Did you know that many people who start a new goal for the New Year end up abandoning their goals by February? For many, this can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, failure, and fear to try something new in the future. Here are some tips and tricks that might help you stay motivated and help you possibly obtain the desired feelings that you are longing for through change!

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bond (SMART) goals are an easy way to help people achieve their desired results. When we are setting goals, we want the carrot to be in reach, but not so far away that we stop caring about it. It is important that we keep challenges in our window of tolerance. Small goals lead to big goals so let's take a look on how ways we can achieve the desires in our life.
S: Specific
When creating a goal, you want to be specific in what you are hoping to achieve. Try to stay away from things that require abstract thoughts, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. For example, instead of making the goal 'I want to be healthy next year' try 'I want to go for a 20 min walk at least 3 times a week". The more simple the specific goal is, the easier the tasks to achieve it should become (or at least less steps). This is where personal discernment comes into play on how specific should you go to in order to stay motivated. For example, if you need to clean your kitchen, some people can have a goal to clean the kitchen that day while others need to break it down into smaller bits. Some might break it down and start with doing the dishes because that is more manageable than trying to clean the whole kitchen. Make specific goals that are manageable for you. This can be flexible so don't be afraid to adjust to your needs. Pull back when you need and push more when things are going great!
M: Measurable
This is the part where we stay motivated because this is where we actually see the results of our goal. It may not be perfect but it helps us know if we are in the right direction. This can be summarized by finding the evidence to support our efforts. It can also be great indicators if we need to adjust the first step. Again, the simpler the specific goal, the easier it is to measure and find evidence that our efforts are working!
A: Achievable
This is the step I call the reality check. Is your goal truly possible to obtain and how realistic is it? For example, it may be your goal to win the mega jackpot lottery at the new record of over 1 billion dollars. However, how realistic is that? Could it happen, yes. What are the chances of that? Well research currently states that you have a better chance of being struck by lightening than winning the ultimate jackpot Powerball. To paraphrase Jack Dawson from the movie Titanic 'A real person makes their own luck'. Don't be afraid to bet on ourself!
R: Relevant
This is where the meditation and intentional movement comes in. This is the section that answers the question, why is what I am doing important? This is something that only you can answer. Continuously meditating on the importance helps you fight those moments when you want to give up. This is the stage where we have hope. What are hoping to achieve by the end of this journey? What will it look like when I reach my destination? Remember, small goals lead to completing big goals. This stage will help you keep the direction you want during your journey.
T: Time-Bound
What is your time frame? This is the stage of commitment. It helps us prioritize if we are working on multiple goals at once. Though this can be flexible, being too flexible may lead to being complacent. To help with this, tell people who you trust about your goals and plans. Imagine how exciting it would be to tell people who encourage you that you are reaching your goals and are making new ones! If you are not able to obtain your goal in the desired time, have compassion for yourself if you did everything you could do. As long as you are conscious and breathing, there is still time.
Closing Statement
"Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts".-Winston Churchill. It is okay if you fall short of a goal. All the greats do. Go forth and conquer the new year through the lens of self-compassion and commitment to change.
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