Making Changes in the New Year

Making Changes in the New Year

Written by: Erin Mitchell, MSW, LCSW

When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, there are so many possibilities for self-improvement that we find ourselves considering.  These changes can center around physical or mental health, relationships, work, and so many other options.  This is the time of year when so many of us look toward the future and think deeply about the future self we want to become.

If creating a resolution (or maybe a few) this year; it may be beneficial to consider one need, one want, and one thing you would like to continue.  These three options have the benefit of addressing multiple aspects of your life.  Is there something in your life or within yourself that you need to change or needs to be addressed?  

Additional Considerations:

• How can you go about making that change occur?  
• What issues may you encounter in making that change?
• Are you starting something from the beginning?  If so, have you made sure to begin slowly?
• How long are you giving yourself to make this change happen?  An entire year is a very long time, so consider milestones for you that happen more quickly (ex. monthly or seasonal milestones).
• Who is supporting you in these changes?
• Are you trying to take one change at a time?  Each change we make in life, even the good ones, are stressful and too much at once tends to be too difficult for many of us to manage.

As much as this time of year has many of us focusing on the new, it is also really important to acknowledge changes that you have made this year.  It can be so very easy to continuously strive for the future, that we don’t often take the time to look around at where we are in life and acknowledge what has brought us to this particular moment and appreciate the work we have already done.  What changes have you navigated within yourself and with others this past year.  How is where you are today different than it was on January 1?  Has there been something that you have changed internally or externally?  Acknowledge the you that has gotten you to this moment before moving toward the future.  We are always a work in progress, so stopping to notice your work along your journey so far is an important acknowledgement.