Out with the old and in with the new. If you’re feeling any regret after all those Holiday cookies, or goals long forgotten in 2019, don’t worry, you’re not alone. With the change of the calendar year, many of us take the time to reflect on not only the past year, but to also look ahead and ask ourselves “What do I want to change this year?”
Before jumping on the bandwagon and hastily filling out a list of things you want to accomplish in 2020, it might be a good idea to simply stop and think about yourself. Ask yourself: “Have I made any new year resolutions in the past, and if so, did I stick with them?” If not, why not? What lead you astray in what you set out to tackle? This may be key to not only helping you think differently about any future goals, but to challenge yourself to have a wider perspective so that you can lay out specific and measurable goals.
Not sure where to start? The National Kidney Foundation has a great example of laying out SMART goals on their website. A New Year, a New You: 5 Tips to Make Achieving Your Goals Possible
Remember, there is no need to rush the creation of your SMART goals. Attainable, realistic goals take time to measure out and to plan for. As awesome as it would be, most goals are not as simply obtained as checking off items in a shopping list. It can be difficult to be accountable to ourselves sometimes, even harder to check back in the weeks after the new years to track our progress. Don’t fret, no one is perfect. Even if you slip or miss a few steps of progress, you can always keep working towards your goal. Make it a task to set aside some time for you to ask yourself “Where am I at with this goal?”, “What is working, and what is not?”, “What are some things I need to change to make this happen?”
No resolution is too big or too small. (Even if you’re looking to just improve your posture!) Real Simple has some excellent suggestions for smaller, and easier to obtain goals in their article:
8 Health Goals You Can Actually Stick To in 2020
Wishing you all a safe and happy New year from the Himmelfarb Library! May all your goals this year be conquerable.
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Feeling stressed about the calories to come? Fear not, for there are abundant ways to eat well and to enjoy the food you make this holiday season. From pumpkin soup to apple salad with figs and almonds, there is no shame in indulging in savory and sweet temptations that don’t break the scale. 
