Make the New Year Better

By: Ally Hoffman, MA, LPC-Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, LPC-S At the start of each new year, we begin considering making thoughtful resolutions. Sometimes we even do an overhaul of something we did not feel worked out well this past year. We start evaluating our performance from the year before. Finally, we end up focusing on one (or a few) of the main parts of wellness. For instance, we can focus on emotional health, physical health, occupational health, social well-being, spiritual health, intellectual wherewithal, environmental wellness, and financial health in the new year. Ultimately, we are all looking to see whether or not we measured up to our expectations for the new year. This new year instead of listing out all of the things that had been accomplished, we take inventory of what we would like more of. We can even start formulating plans on how we can get to that end goal – whatever it may be.

New Year, a New Way of Doing Things

Whether you want to "loose some weight" or something a bit less obvious to the naked eye, we all have areas in which we could improve. For this new year try a new way to figure out what that might look like. It is important to consider the system you are operating and benchmarking. Many times, we are inspired by others and set out to duplicate their success or efforts. For example, if I celebrate the success of a loved one eating healthier, it may not be as feasible for me to do the same. Given the differences in circumstances such as geographical location, financial means, dietary restrictions, etcetera. So often we find ourselves, benchmarking based on other people’s systems. That makes it so much more difficult to measure up. Instead this new year, I encourage you to create your own system of measurement. This can help to determine whether or not you are meeting your goals.

Planning can be Peaceful in the New Year

So, you might be asking yourself, “where do I start?” The answer to that is, by looking at the system of which you are using! By helping set ourselves up to meet our goals, we are able to find more peace in our day-to-day activities. If we want to operate more efficiently as human beings, it is critical to accept that we are all very different! Based on the differences of our upbringing and experiences, our systems are going to operate a little differently. Each might require different tools/resources. I like to offer a few ways of thinking about getting organized. Personally, I like incorporating a little bit of each of the following:

New Year, New Routine

When many of us think about routine, it can sound very monotonous. Even so, we are pre-programmed to get a sense of accomplishment or relief when we complete a task. Additionally, the mere acknowledgment of the fact that you were capable of completing the task can act as an expression of gratitude! In turn, this can increase motivation to continue completing tasks and our overall mental well-being. Specifically, you can start by considering the things you are naturally doing in your everyday life. For example, hygiene practices, wake-up/wind-down routines, meals, or other daily activities. The idea here is to start small with things you notice you are already doing! I like to think of routines more like a checklist. It does not matter the order in which we complete the things on the routine list. However, they are likely to get done each and every day!

New Year Setting a Schedule or Time-blocking

For those of us that work well knowing what is going to pan out from one hour to the next, it can be helpful to keep a record of these list items. Having an idea of all of the things that need to be get done is the starting point of any great system! This new year consider starting by gathering a list of all of the things you would ideally like to complete over a period of time (typically a week’s time with the potential to add more long-term goals). From here, you are able to prioritize and categorize the various items in a way that makes sense for you! For instance, if I have items for work, home, and personal well-being, I might even color coordinate these items. Therefore, they stick out more clearly to me in my visual representation: digital/print calendar or time blocking sheet. With this new year, incorporate a visual aid or reference that shows specific references to the categorization can help to designate time blocks and develop a plan for the order in which you care to go about them. Many times, I have clients consider adding the following categories: morning routine, travel times, productivity/work time, self-care, night- time routine, social hours, meal times, and more.

Creating Habits and Stacking Them in the New Year

Now, if all of that sounds too overwhelming, let’s try starting even smaller – habit- building. According to Oxford Languages, habits are, “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up,” so, let’s not give them up! Instead, start thinking of the various things that you typically do in your day naturally and pair it with one additional task item that you would like to incorporate into your life. This new year start small with something like adding a glass of water right when you wake up. Remember, for this method you have a cue, routine, and reward. So, for the example listed the cue would be getting out of bed, the routine is going to the bathroom and adding a glass of water, then the reward is feeling better after having started your metabolism. Now, the rewards can be plentiful if you’d like them to be. Even so, as we go into this new year, we are reminded of the importance of simplicity.

Begin Counseling at Our Center in Katy, TX!

Looking to learn more about feeling better in the new year? One of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide individual and family counseling and other mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX, follow these three steps:

1. Contact our office to set up an appointment or to learn more about getting organized in the new year.
2. Meet with one of our talented therapists
3. Set yourself up for success this new year!

Other Therapy Services We Offer:

Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!