The new year can provide people in recovery with a new opportunity to develop healthy habits. Working towards recovery goals and resolutions can be difficult, but the reward of freedom from addiction is worth the effort. Recovery requires a personalized plan – no single strategy works for everyone – and that’s okay. Breaking big goals into smaller, manageable steps will increase your chances of success. Applying the acronym SMART can be a helpful reminder for setting meaningful goals for yourself to make sure you are on the right track.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Specific — When setting a goal, it is important to keep in mind that you are striving to achieve a particular objective and not a general one. It is essential to ensure that the goal is relevant to your project in order to guarantee success. Therefore, make sure that your objectives are precise and directed toward the project you are working on.
Measurable — Your goals need to be measurable in order to evaluate the success or failure of a project. It is important to have a tangible way to measure whether the goals are being met, such as a deadline, a number, a percent change, or any other quantifiable element.
Achievable — Set your sights on something that is achievable yet challenging. Make sure your aim is not too far out of reach and that the goal is within your project scope. Ask yourself if it is possible to accomplish the set goal. If not, it cannot be considered Achievable.
Relevant — Relevance refers to setting goals that make sense with the broader objectives. It is important to ensure that goals are both Achievable and Relevant – a goal may be achievable yet not realistic if it does not fit into the bigger picture. When creating a plan, it is important to ask yourself why you are pursuing the goal and what the impact will be on your life if successful.
Time-bound — If you want to be successful, make sure to set goals with an end date. Without a time limit, the goal may never be achieved. Establishing a timeline helps create a sense of urgency, preventing tasks from dragging on too long. This doesn’t mean that your goal needs to be accomplished in its entirety; you can use it to evaluate the success of your plan and create new goals for the future.
Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions
Take it one day at a time – Focus on taking it one day at a time and make the present moment count. Make a daily commitment to sobriety, and recognize that progress accumulates as you take each day at a time. Affirm your intentions each morning, and you will eventually look back and celebrate the progress you have made.
Be gentle with yourself – Be kind to yourself during addiction recovery and remember that setbacks are a normal part of the journey. Adjust goals when necessary and focus on making small improvements day by day. Keeping a positive attitude and refraining from self-judgment can help to provide the motivation needed to stay on a healthy path.
Choose activities you genuinely enjoy – Choose activities that you actually enjoy in order to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones. Taking time to explore hobbies and passions can be helpful when trying to focus on new activities after a period of substance use.
Make time for yourself – Stay active and maintain structure in recovery, but make time for yourself. To avoid burnout, take a few moments each day to reflect, practice gratitude, or do a mindfulness activity to help with the healing process.
Enroll in a treatment program – Professional treatment is essential to any addiction recovery plan; it provides access to relapse-prevention techniques, as well as detoxification to safely manage withdrawal symptoms.