Guest Commentary: New year and realistic goals: Setting attainable New Year’s resolutions that last
The holiday season is often full of anticipation and joy: spending time with family, participating in activities, or just having a couple of days off work. But what happens when the fun is over and January rolls around?
Many of us find ourselves a bit burned out from all of the festivities, traveling and togetherness. In the new year, we work to get rid of this feeling by becoming more productive. Some of us set goals at work, or personal goals like eating out less or moving our body more. But does this really help shake off the post-holiday blues?
Of all Americans who make New Year’s resolutions, only 9% of them actually keep them throughout the year. Why is this? Some of the common reasons why resolutions fail include setting unrealistic goals, lacking planning or losing motivation over time due to seeking instant gratification. This struggle to uphold resolutions can lead to stress and anxiety, which negatively impacts our mental health. Setting realistic resolutions can help manage expectations and create a healthier approach to self-improvement. Here are some ways to make attainable resolutions stick for 2025.
One way is to create clearly defined goals that increase intrinsic motivation, rather than focusing on only external motivation. Many people build very general and non-specific goals, like exercising more, getting more sleep, spending more quality time with family, etc. Without defined goals, it can become difficult to measure progress and keep track of achievements
Creating SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound) helps narrow down what you’re hoping to accomplish. For example, instead of saying you want to move your body more, your goal could be to complete a 10- to 15-minute mindfulness walk five or six days a week. Creating SMART goals is important, while also incorporating flexibility to avoid extreme rigidity which can lead to all or nothing thinking. You can measure your progress by keeping a journal, setting a reminder on your phone or even joining a community with a similar goal. Taking these steps can help set you up for success before working toward the goal.
Another method is vocalizing your goals, if you’re comfortable doing so. Although it may sound a bit cheesy at first, sharing a personal goal with a friend, family member or coworker can increase your odds of success. Not only can this person help hold you accountable and remind you of why you’re working toward this goal, but they can also be your biggest cheerleader along the way.
One of the main reasons some may steer clear of setting New Year’s resolutions in the first place is because they don’t have time. Naturally, we’re all busy. Most of us have jobs or families to take care of, which can fill a majority of our day. Even if you’re determined to meet your goal, it’s easy to feel like there isn’t enough time in the day to do so. Scheduling time to accomplish your goal during the day can help. Remember to give yourself grace and compassion for busier seasons of life to increase the sustainability of your new habits. Sit down with a calendar or your planner and schedule your day. Treat your goal time as you would a work or medical appointment, because you will be less likely to schedule something else over it.
The most important thing to remember when creating these goals and setting aside this time is the purpose behind them. Make sure you are prioritizing activities that make you feel fulfilled, accomplished and that align with your values. Don’t just set a goal because someone else told you to or you feel pressured by society to do so. You will feel best working toward these when they are something you hope to accomplish and you’re pursuing them for your own benefit and personal growth.
No matter how big or small your goal is, remember to not give up. It’s easy to throw in the towel once you’ve missed a day or fallen a little behind, but pick yourself up, acknowledge your shortcomings and continue on.
Recognizing your progress and milestones throughout your journey is a key component to staying motivated and keeping your mental health balanced.
As with most things in life, not everything is guaranteed to go exactly to plan. It’s important to remain flexible and acknowledge that it’s okay to adapt your goals.
With a little patience and grace, you can succeed and beat those 9% odds.
Amanda Bethurem is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for Elite DNA Behavioral Health’s Fort Myers office.