The fall and winter holiday season always sneaks up on me. As soon as the back-to-school chaos smooths into a steady rhythm, I’m thrown back into the frenetic end-of-year flurry of activity. It makes me feel like this guy to the left.
For some, this time of year is invigorating, fun, and uplifting. For others, sadness, loneliness, or perhaps a bit of ennui takes hold. Wherever this season is landing for you, the end of the year can be a great time to contemplate the healthy habits you’ve already committed to and want to maintain and it may also be the perfect time to experiment with health and wellness goals.
When you work with me as a health and wellness coach, one of the first things we do is create or fine-tune your wellness vision. Typically, a wellness vision is a statement that describes who you are and what healthy behaviors you will be doing or will be continuing to do by the end of 90 days. Here, however, if you want to focus on healthy habits you’re forming or sustaining during this particular time, we can adapt it to be a description of the healthy behaviors you are doing by the end of the year.
Your wellness vision is personal to you. You know yourself best. You might be trying some new things or going back to habits you practice at this time of the year. You may focus on healthy eating, maintaining a sleep routine, or a workout regime even on days you attend a party or family gathering. Or you may center on setting and maintaining personal boundaries, putting your mental health first, or volunteering. You may concentrate on how you are feeling during this time. Perhaps you want your wellness vision to incorporate several of these or maybe you have different ideas. What’s important is that you tailor your wellness vision for you.
Once you have established your wellness vision, the next thing you may consider doing is setting one or more SMART goals. These are specific, measurable, action-based, realistic, and timebound things you are doing to reach your wellness vision.
You’re more likely to achieve your goals and wellness vision when you’re very specific about what you want to achieve, and you spell out the precise action(s) you will take within a definite timeframe. Are you likely to achieve your goal? Be honest with yourself. If your confidence is low, you may consider refining it until your confidence is higher or you can give it a try for a week to see whether you want to make any changes it. Is your goal actually good for you? If you’re not sure, find out from one or more reputable sources. If you don’t want to go it alone, identify who you trust to provide you with information, encouragement, accountability, and/or support. Also, identify any barriers (e.g., travel, work, unsupportive family/friends, health issues, etc.) to accomplishing your goals and reaching your wellness vision and determine how you want to handle them. After understanding the potential barriers, you may find you want or need to revise your plans. All that said, aim to set goals that stretch yourself a little bit.
Your goals can be big or small; what’s important is they are meaningful to you and designed to set you up for success more often than not. As you accomplish your goals and form and maintain new healthy habits, you brain changes—it adapts—and forms new neural pathways that help your healthy habits stick. This is called neuroplasticity.
Last year, I decided to stop drinking alcohol around mid-December. Up to that point, I was drinking wine every night with dinner and drinking more than a glass or two when I socialized. I wasn’t feeling great physically and I wasn’t getting restful sleep. So, I decided to stop in the midst of the holiday season to see if I felt better. It was hard because consuming alcohol was so ingrained in my mealtime routine and social activities. I was open about my goal to drink less and found support among my family and friends; and found festive nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy. I’ve maintained my mostly alcohol-free diet since that time because my brain adapted to my new beverage consumption habits. Has my sleep and physical health improved? Yes. Is there more I want to do to improve my health and sleep? Yes. It’s a practice, after all.
If you’re curious about setting a wellness vision and supporting goals for the season or even longer-term, please check out the Coaching tab on my website where you’ll find information and wellness vision and SMART goals forms. I’m providing health and wellness coaching through this season and beyond if you want a partner on your journey.
— Morena