Q: How can I make this year better than last year?
A: I imagine most people start a new year feeling ready for change, and ready to be better than before. But what does that really mean? I think it is important to be thoughtful about what you want out of the next year.
Most years are full of both good and bad and lots of in-between. Even the years we are very much ready to be over can contain within it some good times, some good deeds, and some good experiences.
But we always think of a new year as a fresh start and an opportunity to be better and to create the changes in our life that we aspire to. Most people make New Year resolutions and start off wanting to be healthier, more active, and with a positive attitude.
I think having an optimistic outlook and aspiring for positive change is a wonderful thing. Just make sure you go about it in a realistic and attainable way. It is estimated that 80 percent of people fail at their New Year’s resolutions by the end of January. Perhaps they are not creating attainable goals.
Take time to really think about what you want to be different this year. Visualize your goal and then work backward to think through smaller steps to reach your goal. Remind yourself that any change in the right direction is positive and good. You do not have to meet your big goal right away.
The risk in only setting a larger goal is that if you do not see progress right away it can feel disappointing. That is where most people give up. Setting a goal of only eating healthy 7 days a week often leads people to slip one day and then feel bad about themselves. Then this leads to them letting go of the goal entirely and deciding that it is not possible for them.
Think about last year’s goals and analyze if they worked for you or not, and if not, then why not? Learn from that to create new smaller changes this year that will lead to the year you want to have.
It can help to write down the changes you want to see and to share them with others. This helps hold us accountable. Last year on New Year’s Eve my family wrote down things they wanted to accomplish for the year. We kept it posted on the fridge so we would see it every day and remind ourselves of these goals.
We will take it down this year on New Year’s Eve and review it together. Then we can make a new sheet for 2025 to aspire to.
Little steps can add up to big changes. Celebrate all your small wins and be kind to yourself if every attempt is not successful. Just by wanting to be better, you are taking the first step. Look ahead with optimism, kindness, and a renewed feeling of opportunity.
Martha Shapiro can be reached at Senior Concerns at 805-497-0189 or by email at mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org.
