Psychotherapist Dr. Karen Ruskin provides concrete do-able steps and practical tips to achieve your New Year’s resolution for the long term. You can have long term goal success says this mental health and wellness expert and media go-to source.
During my interview with The Boston Globe, I explained a new way to view your New Year’s resolution combined with specific steps of which will allow you to achieve your New Year’s resolution – long term. Provided below is an excerpt of the article as it is written directly from The Boston Globe’s interview with this Psychotherapist:
Dr. Karen Ruskin’s interview with Anica Butler
The Boston Globe
By: Boston Globe Staff
We want to lose weight. Be happier. Eat better. Quit smoking.
Nearly half of us will make New Year’s resolutions this year and, while we may be setting laudable and healthy goals, many of us will be doomed to fail.
But, experts say, there are ways to ensure success.
The key is to stop thinking in terms of “resolution” and reframe the goal as a journey — a lasting lifestyle change that can be accomplished through specific steps.
“A typical New Year’s resolution is so linear: To do more of something or do less of something,” Ruskin said. “That’s why it’s not long-term attainable — the moment you stop doing the ‘that’ you wish to do more or less of, you feel like you’ve failed and you give up.”
Resolutions are often vague, and lack actionable steps. And they can place an artificial time limit on making permanent change, said Dr. Suzanne Koven, a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.
So rather than simply resolving to be healthier this year, take some tips from experts on how to have a healthier 2013 — and beyond.
MAKE A PLAN, AND BE KIND TO YOURSELF
According to Dr. Karen Ruskin, a “resolution” will only be successful if you identify exactly what it is you want to change and why, and think of it in terms of a healthier overall lifestyle. Here are her tips to help you reach your goals:
Identify a specific change
“You should ask yourself, ‘What do I actually wish to improve upon’ so you have clarity,” Ruskin said.
Your goal can be about your relationships with other people, or something you want to improve within yourself.
“Sometimes it might be about a healthier lifestyle in terms of food, or going back to school,” Ruskin said. For some it might be getting a promotion at work, or being more considerate of your spouse or being more patient with your children. But the idea is to figure out exactly what it is you want to change, then plotting specific steps.
Ask yourself: What is one step I can take today?
You’re not going to write that novel in one sitting. But maybe today you’ll write one paragraph, work on an outline, or simply spend some time thinking about it. Or you may choose to give yourself the day off. But asking yourself what you might do – rather than telling yourself – is a more gentle way to help you reach your goal.
Give yourself positive feedback
Whether it’s a verbal pat on the back, or a smiley face sticker on a calendar (yes, even for adults!), it’s important to give ourselves credit for progress that we make.
“What we say to ourselves effects our mood. We are more likely to achieve our goals if we are kind to ourselves, instead of being angry,” Ruskin said.
Re-Evaluate
Periodically, you should evaluate your progress and decide whether you want to continue working toward the same goal. Sometimes, you may want to shift to something else, or make some tweaks to your goal. “If we are constantly checking in, we are constantly improving,” Ruskin said.
- If you wish to read more, provided is the link of Dr. Karen’s interview on The Boston Globe’s website: Tips For A Healthier 2013.