New Year, New You

New Year, New You

It’s 2020!  During the holiday season, many look forward to the start of a new year, and with it the hope for a new start and new chances.  Traditionally we make resolutions for the new year that we hope to accomplish.  These range anywhere from quitting smoking to losing weight.   When they are first made, we are excited and full of zest that we are going to make a major change in our lives.  If we are not fully successful at them, we begin to doubt ourselves and may even feel resentful or upset with ourselves to failing to accomplish the goal.

Resolutions in themselves are not altogether a bad thing, but overreaching and making a goal that is a huge leap to accomplish is where we reach a pitfall.  That is to say, when the brain thinks about its future self it assumes it is able to accomplish more than the person is able to do when the time comes. So to avoid feeling defeated or being upset about one more thing that you didn’t keep up with, start making resolutions that are more attainable or realistic.

Start with thinking about what you want for a new year.  Want to lose weight?  Instead of committing to going to the gym 5 days a week and eating nothing but salads, think more realistically for your life and your situation.  Like drinking one extra glass of water a day and parking further away in the parking lot to walk an extra minute or two.  When you begin to become successful at keeping up with the little goals, you can begin to expand on them and make bigger goals. You don’t reach the top of a mountain in one giant leap, but in small steps strategically placed on the path before you.

Write down your main goal for the year and then make a list of the steps needed to get there. Pick a step to be your 1st goal. When you meet that goal, pick another, then another until you reach your main goal, whatever that may be. Be proud of each step you achieve and reward yourself throughout the process.

Life gets crazy and busy and you feel yourself getting swept away in a flood of responsibilities and obligations to family and work.  It becomes difficult to make a huge life change while fulfilling all the other duties you have as well.  With any huge undertaking, a plan is always recommended in order to complete it.  Life changes are no different.  Also, with any change, support is also important.  This could be from a significant other, family, coworkers, friends or even your therapist.  So remember to slow down, breathe, and take it a step at a time.

No matter what your goal is for the New Year, Intrust may be able to help. We offer a wide range of counseling services that are tailored to suit you and your needs. Sometimes all we need to reach our goals is the help of a guiding hand and a listening ear. Give us a call today, 606-676-0638, and let’s start 2020 with growth. Let’s grow together!

Shanae Carpenter, LPCC

Intrust Therapist since 2005