Kicking Off the New Year on a Good Foot

The start of a new year always comes with great expectations, hopes and dreams. The dawning of a new year allows us to look at new beginnings, plan for new projects and open our mind up to new ideas. What also comes with a new year is addition is additional pressure that may trigger anxiety and depression.

Here are three tips on kicking off the new year in a positive way.  

1.    Diversify your goals. All your New Year’s goals don’t have to require massive life or work changes. Include a mix of short-term tasks that could immediately make a difference in your life. Add others that will require more time, dedication and effort. “New science tells us that two resolutions are likely to prove as equally successful [as one] when they are closely related, such as eating and exercise, smoking [cessation] and stress management, or relationships and communication,” says John C. Norcross, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Scranton and author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions.

2.    Be realistic. There’s no need to completely reinvent your life. Set aside some quiet time to think about what you would like to change in your life that will make you happier, more fulfilled and satisfied. Think about simple changes. Perhaps deciding to wake a 15 minutes earlier every day to pray or meditate or going to bed earlier so that you are more refreshed in the morning. If you want to do better in your work, set an appointment with your boss to discuss your goals and what you need to do to accomplish them. 

3.    Monitor your progress. Once you’ve set your goals, spend time every month checking in on how you’re moving toward achieving success. You don’t have to punish yourself if you are falling behind. Think about what you can do to get you back on track to complete a task you’ve set out for yourself. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests that you integrate your goals into regular habits and track them in a journal. NAMI also suggests that you post a list of goals accomplished nearby to offer you daily motivation.

The new year offers great promise. Remember, be flexible and most of all kind to yourself.