New Year Tips
It’s that time of year when you may feel a sense of freshness to begin a new chapter. You may have ditched the idea of New Year’s resolutions or they may be top of mind for you as what you’d like to manifest and make happen this year.
Wherever you stand, I hope this post will be helpful to you in making your goals and aspirations last and weave into your day naturally.
New Years Resolution Template
As a therapist, I recommend looking at the heart of your goals.
What is it getting at?
Are there certain goals that repeat themselves each year?
What’s the point for you when the intact goal starts to fray?
What do your goals say about your values?
Just as it is helpful to break down the “resolution” part, also break down the “new year” part. Imagine setting your goal with an open mind and motivation on January 1st. Now imagine what that open-mindedness and motivation feels like on March 27th, August 2nd, or December 3rd – it may be a little different each time, right? That’s expected!
Now imagine recentering yourself with your goals at the beginning of each month. You can add your own flair and creativity to how you’ll accomplish your goals based on what you know that month will look like for you. Instead of “be more active” as an all-encompassing year-long goal, an August goal might be “go for a walk exploring a different part of town every Saturday” and a November goal might be “sign up for 4 new classes this month.” Your larger goal is refreshed and infused with more motivation at the beginning of every month. It works with changes rather than against them.
This is where you MVPS come in. The MVPS is a free customizable monthly planner I developed to help you prioritize what matters most to you throughout the month.
New Year’s Resolutions are great, but we learn and grow so our goals should have that freedom, too.
How it works is you write down a small, achievable goal for your mental health, physical health, spiritual health, and a value of your choosing. Why all 4? Each of these areas works together and contributes to your well-being, mood, and connection with others.
Let’s break it down:
Mental: Tending to your mental wellness means determining what you will build into your schedule to recalibrate your mind in the midst of your busy weeks.
Value: We all have our unique upbringing, experiences, goals, and hopes that make us who we are. What’s a value you hold close to you that you want to ensure you’re fueling every month? (Family, Creativity, Adventure, Community, etc.)
Physical: Taking care of our physical health simultaneously supports our mental health. After all – it’s all one body! What are ways you’d like to incorporate healthy foods and enjoyable fitness into your life?
Spiritual/Stillness: Spirituality is different for everyone. Whether this is a specific faith you hold near or a moment to connect with stillness – what’s one way you can nurture your inner sense of peace?
Example:
Mental: No phone after 8:30pm on weeknights
Value: Family. Videochat a different family member every week.
Physical: Incorporate a strength workout for 30 minutes 4x/week
Spiritual/Stillness: State 3 things I’m grateful for while making my morning coffee.
The idea here is to go with the grain. This is not another task to add to the list, instead, it’s an opportunity to pause and claim your rightful space in the midst of your ever-changing schedule.
What do you think? Would this be helpful for you? Give it a try! If you’d like the FREE customizable monthly planner, send me an email and I’ll drop it in your inbox. JasmineChandy@socialworkup.com (No spam or additional emails will be sent)
