No big plans for 2021? It’s totally ok.

goal setting 2021

Are you feeling the pressure to set big fancy goals this year, but you haven’t gotten around to it yet?

If that’s you, it’s totally ok.

While it may be customary to set goals, pick theme words and intentions, and go wild with productivity at the beginning of the year, 2020 taught us that sometimes, things don’t go according to plan.

Sometimes, it’s better to throw the plan out and just take things as they come.

I’m chuckling to myself as I write this, because for me, I was literally inhibited from making plans because the 2021 productivity planner (ahem, which I ordered over a month ago!) got delayed in shipping and still hasn’t arrived. :::facepalm:::

Sure, I could get worked up about it, but sometimes you just have to laugh and move on.

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not going big on goals this year.

Just focus on what’s in your control and take baby steps forward. Instead of getting stuck, make the goals more manageable and keep moving.

Here are some other thoughts I have on my mind as we start the year together:

1. It's okay if you don't have any grand plans for 2021. Sometimes taking a "wait and see" approach is the healthier option if you've been burned in the past.

2. Setting goals is great, but setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Realistic, Achievable, Time-sensitive) is better.

3. Learning to love yourself and your body is a lifetime practice.  (I spent most of my life up until my 30s avoiding bathing suits almost completely!) You can love yourself and hate yourself at the same weight. It's not about weight. It's about unlearning negative self-talk.

4. Regret is a nasty thing to live with. Avoid it at all costs.

5. Don't delay self-care. One of the easiest ways to practice self-care is to pause and ask yourself "What do you need right now?" several times a day, and to respond with giving yourself what you need, without delay. Asking this one question can help you slowly set healthier boundaries. How often do you not drink water or hold off on going to the bathroom because you think what you are doing is more important than your bodily needs?

6. Learning to love yourself can feel challenging sometimes, like it works against everything you've been taught. But I've never met a person who regretted investing in their well being.

7. Therapy is amazing, life-changing, and so worth the investment. What price can you put on working toward creating the life you really love?

Sending you my best as you take those amazing baby steps into 2021. You’ve got this.

Best,

Dr. Therese


Previous
Previous

5 Tips from a Psychologist on Finding Peace In Chaos (When It Feels Like The World Is Falling Apart)

Next
Next

How I Became A Therapist on The New School Podcast