With the new year nearly upon us, a lot of people are picking up a pen and starting to write down their resolutions for 2024. It’s an exciting time to look forward and think about what you want to bring to life in the coming year.
The problem, though, is that most of us struggle to keep our resolutions. By spring, we may have forgotten them altogether. Or if we do remember our resolutions, we might feel disheartened by a lack of progress. Sometimes, our resolutions can turn into a source of shame and anxiety that end up harming our mental health instead of improving it.
And that doesn’t do next year any favors. If you want to avoid some of the less-than-ideal aspects of new year’s resolutions, our team has a few tips to help with healthy goal setting.
Start with gratitude
Before you make your plans for 2024, take some time to look back on 2023.
Instead of focusing on what didn’t go according to plan, reflect on the best parts of the last year. Maybe you didn’t read as many books as you had aimed to — but did you read any that you particularly loved? Maybe you didn’t make as much progress learning a new skill — but did you create any great memories with loved ones?
Try and wait to shift your focus to next year until you’ve spent some time savoring what made this one special. Writing out a list of everything you’re grateful for in the last year helps reframe any planning you do for 2024. It lays the foundation for healthy goal setting and gets you in a more productive mindset. A lot of times, we focus on what’s wrong and forget to highlight what went right!
As you think about what you want 2024 to look like, you can use your gratitude list. How do you get more of what made you feel at peace and fulfilled this year into next year?
Set intentions instead of resolutions
Resolutions often set us up for failure – and they come with the connotation that we need fixing. As a result, our team recommends setting intentions instead.
This way, instead of a finish line you’re trying to reach, you get an intention you can revisit on a daily basis. It turns it into more of practice, which can feel more encouraging. There’s no mountain to climb or hurdle to jump. Your intention gives you something to circle back to whatever each day looks like. You can revisit your intention on the days you have tons of energy and feel super motivated. But you can also sit with it on the days when all you want to do is just that: sit.
Cut yourself plenty of slack
Healthy goal setting means building in ample amounts of wiggle room. As these last few years have taught us, life is unpredictable, so flexibility is key to maintaining our resiliency.
For example, lots of people resolve to eat a certain way or exercise a certain amount. But what if you get sick or injured? What if an amazing travel opportunity comes up?
Setting an intention rather than a resolution should help you keep your goal in mind through the year with less pressure to perform. But make sure you allow yourself flexibility as 2024 brings you twists and turns. Healthy goal setting means keeping what you want to do in mind without getting down on yourself if things don’t go according to plan. It might even mean adjusting your intentions throughout the year. And try not to forget, it is meant to be creative and fun!
If you’ve got big plans to make sweeping changes in 2024, it can be hard to balance finding the motivation you need with giving yourself the flexibility you deserve. Talking with a therapist can help. For guidance as you navigate the year ahead — and help making it your healthiest one yet — contact our team at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center in Ventura or the West Valley Counseling Center in Tarzana.
