The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives. We hope you can use their post to start a conversation with your adolescent.
About 80% of people make a New Year’s Resolution every year. Some of the more common New Years Resolutions are to exercise more, eat healthier and to lose weight. Even though New Years Resolutions are so popular, very few are sticking to that resolution after a few months. I will admit, I am the first one in the gym on January 2nd and sometimes my goals sputter out around February. This year has been no exception with trying to exercise more and eat better but, I have a new mindset this year about setting goals!
So I am wondering if you have made a New Years Resolution and are sticking to it? If not, here are some tips on better setting goals for the future!
First, make the goal attainable. If you are setting up a goal of losing 40 pounds in a month, that goal might not be realistic and can cause some disappointment if it is not met. Start with smaller and more attainable goals that can be easily met and are motivating. Maybe try 1 or 2 pounds a week! I like to set small goals and that motivates me to keep changing my goal and working toward it.
Another tip is to hold yourself accountable for these goals. Tell you friends and family that you are trying to eat healthier. This will help keep you accountable and maybe even encourage others to join and help you. A support system is a great way to stay motivated. I like to turn to my friends and my boyfriend for support.
The last good tip is to make this goal timely. It is hard to make a resolution and stick to it over a whole year. Try to make an individual goal for 1 to 2 months and then reassess that goal after that time frame. It will help keep you on track and challenge you to keep changing and growing your goals. I set a goal for maybe 2 months then reassess that goal during that time and change if I need to. It constantly forces me to take a look at my goals and make sure they are obtainable.
It is never too late to start working toward something you want and hopefully with these tips, you can start to make solid and attainable goals! Never be too hard on yourself and be there to support others in their goals!
Have you noticed what your child is like when they have a goal in mind? How do you support them?