“New Year, New You” - We have all heard some phrase along these lines at this time of year. Sometimes, this can result in individuals feeling pressure or anxiety around setting new goals, creating new years resolutions and/or to change who they are.

We don’t need to make changes or create goals for ourselves, just making it through the year is enough! However, if you are feeling motivated by the time of year or are looking to use this time as an opportunity to do so, here are some helpful tips:

• Setting Realistic Goals and Managing Expectations: if you want to set a goal or change a habit it can often feel overwhelming. Setting a realistic plan to start off with is probably more attainable than planning to make a HUGE commitment or change. For example if we set a high expectation that we may not be able to stick to right off the bat, we can often feel discouraged and/or down on ourselves, losing our motivation towards our goal! Instead of making a plan that will be hard to stick to, start small. Little steps lead to big changes!

• Holding Self Compassion and Making Room for Flexibility: if you set a goal or make a plan, remember we are human and sometimes we need to deviate from that plan. It doesn’t mean we are wrong or bad, or that we will never reach our goal. It just means we needed to prioritize something else at that moment (I.e., self care, rest, work, family, school, etc.). Be kind to yourself and make room for flexibility as things happen and life can be messy

Whether you are making a new year resolution, setting new goals, looking to make changes, or not making any resolutions this year, a friendly reminder to be kind to yourself! Love who you are, where you are, where you want to go and the journey along the way! 

Have a safe and Happy New Year!