Tuesday, January 2, 2018

man standing on top of a mountain

With the new year, many of us might be thinking about what we hope to accomplish in the future, whether that鈥檚 getting better grades, exercising more frequently or something else entirely.

鈥淭he start of the new year is always a good time to reflect on the previous year and envision how you want the next year to go. But听it is not so much when you start a goal that matters, it is more about why the goal is important to you, what is motivating you to make the change,鈥 says Dawn Zitney, a wellness educator/counselor at Health & Wellness.

Set yourself up to听reach听your goals听with these tips:

Get SMART

In coming up with a goal, make sure it鈥檚 SMART. The criteria for SMART goals are below.

Specific:听Is your goal clear? Does it state want you want and what you will do to accomplish it?

Measurable:听When and how will you know you have accomplished your goal? Will you reward yourself as you strive to reach it?

Attainable:听Is the goal realistic? Is it听something you can control? Do you have the resources needed to reach it?

Relevant:听Is this goal meaningful to you? Is it worthwhile?

Timely:听How long will it take for you to reach your goal? Is it long- or short-term? When do you want (or need) to reach it?

Start small and be patient

While it can be tempting to set a large goal right from the start and hope it is reached almost instantly, be realistic.

鈥淕oals don鈥檛 usually work when we rush too quickly to a solution or we set goals that are not attainable. Start small. Then build on your success to reach your ultimate goal. This also means being patient. Change doesn鈥檛 happen overnight,鈥 says Zitney.

Set a goal based on something you want to achieve or do

Set a goal based on something you want to achieve or do, not something you don鈥檛.

鈥淕oals should be about our desire to strive toward some life-enhancing behavior or experience. 听Remember that what you focus on听increases. So when you focus on not doing something, all you think about is that thing,鈥 says Shannon Seiferth, a wellness educator/counselor at Health & Wellness.

Share your goal with others

Get support to help you reach your听goals by sharing them with a family member, friend or someone else you trust.听Health & Wellness听has wellness coaches that听you can听meet with to听discuss your goals. Make an appointment

Take note

, whether听on paper,听your phone or听computer or somewhere else where you will see it. Taking note of your goal is a way of committing to meet it听and reminding you of what you want to accomplish.

Be kind to yourself

Don鈥檛 beat yourself up if things do not go exactly as planned. Be kind to yourself!

鈥淩oadblocks on our pathway to success are not only common, they鈥檙e inevitable,鈥 says Seiferth.

鈥淰iew any bumps along the way as opportunities to learn from, or times to reassess and readjust your plans.鈥

Go for your goals, 鈥楥ats!