Making Hope Happen: Setting Goals In The New Year
Happy New Year! We’re honored to share in our patients’ successes each and every day, and we are beyond excited to see what 2017 brings in the lives of those who are so near and dear to our hearts. 2017’s arrival brings forth brand-new opportunity, which is all too easily forgotten in the midst of our daily lives and the struggles that we all have as individuals. Our patients are the strongest individuals that we know. That got us thinking - not only about 2017, but also about the years to come.
Around here, most goals don’t have a simple finish line. There’s no true beginning and end when your life has been affected by an amputation. Goals are a constant process; a series of steps, both literally and figuratively. There’s a never-ending desire to become better, stronger, and happier in the face of adversity. It’s too easy to quit. We’ve seen what happens when people do, and we’ve seen what happens when they don’t. As you begin to reflect upon the outcomes of 2016 and prepare for the year ahead of you, here are a few reflections on setting effective goals that can help you live your best life in 2017.
Don't be too serious. Don’t overanalyze your goals. Don’t dream up forms of punishment for yourself if you don’t hit them. Don’t be afraid to fail. If you’re setting goals that are not totally realistic for yourself at this point in time, then you could be setting yourself up for failure. The best goals take time. They’re achievable, and there is happiness in the journey itself. Set goals for yourself that make you feel good - nothing more, nothing less.
Set goals that are attainable. As mentioned above, goals should be realistic. Extreme goals, like an serious amount of weight loss in a short period of time, are possible - but don’t risk your health and happiness to get there. Goals should bring you out of your comfort zone, but they shouldn’t make you miserable. Goals should be a challenge, but they should set you up for success - not failure. If you’ve got your heart set on a particular accomplishment, then get out there and achieve it. Make sure that you’re giving yourself enough time and enough credit. Call upon your support system when you feel like giving up. If nothing else, call us.
Allow rewards. There is something truly sweet about the satisfaction of hitting milestones along the way of reaching a life-changing goal. Whether it’s something small every day, every month, or at a particular point of achievement, allow yourself to relish in your success. Congratulate yourself. Pat yourself on the back. Share on social media. Call a friend. Treat yourself. Have fun along the way.
Set goals in multiple areas of your life. Yes, even the ones that you feel may not need attention, or at least not as much attention as the others. If you set just one specific goal, then all of your thoughts and energy will go toward that one goal. You may find that you’re giving less attention to other important areas of your life. This year, put a little extra focus on things like your relationships (spiritual or personal), your career, your financial health, your family, or learning something new. This will help you feel a little bit of accomplishment in each and every day, even on days that you struggle in other areas of your life. At the end of the day (and the year), you’ll be glad you did.
Write it down. Put it on a calendar. Put it on a note on the refrigerator. Get a journal. Tell someone about it. In fact, go right now and tell someone about it. Just putting your goal out there, speaking it into existence, makes it real.
Personal growth is very powerful. Your friends at New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics look forward to helping you achieve that growth in 2017 and beyond. We can help provide the tools, but our patients are the ones who are the real success stories.