Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Perhaps you vowed to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, quit smoking, save money or get organized. According to John C. Norcross, a psychology professor who studies resolutions, about 40% of Americans make resolutions each year. Six months into the year, in Norcross’ studies, about 40% of those individuals have kept their resolutions. Norcross says that those who believe in themselves are 10 times more likely to change a behavior with a resolution, compared to non-resolution makers.
Setting a SMART goal is one way to set yourself up for success – and increase your belief in yourself – if you happened to make a resolution this year. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. In August, I posted a blog detailing a SMART goal I set for myself regarding physical activity. However, you might choose to write a SMART goal for a behavior in any of the nine dimensions of wellness. In her blog “How Well are You?” my colleague Misty explores these dimensions of wellness and suggests small and simple steps you might take to improve your wellbeing in any one dimension.
Some of my other colleagues have shared fun and creative SMART goals to improve wellbeing in these various dimensions:
Bridget set a goal to refrain from purchasing any new clothes for three months, as a way to improve her financial wellbeing.
Emily set a goal of completing a 5K race each month of the year in 2020, as a way to improve her physical wellbeing.
Alisha recently wrote a blog about her “Kindness Boomerang” resolution in which she set out to complete a daily act of kindness to improve emotional and social wellbeing.
Which dimension of wellness do you want to work on this year? Consider setting a SMART goal to set yourself up for success. I know that for me, writing a SMART goal and sharing it with others was a way to make myself accountable to working toward that goal!
Sources:
Harmon, M. (2017). How Well are You? Live Healthy, Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2017/08/18/how-well-are-you/
Hetter, K. (2020). How to Keep New Year’s Resolutions. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/01/health/keeping-new-years-resolutions-wellness/index.html
Lobb, J. (2019) Reclaiming Fitness. Live Healthy, Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2019/08/22/reclaiming-fitness/
The Ohio State University, Student Wellness Center. Nine Dimensions of Wellness. https://swc.osu.edu/about-us/nine-dimensions-of-wellness/
Stanford BeWell. Achieving your SMART health goal. https://bewell.stanford.edu/achieving-your-smart-health-goal/
Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu
Reviewed by: Alisha Barton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Miami County, barton.345@osu.edu
Live Healthy Live Well 
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