less alcohol.
Achievable: Consider whether you have the resources and capabilities to achieve the goal.
example: I will create a starter emergency fund of $1,500 to lessen the likelihood of using credit cards.
instead of: I will create a fully-funded emergency fund of $20,000 to cover 4-7 months of expenses. (It sounds great, but will you really?)
Rewarding: (Most sources define R as either realistic, relevant, or results-oriented which are all very important. But since there is debate over what the R stands for, we choose to focus on the rewards or benefits you’ll achieve even if you’re giving up something you enjoy.) Rather than focusing on what you think you'll be missing out on, consider the wonderful things you'll gain by keeping your New Year's resolution.
example: If I stop drinking alcohol, I’ll have better sleep, better health, better relationships, more time, and more money.
instead of: If I stop drinking alcohol, I’ll have trouble coping with life and will need to find something to occupy my Saturday nights. (Have you tried yoga yet? It works well on stress and you won’t get a DUI if you drive after yoga.)
Time-based: Consider your deadline (when you want to achieve your goal by)
example: I will clean one room every 2 weeks to have a tidy home by December 31st of this year.
instead of: I will declutter my home. (We’ve all said some vague like this before and not stuck to it.)
SMALL GOALS ARE STILL GOALS
Building a small daily habit is often way easier and more attainable than building a huge change into your life. We live in a culture of intense expectations, and many of us are too hard on ourselves when setting goals. Step back from your ultimate end goal and ask yourself what you hope and actually expect to accomplish this year.
WHAT IF I FAIL?
But what if you don’t? Becoming a better version of you, even if it’s not the version you first resolved to become, is still an improvement. Get back on track. It happens to us all. Overcome failure by making a come-back plan. As long as you don’t quit, you’re still making important progress. If your resolution involves drinking less and you’d like help monitoring your own progress quickly and conveniently, contact Smart Start of Alabama to see how we can help.
