This past Thursday, I shared with our group my presentation on “ Effective Goal Setting for Your Mental Health “

My goal is to always learn something new from my own presentations, and I do hope to get more exercise in my routine in the coming year.

Most of the time when we think about setting goals, a lot of us think about setting new goals of losing more weight, or maybe even promising ourselves to exercise more. Or maybe you feel like you need to eat more healthy? These are all worthwhile goals to achieve, and are all part of what it means to set new goals to benefit our own mental health. There are many ways in which we can choose goals that will benefit our mental health. We need to start by thinking about what it is about our mental health we want to change. I know for me personally, I know I need to focus on getting more exercise in the new year, which will also help benefit my mental health by making me feel better afterwards. I know that a New Years goal of exercising more is cliché, but it’s definitely one of my current goals. Exercise is known to help reduce our anxiety and may also help boost dopamine levels. If I could just remember these things when I am feeling unmotivated. 😄 

      When I took my training to work as a Peer Support, I also learned about setting SMART goals. The acronym “SMART” means that a goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. I’m sure that maybe some of you have heard this term before, however for those of you that are unfamiliar with this tool, it is quite valuable. 

 So, let’s break this down a little bit.  Below are brief descriptions of each part of the SMART acronyms;  

1) SPECIFIC    So, let’s say when it comes to my goal of getting more exercise, I know that it’s something I want and need to do. So instead of stating that “ I want to exercise more” Maybe I can start by stating “ I want to exercise by walking three times a week “

 2) MEASURABLE    We need to be able to somehow track our goal’s progress, that way we know when we’ve met our goal. Calendars, phone apps and journaling are all different ways we can track our goals. So for example, if I am trying to exercise more by walking, maybe I can start by walking 25 minutes a day, three times per week. Now I used to walk for 45 minutes at a time, about three times a week, so I know this is doable. I think I will try using a calendar to track my progress, and also share with my best friend my plan to walk more. The combination of these two may hold me more accountable. 

 3) ATTAINABLE    If you have a goal that may seem too big, it may be helpful to take your large goals and break them down into smaller goals. It’s good to have ambitious goals, but not ones that are impossible. It’s smart to choose a goal that you are confident you can achieve. Getting back to my goal of exercising more, I know in the not too distant past, I was good about making sure I went for a long walk at least three times a week. Try and think about whether or not you have the support and resources you may need to achieve your goal. Now I know for sure I have the support in my life through friends and family, when needed. If I were to tell one of my best friends that I have a goal to start walking more, they would definitely hold me accountable.

4) RELEVANT    So, does your new goal and the steps needed to achieve your goal matter to you? Maybe if you’re not feeling motivated to achieve your goal, you can try talking with your therapist about it? Your goal should feel important to you. Are you inspired to reach your goal? Sometimes we may have to reframe our goal to make it more inspiring for us. For example, I know deep down that exercise would benefit me both physically and mentally. But maybe those benefits aren’t enough to keep me motivated. It might help me to think how exercising will help to lower my blood pressure, and possibly help with stress and anxiety levels. Plus, if I were to lose weight it would probably help to boost my self esteem. 

 5) TIME BOUND    Finally, you will need to create a timeline for when you want to meet your goals. For example, if I want to achieve a goal of walking three times a week, for at least 30 minutes each time, then I might give myself one month to meet this goal.

So after all this talk about me meeting my own personal goal of getting more exercise, think a little bit about how you could apply the SMART acronym to your life.  Are there any new goals in your life where you think the SMART acronym might come in handy? 

     As I mentioned briefly earlier, I personally feel it’s a really good idea to have at least one friend or family member who will hold you accountable for your personal goals. Just one is all you need. This way if you ever have a day when you’re really not feeling motivated, they may just be the one person that gives you that much needed push. It’s also smart to write down your goals, and refer to them often. Try not to set yourself up for failure by taking on too much, and reaching for a goal you know you may not be able to reach. Be realistic about what your expectations are, as you may have to end up changing behaviors and some of your habits. Try to remember your goals have to be meaningful to you. And good luck with whatever goals you may have set for 2025!