New Year, No Resolution
By: Christi M. Lero, MSW, LCSW
Therapist And Hospice & Palliative Care Social Worker
Perhaps one of the biggest transitions we experience together as a society is the transition to the New Year. Every year we flip the calendar page over to begin a new year. Then, we hear an endless parade of information, tips and tricks, and sure-fire ways to make and keep our New Year’s Resolutions. But, after a few weeks have passed, we hear the statistics that most resolutions were abandoned by February. Have you done this? I know I have. I fall into that trap of “this is going to be the year!”
What is a Resolution and How Does it Impact Your Wellbeing?
Merriam-Webster defines “resolution” as “the act or process of resolving: such as the act of analyzing complex notions into simpler ones.” Well, friends, that is not how I have made New Year’s Resolutions in the past!
Some of you may have heard in recent years, a movement of the Anti-Resolution. This is the notion that rather than deciding what we will do this year, we instead make a list of things that we will not do. Anti-resolutions give us permission to let go of the things in our lives that are not serving us well. What are some things that have been more of a drain on our energy and resources? What has remained on your to-do list for so long that instead of jumping to it, you find a reason to avoid it, yet again?
How to Make an Anti-Resolution List to Improve Your Mental Health:
If an anti-resolution list seems like work to you, then there is only one thing on your list: don’t make an Anti-Resolution list.
Limit the list to 3-5 items. For that matter, limit the time it takes to create this list to 5-10 minutes.
Identify the things that bring up stress, insecurity, or dread.
Create “I” statements about these things. When you remind yourself first about how these things make you feel, it gives you that much more motivation to let it go.
Sample Anti-Resolution List:
I feel overwhelmed by making a weekly dinner menu. I will not make a weekly dinner menu!
I am uncomfortable when I have to explain why I decide not to go to an event. I will not allow others’ thoughts or opinions influence what I know I need to do for myself and my well-being.
I feel stuck and alone. I will stop trying to do everything myself!
Wow. Did you feel that? That GIANT weight being lifted from your shoulders? Feels good, right? So, what is weighing you down, draining your battery, emptying your cup? How does it make you feel and what are you not going to do this year to avoid it?
Find Relief From Your Stress in the New Year
Want to feel even more relieved? Anti-Resolutions don’t have to be made only on the first of the year. In fact, they don’t even have to be made for the whole year. Make the resolution whenever you want, for however long you want. You want to try saying “no” for a bit because you see a busy season coming up in your life? Say “no” for a week or two or three. Lighten your load. What are you not going to do?
More information about Anti-Resolutions
Begin Counseling in Columbia, MO
If the new year has you feeling anxious and stressed, counseling can help. I provide therapy for adults who are looking to move through challenging life transitions, deal with grief, and transition into parenthood. Together we can help you let go of all the things holding you back from leading a fulfilling life doing the things want to do! To begin counseling at our Columbia, MO counseling center, follow these three simple steps:
Contact our office to speak to a care coordinator,
Schedule a free in-person consultation meeting with me,
Learn new tools to lead a life you love!
Other Services Offered at Aspire Counseling
At Aspire Counseling in Columbia, MO we believe healing begins when you look past hurts, current obstacles and future worries directly in the eye and can confidently say, “I’ve got this.” Therefore, our compassionate therapists provide a variety of mental health services designed to give our clients the tools they need to achieve emotional wellness. Our therapeutic services include counseling for caregivers, counseling for chronic illness, postpartum counseling, grief and loss therapy, counseling for teens, counseling for college students, counseling for adults, trauma and PTSD therapy, EMDR therapy, counseling for sexual assault and rape, anxiety therapy, counseling for depression, LGTBQ affirming counseling services, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Additionally, our blog features information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our services and the ways we can help you, please contact our Columbia, MO counseling office!
About the Author
Christi Lero is a hospice social worker who also helps a university research team find better support caregivers of cancer &/or hospice patients. Additionally, she previously offered individual therapy to clients at Aspire Counseling.