The New Year is in full swing and 2023 is feeling like a lot of resolutions for many! From fitness to financial goals, New Years is a time people use to reinvent their lives and reset their habits. For many it is a time to get healthy, get sober, and redeem success! A popular term these days is New Year, New Me but it is easier said than done. There is a science behind making changes to get to the “new me” end goal!
“A goal without a plan is just a wish,” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery. If you think about resolutions, they start with a thought process. You have an idea and want to see it play out in your real life. According to an article by the Wall Street Journal, there is science behind this annual ritual. Behavior change typically happens when they are geared toward something good instead of something bad. Take for instance the very popular resolution of working out, losing weight, and getting healthy … This is ultimately a behavior change and will take a thought process to bring it to reality. So how does one make this goal feel good? Get intentional. Choose workouts that motivate you and are fun! Find a group that has like-minded individuals in it to encourage you along the way and even getting workout gear that makes you feel good can improve the process. Most of all understanding your “why” can support your goal’s goodness the most. Getting healthier overall impacts every aspect of your life but it will take that intentional planning to make changes like this stick long-term. You will be making mental shifts around what your diet looks like, working on that willpower, self-control, and self discipline … just by committing to a healthier lifestyle.
The Journal of Clinical Psychology did a study that revealed people who actually made resolutions fared better in the success department, noting 44% were likely to succeed in their goal after 6 months than those who did not make a resolution. However, the science also finds that people who make a resolution often end up not following through with the goal if it is non-specific. Goals often take time to build so making them measurable and even phases them can help. When it comes to the health department, here are a few goals we highly recommend that can have an overall impact on your life!
You are so pumped to get started towards your success right? Goal number one tells you take things down a notch … its sleep … yea sleep!!! Sleep habits sometimes get pushed to the side with our hustle and bustle society … but don’t let them. Sleep can improve your mood, functioning, thinking … we are talking brain fuel here! It also serves as a time for your body to clear toxins. Some specifics to help aide in those Zzz’s are avoiding alcohol, working out, and limiting screen time prior to bed.
Exercise is one of life’s best doctors. It’s true, moving your body has so many benefits. If exercise is part of your New Year resolution, good! Figure out what exercise and when you will do it will help this resolution stick. Like to dance? Great! Join a dance class! Like to lift? Great! Get in on a weight class or join an app that helps you measure the progress. Exercise helps ward off disease and also is a must for mental health! Those that exercise have a lower chance of developing depression and anxiety according to the New York Times. Just remember that the best exercise resolution is one you can actually keep so plan to win here!
Sober up! This can be one of the most challenging resolutions for people to keep … but it is one of the most life changing. For those that have battled addiction or found themselves using drugs in social settings etc … getting sober can feel like an endless pursuit. This is because sobriety is a constant work and if you really think about it, so is every other goal out there. Dry January is a term that many use to go alcohol free in the month of January every year. The 30 day stint can help you slowly but surely make a commitment to the next 30 days and so on. It is ok to start small here, even day by day. Addiction also takes shifts in your social circle sometimes too. This brings us back to getting intentional. If you want to practice Dry January, you may want to give yourself a breather from those who do not. Surround yourself with people on the same mission and you will be more likely to succeed.
Remember there is help available to you. A good way to keep your sobriety goals going is to get connected into places that support staying clean. Connect with our team at Scottsdale Recovery and Detox Center® and we will support your way! By providing a vast array of services we recognize not two people are exactly the same and neither are their addictions and their path free from them. We want our clients, community, and those who are struggling to have access to support in all forms.
We are a phone call away if you or a loved one are seeking support! Learn more by visiting scottsdalerecovery.com or call 1-888-NODRUGS.
