Setting Recovery Goals for the New Year
It’s a new year and the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions brings a renown sense of optimism for most people. Whatever hopes and dreams they’ve had over the past year – NOW is the time to set goals and work towards them.
The tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions can be used as a tool for those battling addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD). Using this tradition to drive setting recovery goals can help those in recovery or wanting to enter the recovery stage stay inspired, motivated and on track. However, it’s important to be very intentional when setting hose goals so that they aren’t quickly abandoned like 80% of resolutions.
Tips for Setting Recovery Goals for the New Year
It’s important to remember that there is no right time for setting recovery goals. Whatever time of year or wherever you are in your SUD journey, setting goals is an important part of recovery. New Year, with the tradition of setting resolutions, just happens to be a popular time for evaluating and setting recovery goals.
Set an Understanding of Where You Are
Go into recovery goal setting with an honest understanding of where you are in your journey with SUD. Are you just starting to recognize that you are battling a disease? Have you received help before? Are you ready for recovery?
Developing this understanding helps you define your current progress and sets clear expectations for what is next.
Know Your “Why”
We are all motivated by something. Putting your motivation for recovery goals at the center of your goal setting with not only help you set actionable goals, but it will also serve as a reminder and motivator as you work towards those goals. (Writing down the benefits of sobriety is one of the 6 Healthy Coping Skills to Prevent Relapse that we teach at Wellbridge – but it is also a positive motivator for achieving recovery goals!)
Set SMART Goals
You may be familiar with the concept of SMART goals. That’s because SMART goals create a guide within themselves to make it easy to follow through with your plans to achieve them!
When setting recovery goals you should make those goals SMART goals.
- Specific – Be specific in what you want to achieve. This will keep you on track for that particular area of improvement.
- Measurable – Make sure that you can measure your progress along the way to help you follow through.
- Attainable – You don’t want to approach your goals with a “shoot for the stars, land on the moon” mindset. Make sure there is a realistic, achievable end. Attaining your goals will encourage you in achieving future goals!
- Relevant – Your goal should be relevant and positively impact your life when you achieve it.
- Time Related – Be specific in the timing of when you want to achieve your goal. This sets a pace for your actions towards achieving your goal.
Take Steps Forward
After you’ve set SMART goals, it’s time to work towards those goals. After all, what good are goals if you aren’t going to work towards them? When you set your recovery goals, be sure to define some actions that you can take in order to achieve your goals. Sobriety is a lifelong journey and each day, each step, counts.
Your Goal for Getting Recovery Support
If your goal is to get support on your recovery journey, contact Wellbridge today. Our team takes a unique approach to treatment by bridging the gap between research and treatment. By putting patient-centric, evidence-based care at the forefront of our treatment, we believe in providing patients with the tools they need to support sobriety across all facets of life.
Kick off your sobriety goals with support that will set you up for long-term sobriety success.