Blueprint for Achievement: Designing Meaningful Milestones in Recovery

Struggling to keep your New Year's resolutions isn't just a personal challenge—it's a call to realign with what truly matters to you. That's why this episode of the ABGW podcast is your guide to not just setting goals, but achieving them in a way that honors your personal values and your journey from recovery to empowerment. We tackle the intricacies of creating resolutions that stick, from making them specific and measurable to ensuring they're imbued with realism and compassion. Join me as I unveil the strategies that will help transform your aspirations into tangible milestones, making 2024 the year where progress is celebrated and perfectionism is put to rest.

You've sent in your questions, and I'm here to provide the answers that cut to the heart of trauma recovery and personal growth. Discover how to measure the success of your resolutions in a way that's meaningful to you, and learn why embracing the MP degree—Mindfulness and Progress—is crucial in this transformative process. We don't just dream here; we do. By the end of our time together, you'll have a blueprint for resolutions that align with your deepest values, and the wisdom to navigate setbacks with grace. Prepare to embark on a year where compassion is key, and action is supreme. Welcome to a new chapter of intentionality and purpose—your journey to empowerment starts now.

The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you have a specific health concern or condition, please consult a qualified Healthcare professional for more details. Check out herguru dot uk forward slash disclaimers

Transcript

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Speaker 1 0:23

Hello everyone and welcome to ABGW podcast . Amazing , brilliant , gorgeous , wonderful trauma recovery , redefined from struggle to strength . And we are here today for this extra episode so that I can answer a few questions , so that you can get the most out of how you make your resolutions and take the steps , the actions that you need to take so you get the most out of them . So these questions have come from messages that I've had , from social interactions on Facebook and Instagram , as well as private messages and a couple of questions I thought would be useful for me to answer . So , with that in mind , let's take action and , without further ado , let's dive straight in . So here's a fun fact for you about 45% of us make new year's resolutions , and research suggests that resolutions that are genuinely more effective are aligned with our personal values . So this new year stands before us like a blank canvas waiting to be painted . So let's have our first question . Can you see that ? How can I make my new year's resolution more specific ? So to me , the best way to make resolutions specific is remembering that a goal properly set is halfway reached . It's about where you start . So in any kind of recovery setting it's about being specific . Being specific , or specificity is so crucial . So , instead of vague goals like I want to be happier , or do you know what I mean ? Well , let's spend more time with my family . Please be specific . You could aim for I don't know . For example , I want to practice mindfulness for 10 minutes daily to manage my anxiety . That way , your goal is tangible and it's actually achievable . You can do 10 minutes a day . Another way of looking is , instead of saying , I want to get into shape , which is my problem , for the last time in years , I want to lose two inches from my waist and three inches from my hip .

Speaker 1 3:06

How can I measure my year's resolution ? So for me , the best way to measure resolutions is remembering what Peter Drucker said what gets measured gets managed . So it's all about the small , significant steps that you take . If you're resolved to improve your mental health , then you might want to think about you know . An example might be you want to reduce your panic attack from once a week to once a month , or noting an improvement in your journal . So you might want to track how much time you're spending with your family by measuring it , by aiming to work four hours less a week . It just depends on what your objective is the most important thing is that you have a way of measuring it . You have a way of reviewing your progress .

Speaker 1 4:22

How can I make my new year's resolution realistic ? Realistic resolutions have a 60% greater chance of being maintained . So the thing is , about 20% of resolutions fail within the first week . But we are not going to have that , are we ? Because realism in any kind of recovery setting means at least acknowledging your current stage , where you are right now in the process , and setting resolutions that challenge you but are still achievable . I mean , you have to remember where you are emotionally and psychologically . It's all about progress , not perfection . Perfection is not in the house . So , to make your resolutions realistic , ensure that they are within reasonable standard . While you may not be able to achieve everything that you want in one year , you will be at least well on your way to your goal by the end of the year and , more importantly , because you've been measuring your progress , you will be able to see what you've achieved . A lot of the time , the reason why we give up is because we haven't been measuring it , so we haven't seen how far we've come . And the thing is this year 2024 , we are going to the MP degree . Baby .

