The past years have been challenging worldwide with the pandemic. This year it is time to take control of your life and make the most of your New Year’s resolutions. Follow these tips to design your vision, goals, and stay on track throughout the year.

What you’ll need:

  • Notebook
  • Calendar
  • 30 minutes for yourself weekly

Vision Statement

What is a vision statement?
A vision is a compelling statement of who you are and what health-promoting behaviors you want to do consistently

How to build a statement?
Building a vision statement you can be creative. Make sure to use “I” statements to envision yourself at your goal.

  • First, reflect upon your past success. Did you improve something from 2021? How did you do it?
  • What strengths, talents, abilities will you draw upon?
  • What challenges will you overcome? How will you overcome these challenges?
  • Reflect on your goals
  • Where will you find support to achieve your goals?

Example visions:
My vision in the next 6 months is that I am exercising at least 3-4 times a week so I am living a healthier lifestyle and setting a good example for my children. My vision is to improve my eating habits by learning how to cook healthy meals and add vegetables to each of my meals to get more vitamins and nutrients in my diet.

To do: Write down your vision in your notebook!

Now that you have answered these questions, let’s set some goals!

S.M.A.R.T Goals

Start S.M.A.R.T. This acronym, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound, is a helpful tool that can help you set an achievable goal. For example, an ideal to “Meet my target blood sugar range,” can be difficult to meet. You’ll see more success if you set a more specific goal to, “Manage my blood sugar by testing and logging it before and after meals every day.”

To do: Utilize your calendar to set time aside for your meal planning, exercise, checking your blood sugars.

Sustainability

Only change ONE activity at a time. New Year’s resolutions may sound good at the time you’re making them, but it’s important to remember how much work each one involves. You only have so much time and willpower, so when setting your goals, remember to be realistic about how much you can really achieve. For example, starting a new cardio workout routine while beginning a new diet may be a little challenging to complete, especially alongside your goals to spend less money and read more often. The best way to stay on-track? Choose one main goal and focus your energy on that.

To do: Write in your notebook your S.M.A.R.T goals. Add to your calendar for your one month, six month, and end year goal dates.

Support

Ask for help. Whether it’s a hug from a family member or a kind word from your best friend, sometimes all you need is a little support. Surrounding yourself with encouraging people can provide you with much-needed advice and motivation boosts, especially during difficult times. If you’re struggling to see results or stay on-track with a healthy lifestyle, make sure to talk to your doctor with any questions or concerns.

Reflection

To do: Take time weekly for yourself to reflect on your progress. Utilize your notebook to reflect on what went well and what needs improvement. Habit tracking will help you realize what challenges you may encounter and what you can do to overcome those challenges when they arise.

Reflect on your progress
Summary Overall, setting goals for the new year can be challenging without a plan. Start with how you envision yourself in the next month, 6 months, and at the end of the year. Set up realistic goals utilizing the S.M.A.R.T format. Choose one goal at a time to make a sustainable lifestyle change. Find support within your family and friends. Finally, Commit to your goals, reflect weekly on how to further overcome challenges and what went well that week.
New Year’s resolutions seem unattainable, but if you can commit to SUSTAINABLE changes you will reach your goals.

Disclaimer: Any information provided is not intended as medical advice. Iowa Diabetes is not responsible for any information from third parties.