Head into the New Year with “SMART” Goals

Goal setting is an important part of any lifestyle change. It is important when setting goals to make them “SMART” goals – shorter milestones that can help you on the way to achieve your overall long-term goals!
“SMART” goals should be:

• Specific – Make sure that they are simplistically written and clearly defined.
• Measurable – You should be able to track progress and measure outcomes.
• Attainable – Try to make your goals challenging, but also realistic.
• Relevant – Each SMART goal should be consistent with other goals and help you achieve your long-term goal.
• Time-bound – Create a time-frame in which you want to accomplish each SMART goal.

By setting up SMART goals, you can set realistic expectations for yourself so as to eliminate the disappointment that accompanies unrealistic goal-setting. These short-term goals also help to avoid feeling overwhelmed and boost self-esteem, and offer motivation for the journey ahead!