A NEW YEAR for YOU

It’s about that time of year again when we start to reflect on the previous year, and start thinking about what we would like to do differently moving forward. There are a number of things to consider when you find yourself in this situation. Many of us are tempted to set major, life changing goals for ourselves, and later are left feeling disappointed because these goals were not fully met or accomplished. There is nothing magical by saying for example, ” I want to lose 30 pounds.” This type of goal is often unreachable for most of us. Instead, it may be a better plan to say, ” This year I plan to eat more healthy, and exercise three times a week.”

When we don’t reach our goals, we sometimes become critical and deflated. It is important to feel like progress has been made, and feel proud of our efforts. Some ideas about how to jump start a new year, and find a better you may include:

• set reasonable goals for yourself
• find time for yourself every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes (reading, chatting with a friend, etc.)
• apologize to someone for something you may have done to hurt them
• find a hobby or improve a skill
• make an appointment with your doctor for a physical, mammogram, etc.
• ” let go of” baggage that is weighing you down
• save some money
• say at least three positive statements to someone (or self) each day
• start journaling
• laugh EVERY day, even when it’s hard to find something to laugh about
• get more organized
• tell those close to you how you feel about them
• make the call to start counseling
• eat dinner with your family at the table
• donate money to a charity/ support a cause

These are just a few ideas of how you can make this year a more satisfying one. We all want to be our best, and part of the challenge is to realize what is important to us. Because we are all unique, we need to customize our strategies to create a plan that works for us. Remember, setting reasonable goals that we are committed to achieving is the key.

Good Luck for a fulfilling 2015!

Mrs. Dawn “Misty” Terry has been working with Family Guidance Centers for the past 10 years. She sees individuals and families to address various issues. She received her Masters in Social Work from VCU, after receiving a BS degree at Radford University in 1995. She accepts most major insurances and is accepting new patients. Please contact our office if you are interested in scheduling an appointment.