Sticking To Your Resolutions

You’ve set your resolutions for the year and have planned the necessary steps to achieve them. Now the hardest part, sticking to it. Chances are, you might be reading this as you are ridden with guilt from already falling off track. Well, I have some good news for you! You can restart your new year's resolutions even long after New Years' has passed. Resolutions are all about goals, which is why New Year’s Resolutions are a fitting topic for everyone including those working towards their sobriety. In fact, working towards sobriety is one of the biggest resolutions you could set for yourself. So whether you’re working towards recovery, or just looking for some support on how to follow through on your resolutions, these 4 tips and tricks are just what you need!

1. Think S.M.A.R.T

When thinking of your resolutions, a great reference point is Brain Tracey’s S.M.AR.T method to goal setting. The general principle is that your goals should be:

• Specific: setting clear and concise goals
• Measurable: having a referral point to track and your progress
• Achievable: setting goals that can be challenging but must be achievable
• Relevant: Set goals that will help improve your quality of life   
• Timely: the goal has a deadline
• Have an action plan

An action plan is a next step after setting your S.M.A.R.T goals. It will help you stay on track by setting milestones, tracking your regressions and progressions, and reflecting and work on strengths and weaknesses. Along with getting a more clear idea of what steps you need to take to keep moving forward

Start by writing your goal(s) down. Then follow it by writing out 3 to 4 bullet points on the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goals. You can increase the number of steps, however, if you find yourself with something like a 10-step plan, you may need to rethink it. In this case, try setting a new goal for this year that will help you achieve your original goal

• Keep a resolution journal

At some point along your year, you may find yourself still plugging away at your steps without even remembering why you set this goal in the first place. Keeping a journal can help you keep track of your progress which will help you stay motivated to continue working hard. When you start to feel like maybe you aren’t making as much progress as before, reflect back on previous journal entries. This can reveal to you just how far you’ve come, and help you to understand that all those small steps add up to quickly create progress.

• Take it day by day

Speaking of the impact of small steps, it’s important to try and take your goals day by day. It can be overwhelming some days to think of what you need to do in order to reach your goal. So while it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind, just focus on what you can do NOW to have a better tomorrow.

The rise in substance abuse around the holidays is significant. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance abuse disorder, look up the nearest resource such as “opiate detox services” or “rehabilitation center near me” to seek help. If in immediate danger please call 911. Drug use can be fatal.