As we enter 2023, many of us are reflecting on the past twelve months and making resolutions for the New Year. We all want to make changes in our lives and achieve our goals.
But often, if you struggle with anxiety or self-esteem, when creating resolutions you focus more on what you think you should be doing rather than what you authentically want and what will actually and make you happier.
When you don’t feel content or calm in your life, you may mistakenly believe that achieving certain goals – such as losing weight or reading a book a week – will suddenly make you feel “better” or more “worthy”. However, this kind of thinking is often counterproductive, because it overlooks the underlying feelings of not being good enough that need to be addressed in order to make meaningful progress.
Instead of striving for validation and approval from what you do, you must focus on re-establishing a healthy sense of self-worth and self acceptance. This is the foundation upon which lasting changes in you life can be built.
Ironically, often when you are able to be more compassionate and kind to yourself, goals like getting regular exercise or making time for a hobby become much easier than if you motivate yourself by trying be someone you think you “should” be.
How Therapy Helps you Set Open-Hearted New Years Resolutions
By incorporating therapy into your New Years’ resolutions can help you to create kinder, more open-hearted goals that have a lasting positive impact on your life.
A therapist can help identify you identify the underlying psychological blocks that may be stopping you from reaching your goals or causing you to set unkind goals for yourself. This could mean working though feelings of low self worth, internalized cultural standards of perfection, or even that you are avoiding difficult realities about other parts of your life like relationships or career.
By openly sharing fears and frustrations surrounding particular objectives, you can gain valuable insight into what might stand in your way from realizing your goals. Through this process, you can create an action plan for success that takes into account both the rational goals that you’d like to achieve, as well as the more sensitive emotional aspects that effect how you approach life decisions and tasks.
If you’re in need of inspiration, here are some ideas for open-hearted New Year’s resolutions for 2023:
1. Show gratitude towards those around me and acknowledge their achievements.
2. Improve communication with people I care about through thoughtful interactions online and in person.
3. Recognize the beauty of small moments that happen every day, such as enjoying a cup of coffee or sharing a laugh.
4. Allow myself to feel all emotions without judgement, including sadness, joy, disappointment, and more.
5. Become more mindful of my thoughts and beliefs in order to challenge negative ones that may be holding me back.
6. Reconnect with people I care about by calling or sending messages on a regular basis and making plans to spend quality time together.
7. Celebrate small victories each day instead of constantly striving for perfectionism or focusing on failures.
Ready to Begin Online Therapy to Help You Reach Your Goals in California or Illinois?
- Schedule a free therapy consultation.
- Learn to set open-hearted goals for yourself so you can live an authentic life.
