Stay Motivated on Your Health Goals: Reflecting Back on Your 2022 Accomplishments

Life can be tough — and 2022 was a year filled with many tricky situations to navigate, from continuous world crises to the rising cost-of-living — but staying motivated is key. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to reflect on your goals and accomplishments. When we take time to look back on 2022 and appreciate our successes (especially as it relates to our health and wellness goals), it helps us stay focused and energized — no matter what challenges come our way in 2023. Let’s look at some practical tips for reflecting on your health goals and wellness accomplishments in order to stay motivated.

How to Stay Motivated Through S.M.A.R.T. Goals and Self-Reflection

1. Set Achievable Goals

The first step in staying motivated is setting achievable goals for 2023. Setting too ambitious goals can actually have the opposite effect of making you feel overwhelmed or discouraged. Instead, break down your long-term goals into smaller, bite-sized chunks that are easier to manage. This will help keep you from getting overwhelmed and will make it easier for you to see progress along the way. It also sets you up for success as each small goal achieved is a victory that gives you a boost of motivation for tackling the next one!

As you reflect back on 2022, take a look at your goals. What goals did you set this past year? What goals were you successful at? And what goals would you like to champion in the new year?

If you, like many of us, struggled to stay motivated and stick with your wellness goals this year — and if so, you’re hardly alone! — it may be because the goals you set were too ambiguous or lofty. Through self-reflection and looking back at the past 12 months, you can reconfigure said goals for a more successful and healthy 2023.

The key when re-configuring your goals for the new year? Make them S.M.A.R.T.

“For the best chance of success, choose goals that are SMART — that is, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based,” advises psychologist Loren Soeiro, PhD.

It’s also helpful to attach your health and wellness goals to things that are important to you. Let’s take weight loss as an example. Losing weight in order to fit a cultural norm or look a certain way that magazines tell you you should look might motivate you on the short term, but to stay motivated, it should be attached to something much deeper and more personally meaningful. For example, you might realize that you want to lose weight in order to stay active and agile for your grandchildren!

2. Make Time For Reflection

The second step is carving out time for reflection. Once you’ve set achievable goals, start taking note of your accomplishments as they occur — regardless of how small they may seem!

Make sure to schedule some time each week or month when you can reflect on what has been achieved so far, what still needs to be done, and where you are headed next in terms of reaching your goal(s).

This time of reflection can be used as an opportunity to celebrate successes as well as identify any areas that may need more focus or attention to ensure future progress. It’s a powerful way to stay motivated as we jump into 2023.

3. Take Stock Of Your Strengths And Weaknesses

Finally, take stock of both your strengths and weaknesses when reflecting on your goals and accomplishments over the past 12 months. It’s important to recognize what skills or talents have aided you in achieving success so far in 2022, as well as which areas could use more work or practice in order to push yourself further towards success in 2023. Taking stock of both sides allows us to appreciate ourselves while also pushing ourselves further towards our end goal(s).

By setting achievable goals, carving out time for reflection, and taking stock of both our strengths and weaknesses, we can keep ourselves focused while still giving ourselves room to grow! So don’t forget – take some time today (or this week) to reflect on your progress so far; it’s an important part of keeping yourself motivated!

References:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/i-hear-you/202104/whats-the-secret-accomplishing-your-personal-goals