Page 22 - THE EGO Ivy Informer Volume 3 Issue 5

EGO ANNOUNCEMENTS

A Mental Health Moment with Dr. T.

Topic: New Year’s Resolutions: What’s Thinking and Motivation

Got to Do With It?

Welcome to the New Year Sorors!

The New Year serves as a time to reflect on one’s progress over the past
year and usually ends with the time-honored tradition of making resolu-
tions for the New Year. Very often our resolutions fall into two catego-
ries: things we want to “decrease” and things we to “increase.”

Research on resolutions made during the New Year indicates that almost 50 % of the population establish reso-
lutions in January but backslide by February. So why the drastic change? Researchers posit that our thinking
strategies and types of motivation (ie. internal versus external) may serve as clues.

While many of us are familiar with goal setting, if our resolutions are unrealistic or incongruent with our inter-
nal view of ourselves we are less likely to be successful with our goals. One method of addressing this is to ap-
ply SMART goal setting strategies. The SMART acronym means that your goals must be: specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic, and time-sensitive. Another component is to assess your motivation associated with your
goals.That is, when your goals have an intrinsic focus,(ie. internal or personal satisfaction) as opposed to an ex-
ternal focus (ie.outside demand or obligation) you are more likely to persist on your path.

Remember changing behavior involves changing thinking, and creating new neural pathways. So whether you
are creating resolutions or goals for the New Year consider the following:

Pearl Mental Health Tip #1: (Don’t wait until the New Year to make resolutions). Begin purposeful plan-
ning and set small goals using the SMART goals setting techniques.
Align your goals across a year long process and renew your commitment daily.

Pearl Mental Health TIp #2: (Take Small Steps). You risk failure if you try to accomplish everything all
at once. Instead focus on one resolution/goal at a time.

Pearl Mental Health Tip #3: (Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns). You have to
create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits.

Pearl Mental Health Tip #4:( Mindfulness/Focus on the present). Think about the one thing you can do
today, right now, towards your goal and stay in the present moment each day.

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