How to take stock of the year and make New Year’s resolutions that you actually keep

Don’t let the pressure of your surroundings get to you

It is natural to see the arrival of a new year as an opportunity to recapitulate and set new goals. But the truth is, it’s just a new page on the calendar. There is no need to succumb to the pressure of our surroundings and force ourselves into big plans and resolutions. We each have our own path and way of moving forward.

If the New Year pressure is causing you stress and anxiety, listen to your inner feelings and don’t force yourself to do anything. You can work on your personal development at any time of the year. Whenever you feel up to it and are motivated to change.

Taking stock of the year step by step

The fact that you are here tells us that you are ready to take stock. Let’s do it! We’ve put together a set of questions to guide you through an assessment of seven important areas of your life.

Make yourself something good to drink, grab something to write with, and let’s get going. Remember, you’re doing this for yourself, so don’t be afraid to be really honest.

Questions to take stock of the past year

1. Relationships and social life

• Which relationships gave me the most last year and why?
• Which relationships brought me stress or negative emotions?
• Have I spent as much time with my loved ones as I would have liked?

1. Personal growth and development

• What new skills or knowledge have I gained?
• What have been my greatest personal achievements and why?
• What did I want to improve on but failed to do so?

1. Mental Health

• Which moments in the past year have brought me the most joy?
• What events or situations have caused me stress or anxiety?
• How did I deal with stressful situations or challenges?
• Were there moments when I felt overwhelmed or burnt out? What led to that?
• What would I like to change in my life for better mental health?

1. Physical health

• How did I take care of my physical health? What worked well and what didn’t?
• Which habits or activities made my health noticeably worse?
• Which habits or activities, on the other hand, helped me feel better in body and mind?

1. Time for yourself

• Which hobbies or activities brought me joy?
• Which hobbies or activities did I not find time for, even though I wanted to do them?
• Have I continuously made enough time for myself? If not, what got in the way?

1. Career and work

• What were my main professional achievements and what led me to them?
• What went wrong that I want to avoid next time?
• Am I happy with where my career is going? If not, what do I wish I had done differently?
• What working relationships have been important to me and why?

1. Financial situation

• How was my financial situation? Was it getting better or worse?
• Did I meet my financial goals (if there were any)?
• Which financial decisions turned out to be the right ones and which ones didn’t?
• Is there something I’ve been spending too much money on that I want to change?

Finally, you can grade each area as you did at school – based on how you did overall. This will serve as a compass when setting your New Year’s resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions to keep this time

As we mentioned at the beginning, it’s perfectly fine not to make any resolutions. In fact, one of the main reasons why we fail to keep them is a lack of motivation. Or often unfulfillable expectations that we are not even aligned with. We dive in headfirst and soon run out of breath. You know the drill. According to the data, almost half of Czechs(fill your country)  make New Year’s resolutions, but more than a third of us have the resolve to stick it out for only a few days.

Setting New Year’s resolutions is exactly the same as setting goals. In order to keep them, we have to get it right. Run a marathon, not a sprint. To do this, we’re going to borrow the proven SMART method.

New Year’s resolutions as SMART goals

The SMART method says that in order to successfully achieve a goal, it must be:

• Specific – word in your language
• Measurable – word in your language
• Achievable – word in your language
• Realistic – word in your language
• Trackable/Trackable – word in your language

What does this mean in practice? Let’s show you some examples of how to turn typical New Year’s resolutions into SMART goals:

• I’ll work on my mental well-being. → By the end of January I will make an appointment for my first (psycho)therapy and I will attend it regularly at least once a month.
• I’m gonna spend more time with my mom. → Every month I’ll invite her out and we’ll spend the whole day together. I’ll call her once a week regularly, too.
• I’ll start saving for a house. → By the end of the month I will open a building savings account and send 10 000 CZK to it every month.
• I’ll eat better. → I’ll make my own food for work, or order boxes when I’m busy. I’ll have fast food once a month.

Do you see the difference? With goals like these, you know that they are within your power to accomplish. It’s clear what you have to do to achieve them, and how often or by when.

Now it’s time for your own New Year’s resolutions

To do this, let’s look back at the balance of the year. Which categories did you give the worst marks to? List them out and define SMART resolutions for each. Now you know how to do it.

If you’re struggling to formulate a resolution, a great way to help is to make the goal a question. For example, change the resolution “I will take care of my mental well-being this year” to “How will I take care of my mental well-being this year?” You’ll immediately start getting answers that articulate your resolution. It’s a small but effective change.

Moreover, David Sprott of Washington State University has found that asking a person how they will behave in the future increases the likelihood that they will actually do so.

To keep your resolutions, be kind to yourself and don’t start all of them right away. Get used to the first few first and then add more. Of course, take into account how challenging they are. Remember, you’re running a marathon, not a sprint.

New Year with peace of mind

Have you made it a point to boost your mental well-being? To get rid of grief, resolve a painful relationship, work on self-love, or maybe make a life change you’re dreading right now?

(Psycho)therapy is a great tool to achieve such goals and give yourself more peace of mind. Or to get to know yourself better if you are a little lost in the direction of your life.

At Hedepy, you can choose from over XY verified therapists and join your session conveniently online. Based on a 5-minute quiz, we will recommend the three most suitable therapists for you on a tailored basis.