The period between Christmas and New Year’s provides a good time for reflection.  It presents a wonderful opportunity to assess your life, and decide what, if any, changes you would like to make or see happen.

Goals are good working tools.  The value in goals is not about a finished project, or achieving the goal, as much as the direction the goal provides.  For example, if your goal is to lose 25 pounds, you may only lose 15, but that is still a success!  Remember, change is a process.  If you set a goal to run a marathon, you don’t start by running 26 miles each day for practice.  You would train, running increasing distances, and maybe incorporating some other strategies to help you achieve your goal.

Some things in life are more under your control than others.  This means some goals are harder to achieve than others.  For example, if your goal is financial security, you can control some of your spending and costs, but cannot control if your employment closes, or you suddenly find yourself with a flat tire.

What are some strategies to set goals and resolutions you can keep?

1. Recognize small successes or steps on the way to achieving goals.  Give yourself partial credit for steps you accomplish towards meeting your goal.  If your goal is health related, give yourself credit for decreasing the amount of fast food you eat, and increase the amount of healthy cooking.  You may still eat some fast food, or less healthy meals, but cutting back gets you closer to your stated goal.
2. Be realistic.  Losing 25 pounds in a few weeks is never going to happen (unless you suffer some catastrophic illness or injury).  Setting unrealistic goals is setting yourself up for failure.  If you inadvertently do that, celebrate the part of the goal you do accomplish.  Praise yourself for that, and forgive yourself for not meeting additional and unrealistic expectations.
3. Think of goals as guidelines, or directions.  Remember, what’s important is moving in the right direction.  You also need to be flexible in recognizing what will work (and what doesn’t work) to move you further in that direction.
4. Be kind.  If you don’t succeed every day in meeting your goals, tomorrow is always another day to try again.  Don’t beat yourself up with failure – just learn from that.  When one door closes, another one opens.

Still struggling with achieving your personal goals for mental health and wellbeing?  Is your brain preventing you from living the life you want, and achieving what you seek?  Talk to the professionals at Ketamine Wellness Centers.  We can help you achieve your goals and dreams with thoughtful, personalized treatment plans that can include Ketamine infusion as well as individual and group counseling services.  Call us today, and start believing your goals are in sight!

Dr. Ellen Diamond is a clinical Psychologist for Ketamine Wellness Centers, Inc.