I wanted to talk about a topic that is likely to come up during your holiday conversations with friends or famlies. It often seems like we’re always being pushed towards the next big thing, especially during this time of year. Every other advertisement is about the year-end sale, or making sure you get the perfect brand new car or appliance before it’s gone! A big pressure that is also felt during this time of the year is to make the perfect new year’s resolution. Having a whole year ahead of you to reach a goal can make almost any goal seem achievable. A trap that I’ve often fallen into is starting off strong during the first week of January, especially if I’m still on a break, but then getting behind, and most likely giving up on the resolution by Valentine’s day, thinking I’ll just try again next year.
A goal-setting approach that I have found helpful in the past is the SMART acronym. I’ll walk through the letters with a goal that I have been able to achieve and keep up with while using this technique.
The S stands for specific. This means having an identifiable goal, more than just a general idea. For me, that goal was to keep up with a thankfulness journal.
The M stands for measurable. You might not be able to perfectly quantify your goal, but having some way to measure your progress is helpful. For me, that included writing down three things I was thankful for at the end of each day.
The A stands for achievable, which means that the goal needs to be realistic. Pushing yourself towards an unattainable goal is a lot more likely to lead to discouragement. For me, this meant setting myself up for success by keeping a journal and pen by my bed, and not beating myself up if I missed a day.
The R stands for relevant. You can ask yourself and see if the goal aligns with your values and if it would be helpful for you in the long run. Keeping a thankfulness journal was relevant and helpful for me to help me end my days on a positive note, which I know is important for my own mental health.
The T stands for time-bound, which basically puts a due date on your goal, and gives you something to work towards. For the thankfulness journal, my goal was to complete a year’s worth of entries (give or take a few days), and then see how I felt. I’ve kept up with my thankfulness journal for a few years now because I found it to be beneficial for my mental health.
If you’d like to create a resolution for 2025, I encourage you to use the SMART technique when thinking about your goal and how you will achieve it. The counselors at The Vine are also available to help you with your goal setting during this time if you would like to schedule an appointment.
Grace is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist- Associate, Supervised by Annie Viers, LPC-S, LMFT-S. If you'd like to make an appointment with Grace, call our intake line at 210.490.4419 or Click Here.