At Venice Family Clinic, we’re committed to giving everyone the tools to live healthier lives. Each month, we share practical strategies to support overall well-being – mind, body and community.

This month marks the start of the New Year, a time when many of us try to make changes in our lives — often with mixed results. To set you up for success, Jennifer Amaya Gonzalez, LCSW, associate director of behavioral health, is sharing tips for an approach to goal-setting that actually puts achieving your goals in reach.

Find your “why”

Ask yourself why you are setting this goal in the first place. Knowing the reason you’re beginning this journey will help keep you motivated for the long haul. Ask yourself questions like:

• How will this goal promote my physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, community and/or any other kind of health? For example, if your goal is to start a gardening hobby, you can sustain motivation for that goal when you remember how gardening will benefit your physical, mental and emotional health.
• Does this goal connect to the things that are most important to me in life? For example, if one of your primary values is “long term health,” frame a goal to work out more as something you’re doing for health instead of changing how you look.

Be honest: Set a goal that is actually achievable

Going from zero to 100 — or, from doing nothing to doing 100 percent – is a big ask. Get real with yourself about making change in a way that fits with your existing life. For example, if you want to start running, saying you’re going to do a marathon within a few months might be too ambitious. You don’t even know if you like running yet, or if you’re more of a sprinter or a distance runner. Maybe start by training for a 5K, so your training sessions can be shorter – and easier to integrate into your current routine.

Break goals down into manageable steps

Now that you’ve got an achievable goal in your sights, think of it as a bunch of mini goals that you take one at a time. For example, if your goal is doing that 5K, how are you going to actually do that? Each of the steps involved – researching and committing to a training plan, doing your first run, completing your first week of runs, and so on – can be mini goals you get to achieve and celebrate as you go.

Plan out the logistics of when, where and how you’ll work on your goals

When specifically – what day(s) or time(s) – can you work toward your goals? For example, when setting a movement goal, schedule your workouts for days when you know you will have time and energy, instead of on days that are usually very busy.

Combat self-deprecating thoughts

You’ve taken the time to mindfully set an achievable goal and you’ve planned out how you’re going to do it. But maybe a voice of self doubt creeps in if you don’t achieve one of your mini goals in the time frame you were hoping for, or if you miss a day, or if you’re just feeling weary with the effort. When that happens, speak directly back. Consider using positive self-talk — out loud or in your head — to remind yourself of what you’ve already accomplished, your strengths or other times you’ve made change in your life. Remind yourself: you’ve got this!

Have a game-plan for what you’ll do if you get off course

Setbacks are almost inevitable when you’re trying to make a change. Set yourself up to overcome barriers by planning how you will bounce back from them in advance. Take time to think about what might get in the way for you. Then, you can recognize it when it happens, and have a plan for how you will manage the challenge if it comes your way.

Ask yourself what part of your goal seems most difficult. Can you employ tactics like breaking it up into mini-goals to make the most difficult part more achievable?
Reframe how you view difficulties. Instead thinking you have “failed,’ choose to see it as part of the process of learning.

Acknowledge your progress

Recognize and celebrate milestones in your journey to encourage yourself along the way. You don’t have to wait until you’re across the finish line to celebrate. After all, small wins are still wins — and they add up.