You Are Not Alone in the New Year
It is important to know that you are not alone this New Year. Everyone is struggling even if you can’t see it. Sometimes just talking to a trusted friend or family member could help. In doing this you can find others going through the same thing. People often build relationships off of these kinds of connections. Another way to find people is to go to a support group in your local area. This could show you that even people you know have issues and if you look beyond the surface.
How to Set Personal Health Goals
There are many different ways to set personal goals. Not every way will work for every person. It could take some time to figure out which one will work best for you, but you shouldn’t give up. Some goal-setting techniques that have worked for me are…
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. This type of goal setting is good for physical goals. Smart goals work well for personal goals because they can be tailored to your own needs instead of a group. I learned smart goals in 6th and 7th grade. They helped me achieve multiple goals and taught me how to choose realistic goals for myself.
Prioritize Your Goals
Prioritizing your goals is a great way to determine which ones mean the most. Some goals require more attention and commitment, such as an important assignment or email. For small others, you could either do it in the background or wait until later to focus on it. Think of two goals you want to have accomplished. Now decide which is more important in your life. Which one do you feel more urgency towards, and which one has more value to you? I know it might seem challenging, but it’s necessary if you want to see personal growth.
How to Set Mental Health Goals
You can use the same goal-setting techniques referenced above. But there are also some extra things that can help with your mental health. You could try…
Getting quality sleep
Setting smaller weekly goals
Make time for mental health
These are all great ways to get a reset on your mental health. It may seem like a tough thing to do or feel impossible to make time for these things. But it can be easier than you think to find time. By looking at your calendar or schedule, you can find small chunks of time to take a mental break. Or, if you feel up to it you could rearrange your schedule to fit in more personal time. Sometimes, a small break is all you need to finish your day.
Everyone tries to set new goals in the New Year. But they are not always the most realistic. Exercising the strategies mentioned in this article allows you to set more achievable and realistic goals. Instead of saying, “I’m going to become a vegetarian and not eat meat for a whole year.” Try including more fruits and veggies in your diet slowly. It is a drastic change to go from eating proteins like beef and chicken daily to eating only fruits and vegetables.
Change may seem difficult, but it is necessary. Try some of these techniques, and you could enter 2025 a happier and healthier person.
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Looking for more resources on mental health programming? Check out sadd.org/programs!
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