New Year, New You: Unconventional Strategies to Build Lasting Habits and Transform Your Lifestyle

LITTLE ROCK — A new year frequently signifies resolutions aimed at improving health, establishing new habits, or modifying behaviors. Brittney Schrick, an extension associate professor and family life specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, suggests formulating SMART goals to ensure they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-sensitive.

One major obstacle individuals encounter when attempting to create a new habit is “expecting perfection right from the start,” Schrick mentioned.

“Often, when we ‘fail’ at something, we tend to give up,” she noted. “What gets overlooked here is the concept that practice is essential. It cannot be an all-or-nothing mindset, which is often how we address New Year’s resolutions. Grant yourself some kindness and allow the chance to restart numerous times.”

Schrick explained that changes don’t have to occur on a Monday, or at the beginning of the month or year. Transformations can initiate at any moment, on any day. “You can simply say, ‘I need to recommit to that,’” she stated.

Establishing SMART goals

Schrick advocates creating SMART goals: those that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-sensitive.

• Specific and Measurable: “Your goal shouldn’t merely be something like, ‘I need to be healthier,’” Schrick stated. “That’s not particularly beneficial. However, if you refine it to ‘I want to incorporate more vegetables, so I will aim to include them in two meals daily,’ then that is specific enough for you to easily monitor.”
• Attainable: Schrick suggested individuals should establish goals that are not extravagant or improbable. “It needs to be something that can realistically be accomplished,” she emphasized. “If you have never run before, but declare, ‘This summer, I’m going to run a marathon,’ you might achieve it, but you’re likely setting yourself up for disappointment. However you’re more likely to complete a 5k race by summer.”
• Relevant: Identifying genuine motivation that aligns with one’s own life and aspirations is crucial for progressing toward a goal. “It should be something you genuinely wish to achieve,” Schrick said. “There needs to be a motivating element that isn’t simply, ‘I want to look better in a swimsuit by summer’ or ‘My mother advised me to be healthier.’ It must hold personal relevance for you.”
• Time-sensitive: The goal should have a clear endpoint or deadline where it is either achieved or not. “Your goal could be to succeed every day,” Schrick explained. “It doesn’t have to be something distant. If your objective is to consume two servings of vegetables every day, but you miss it one day, that doesn’t imply you should quit. You can attempt again the next day.”

Consider beyond physical health

While physical wellness is often the primary focus of numerous New Year’s resolutions, Schrick noted that it is beneficial to contemplate other transformations that can enhance mental and emotional well-being.

“Although improving our physical health is a commendable aim, often we abandon these resolutions when we don’t perceive outcomes as quickly as we desire,” Schrick noted.

Establishing a goal to read more books, increasing efforts to connect with friends, or spending more time outdoors are all modifications that can foster internal contentment.

“I also appreciate the notion of altering our mindsets,” Schrick stated. “Choosing to be kinder to yourself, or speak more positively to yourself internally, can make a significant difference. Endeavor to intercept your negative thoughts before they escalate into self-criticism.

“Just intercepting and reframing some of those thoughts can have a tremendous effect, which you might not recognize until it becomes useful,” she commented. “It might take several months of practice before you observe, ‘Oh wow, my first thought wasn’t negative this time.’ That can be a truly advantageous practice.”

Opting to organize one’s living environment more consistently can also greatly influence mental wellness, and Schrick highlighted that this is a valuable approach for developing a new habit overall. This serves as a beneficial objective to set as a family, and can be monitored through a chore chart or other visual progress markers.

“Discuss with your children about how you all share this space, thus you will share the responsibility of maintaining its cleanliness,” Schrick advised. “Perhaps you set a common incentive for accomplishing it. ‘If we manage to keep the house tidy and check off all our tasks this week, then we can have pizza on Friday night’ — whatever suits your family.

“Simply having shared goals, and that visual tracker, assists you in holding one another accountable for ensuring tasks are completed,” Schrick affirmed.

For additional information and resources about family life, visit the Cooperative Extension Service’s Personal and Family Well-Being page.