Many of us have probably set goals heading into the New Year, like eating healthier, exercising more, or learning a new skill. If we set goals and don’t meet them it can cause stress or anxiety, taking a toll on our mental health. In this Avera Medical Minute, Sara Van’t Hul, outpatient behavioral health manager with Avera, gives some advice on how to have success with your goals this year.
What should you keep in mind when planning your goals for the New Year?
It’s going to be important to set manageable goals. Set goals that are to be achieved and don’t set goals that are too high. Make sure they are realistic for you and you can live up to your expectations because we are looking for progress, we are not looking for perfection. Looking at what is good for me and avoiding comparing ourselves to others because it’s really easy to do that and say, "so and so is doing this." Make it a personal goal for yourself.
How can those resolutions impact your mental health?
When we don’t meet our expectations sometimes it can really impact our mental health, especially those of us that are type A, when we set a goal, we are going to meet that goal and go from there, but are they realistic expectations? Are they goals we are able to achieve or are they causing us more stress and anxiety? It’s like choosing your battles basically, being able to take a look at, "is this goal realistic for me? Or do I need to look at it in a different light?"
Any advice to accomplish your goals in the New Year?
I would say set smaller goals. Just because it’s the New Year doesn’t mean we have to go full force into self-improvement and doing it all. Maybe it’s tiny goals, maybe it’s increasing an activity rather than saying I’m going to lose weight or I’m going to run a marathon. Maybe it’s I’m going to take one hour each week to do something for myself. Do something that motivates you. Each person is an individual and so being able to do the things that fill our buckets helps us to achieve those goals.
Learn more about behavioral health services at Avera
