“New Year, New Me?”: Actually Effective Strategies for Positive Change

“New year, new me!” is a common phrase heard at the end of each year as people begin winding down from the various holidays and considering what they would like their next year to look like. This phrase is well-intended, of course. Many people love the idea of being able to completely transform themselves over night, and the end of the year often feels like the best time to do so. 

Unfortunately, this is often not the most effective strategy. Sometimes it can be downright dangerous. Many, many, many eating disorder specialists warn about the “resolutions” related to dieting and losing weight that spike at the beginning of each year and perpetuate harmful behaviors.

To be effective in your resolution, small and consistent changes that are goal-based (instead of restriction-based) often lead to the biggest and most long lasting progress. These can be done through SMART goals, a goal-setting framework that breaks a goal down into manageable steps that maximizes its potential.

SMART Acronym

• Specific

  • Is your goal specific? For example, the goal of “getting healthier” isn’t specific. What does that mean? Eating better? Sleeping better? Something like “I will attend three exercise classes each week” is a more specific example related to an overall goal of bettering health.

• Measurable 

  • Is your goal measurable? Can it be tracked, almost like you can check it off a list? You can if you say your goal is to attend three exercise classes each week, but that is less possible with “getting healthier”.

• Attainable

  • Is your goal attainable? Something like 20 exercise classes each week is unrealistic for anyone, but depending on your personal circumstances even five classes might be impossible. What’s important is considering what works best for you.

• Relevant

  • Is your goal relevant to you? If you already exercise on a consistent basis but are looking to increase your personal wellness, maybe you would be more interested in a goal such as “eating at least three servings of fruits and vegetables a day”.

• Time-Based

  • Is your goal time-based? Make sure you have a start and end time - maybe it makes sense to set a goal of three exercise classes a week for January, but reassess to see if two or four would be better for February.

If you would like assistance in setting and achieving your goals, we at Compassionate Healing are happy to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.