2023 Wellness Goals

New Year’s Resolutions often get a bad rap, and for understandable reasons! So often we equate the start of a new year with “New Year, New Me” type messaging that can feel punitive and restrictive. 

The thing is, setting goals isn’t inherently bad. What often makes it feel bad is the “why” and “how” we tend to consider when setting a goal. 

For instance, when setting a goal, consider first: what is my “why?” 

If you realize that you’re setting a goal intended to “fix a flaw” or minimize some part of you, it might foster more negative self-talk, rather than less. But if you set a goal with the intention of expanding on a strength you identify with or increasing time spent on something you’re passionate about, you just might find it’s easier to stick to that goal and see it through.

Next, consider the “how” of the goal. By that, I not only mean “how am I going to achieve this goal?” but also “with my current life circumstances, how realistic is this goal for me to accomplish?” So often we set a goal with the thought, “I should definitely be able to do that, it’s so easy!” But while the goal in and of itself might appear “easy,” we sometimes neglect to consider that while it might be easy for some people, it might not be easy for us in our current life circumstances.

Many of you might have heard of SMART goals - goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Now, I completely get where this acronym is coming from, and what it’s trying to do. The problem is, it can sometimes foster rigidity in our goal setting - if we slip up at all, then we might as well toss the whole goal out and call it a failure.

So, let’s look at goals in a different way, shall we? Let’s consider goals that are additive, rather than punitive. Let’s consider goals that focus on opening us up to life, rather than restricting us to schedules, checklists, and pass/fail grading.

Below are 10 categories of goals, all based around the pillars of wellness. Keep in mind, not every goal might work for you - that’s okay! Take what you want and leave the rest. 

Emotional Wellness

1. Learn one new way to manage stress and apply it.

2. Do something that scares you.

3. Be vulnerable with someone you trust.

4. Try a new emotion regulation skill.

Mental Wellness

1. Improve your boundaries with yourself.

2. Practice mindfulness, especially when life is feeling chaotic.

3. Start, or keep going, to therapy regularly.

Spiritual Wellness

1. Choose one value to intentionally live in alignment with this year.

2. Spend more time in nature or outside.

3. Practice gratitude.

4. get more comfortable being in solitude.

Intellectual Wellness

1. Do something that challenges you (it’s okay if you fail).

2. Read a book or take a class on a topic that interests you.

Physical Wellness

1. Try a new type of exercise or class.

2. Improve your flexibility by stretching.

3. Learn to cook a new recipe.

4. Buy a new water bottle that might inspire you to drink more water.

Environmental Wellness

1. Marie Kondo your living space.

2. Spread kindness in your shared workspace (virtual or otherwise!)

Financial Wellness

1. Start an emergency fund.

2. Save for retirement.

3. Pay off a reasonable sized debt.

4. Learn one new skill for financial management and apply it.

5. Take a budgeting class.

Professional Wellness

1. Expand your professional network

2. Take a course to improve one work skill

3. Ask for honest feedback from your colleague or boss.

Social Wellness

1. Take a chance on a new friendship.

2. Reach out to someone you think about often but haven’t spoken to in awhile.

3. Be more compassionate to others (and yourself!)

Creative Wellness

1. Try a new hobby

2. Take more time to connect with your inner child through play, laughter, + relaxation.

These goals don’t sound too bad, right? You might have noticed that many of the goals listed are vague, flexible, and indefinite (quite unlike SMART goals!) While this type of goal setting might not work for everyone, it can be helpful if you’ve struggled to stick with unrealistic or rigid goals in the past.

One last thing to consider - don’t try to tackle this whole list! Pick and choose what goals might work for you. Or better yet, just choose one at a time. Once you’ve tackled one, move onto another. Don’t forget, you have a whole year to work on self-growth! No need to burn yourself out with too many unreasonable goals right off the bat.

Happy goal setting! And if you have any follow-up questions, feel free to reach out to us via our ‘Contact Us’ page. We’d be happy to chat more about how to properly set goals for you and your lifestyle.