Forget New Year’s Resolutions.

Try This Goal-Setting Method Instead.

The mantra “new year, new me” is long gone thanks to the realization that it puts a huge amount of pressure on individuals, and it also insinuates that you need to be “new” (for the record, you don’t). But New Year’s resolutions still exist for many — whether you’re hoping to eat healthier or get a hold of your finances.

Unfortunately, far-reaching goals can be unattainable and can make people feel bad about themselves if and when they fail — and more than half of these yearlong resolutions will fail, according to Emma Mahony, a therapist at Better Life Therapy in Philadelphia and a mental health content creator on TikTok.

“People end up failing because [of] the intense, concrete, absolute goals that are so far off from where we are now”, Mahony said.

Bottom line: It’s hard to stick to a strict and lofty goal. Instead, consider a different approach: Tackle smaller, monthly themes instead of one big resolution.

These themes can be part of a larger goal, like improving your mental or physical health, or they can just be self-improvement themes that resonate with you. For example, maybe in January your theme is “cook more at home” rather than a resolution of “lose weight”. If your bigger goal is to improve your mental well-being, you may want spend one month doing a mindfulness exercise every day, Mahony said. The key is to pick something actionable and small rather than stumbling toward a vague ambition.

Setting monthly themes can be exciting and easier than a resolution, all while fueling some positive change in your life. According to Tasha Bailey, a psychotherapist in London and a mental health content creator on Instagram, having monthly goals instead of a yearlong resolution helps ease the pressure that can come with a big New Year’s Day resolution.

“It’s such a unique thing [and] it’s such a personal thing — there’s no wrong or right way” to set monthly themes, Bailey said.

She added that if you don’t feel like setting your themes for the upcoming months at the start of the year, that’s OK. You can create your themes on whatever day feels right for you, whether that is an upcoming birthday or a random day in March.

Also, Bailey said, if yearly resolutions work for you instead, there is nothing wrong with that. “Try to let go of the pressure to follow what everybody else is doing, and do what feels right for you”, Bailey added.

Mahony noted that your goals don’t have to be a huge shift in your life. She said you should commit to something that feels sustainable, something you want to cultivate and something that is important to you. You’ll be more likely to stick to your monthly themes if you actually enjoy what you’re working toward.

“Any step in the right direction is a step, even if it’s small”, Mahony added.

(Avalaible in: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/monthly-theme-new- years- resolution

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