“The Pandemic Era: New Year, New Me?”

Though last year wasn’t too long ago and changed our world, we all had a lot of time to reflect and set new goals for the year 2021..

One thing for sure is that last year taught us how meaningful our relationships are with others and how to handle ourselves in times of crisis. We learned more about ourselves in-depth than before. Therefore, entering the new year came with a plan. Whether it’s to save more time for self-care or financial goals, we are on a mission to always be and do better. But will we make those changes to be so?

If your goals don’t revolve around working harder and doing better financially, don’t overthink it. Sometimes we have to place ourselves first in different ways before thinking and planning any further. To take care of everything else in our lives, we have to first take care of ourselves. Regardless, the goal should be to do better, so if, for you, that means to find time to catch up on 6 hours of sleep every night, you can work on it!

Goals have to be SMART.

S– Specific

Be specific when setting a goal. Please don’t keep it too general.

M– measurable

Make it a goal where you can track your progress, i.e., calendar, journal, or apps. 

A– Achievable

Realistic goals are the ones that keep us moving forward. As great as it is to dream and don’t condone it, you first have to think of what you can do short term that will get you closer to your long-term goals. 

R– Relevant

           What makes sense to you right now? What is most important to you?

T– Time-Bound

Set an end date for your goal. If you believe that you will achieve that goal by a certain time, it’ll only push you further.

Writing down your goals is the first way to get started, whether you believe it or not.

Whether you achieve your new goals this year is entirely up to you- don’t forget that. We must honestly want what we set out for ourselves to take the next steps necessary to get there. But it is essential to reframe how we approach our goals this year after last year. 

If you’ve experienced loss or grief this year, we recommend starting your year by taking care of yourself. This means starting to do what you love and scheduling a session with a therapist to let it all out of your system finally. With a new year comes new beginnings, and this is the way to launch. Teletherapy took charge in 2020 and has become the safest and most convenient way for many to receive help to get better. If you experienced loss, hardships, depression, anxiety, or anything else that threw you off your rhythm, talk to a professional who is ready to help. 

Talking with a friend is one thing, but a therapist observes, listens, and creates a plan.

If you’re a parent, you understand that the pandemic has taken a toll on your kid(s), and their behavior may not be what it used to be. This is happening all over the world, and therapy is available for children too. Don’t forget that. You will get the answers you’ve been searching for. 

We continuously recommend therapy not because it is what we do, but because we understand and see throughout our experience of helping others what a difference it makes in people’s lives. Most importantly, however, the therapist has to be the right fit for you or your family. 

We’re going to provide you with some example goals that we believe would benefit you, wherever you are in the world- so you can get started somewhere.

1. Start with spending less time online

We say this over and over again, but we hope you understand why. Instead of waking up in the morning and jumping straight onto your phone, take a warm shower instead. Make yourself some tea or coffee, and even a little breakfast. Talk with your partner or your children and get excited about the day before it even really begins. 

2. Try cutting down on the snacks

A healthy body and a healthy mind fall hand in hand. It may be tiresome to always read about exercise, waking up early, and so forth, and we understand that. You can start small. For example, throwing away or donating things in your cabinet that you want to refrain from, from now on. 

3. Declutter

Declutter everything in your life- From the abundance of unread text messages and emails to your bedroom closet and all the things in your kitchen. Donate all the things you don’t need so they don’t waste and instead help someone else.

4. Read a book, even if it’s one

Reading is an escape from reality where you can jump into the shoes of another person or character and see life through their eyes. You can choose anything you want to read about; there’s no one stopping you. Try by purchasing a book and making time in your day to spend with it.

5. Save

One of the things we all learned for sure is to have an emergency funds account. When millions of people lost their jobs in 2020, less than half of them were prepared nor could continue to take care of themselves or those in their family. Life proves to us over and over again, how unpredictable it is. So, it’s always better to be prepared for anything. There are many apps, like Digit, that save you money without you even noticing. They calculate the money in your account and only put away a % of your choice every day into their savings pocket, which you can retrieve at any time for minimal to no cost at all. This way, you’re saving every day safely. 

6. Eliminate a bad habit

You have to start somewhere, right? If your bad habit is smoking, it may take time to cut down, but you can start small. Eliminate not making your bed every morning. As soon as it becomes routine for you, you’ll be surprised what you’re capable of and begin to work on other things to get rid of. A bad habit can also be using swear words or looking for an argument with your partner consistently. Bad habits should have no place in your life. 

If by any chance you feel that the stress of the current situation is getting to you, consider reaching out to us, we’re providing teletherapy and online counseling and we are ready to start helping you.