Speaker 1 5:55

Next question , please why do some people fail to keep their New Year's resolutions ? In the context of trauma recovery , failing to keep resolutions often stems from not setting goals that are aligned with where we are right now . So it's important to set things that are achievable and relevant , and remembering that any journey , especially a healing journey , is not a linear process . So we have to remember to be compassionate to ourselves . Your compassion is crucial here . Don't worry , we're not pointing the finger at you here . Nobody's perfect . What's important is that you're taking steps , regular steps , making progress , taking action . Action is king .

Speaker 1 7:05

The best way to choose a New Year's resolution ? For me , resolutions are one of the most powerful tools in trauma recovery . Goal setting has , from my experience , improved the recovery outcomes by 30% . So the best way to choose a New Year's resolution in fact , any kind of resolution is to identify a specific area in your life affected by your current experiences and then set a goal that fosters healing and growth in that area . To me , it's all about finding balance and choosing something that's meaningful , that contributes to your recovery journey without overwhelming you . How can I structure my New Year's resolution ? So ? Do you know that by January 12 , most people have grew up their resolutions . But that ain't going to happen here because we are on this . So then , what I said you know you construct to them using mini-goals , making smaller and smaller manageable mini-goals and focusing your attention on those things .

Speaker 1 8:41

Structuring a resolution means breaking it down , breaking it down , down down into steps so that you can acknowledge the progress that you've made . So if , for example , if you want to , if your goal is to repair a strange relationship that you have with a family member , you might want to start with understanding your emotions around that person and then move into communicating your need , at least to yourself , and then , with that other person , communicating what you need from them and then working on building that mutual understanding that you have between the two of you . Will it always get you what you want straight out the bat ? No , but the best way to start is how you mean to go on . So at least you're setting the frame of reference that will work for the both of you , because you're both being honest about where you really are .

Speaker 1 9:44

What is the benefit of addressing my resolution as a process rather than just a goal ? You know , I myself have been so distracted by goals in the past not in setting them but not realizing that the most important thing when you set a goal is the progress that you make from where you started . So to me , it's crucial that you address one of the many mistakes that I have made in the past is I have set goals and I have got so excited about reaching them and then I kind of forgotten where I've come from . So for me , one of the most important things you can do when addressing your resolution is making the decision right before you start to acknowledge that it's a process and it's the progress that makes you more likely to succeed in what you want . It's not just about reaching that finishing line , it's about the journey there , because during that journey you learn so much about yourself , and viewing resolutions as a process rather than just a one-time goal is so beneficial to your ongoing growth and adaptation , which is what you need and is , to me , is crucial in any kind of healing process . This perspective helps you to celebrate all the victories that you have and learn from setbacks without the judgment .

Speaker 1 11:34

What is a funny way to look at New Year's resolutions ? As they say , a New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and comes out the other , but the thing is , with the right approach you can make it stick . I mean , it's essential to maintain a sense of humor . You know , a New Year's resolution is the best kind of ghost story because it haunts you all year long . But remember , with the right mindset you can turn those ghosts into your guiding spirits , your guiding save .

Speaker 1 12:14

How can I make sure my New Year's resolution isn't just a flash in the pan ? For me , one of the best ways you can avoid that avoid your resolutions being a flash in the pan is going back to basic and truly focusing on what matters to you . Being honest with yourself . Not . The thing is , we have a tendency to set goals and resolution in order to please other people and then often that's why we fail , because they're not really what we want . And I'm encouraging you to be honest with yourself . Set things that truly matter to you , be specific , have a system that so you can measure your goals , break them down , down , down down into many goals and be realistic . This is a marathon baby , not a sprint , because you are choosing something significant and when you link your resolutions to your broader journey in life , you can allow yourself to focus on the essential and review your progress with ease .

Speaker 1 13:40

So thank you for joining us today . Hope you found those answers useful in some way . Your presence here is value , so stay tuned for more empowering content , for the amazing , brilliant , gorgeous , wonderful . And remember your journey to resilience and transformation is a masterpiece in the making , so embrace it with open arms and let your story shine bright . Okay , we'd love it if you'd leave a review , because we really do appreciate your feedback and your support and you might want to subscribe while you're here so that you hear the next episode or even leave a review . So you take care . Bye for now .