Realistic New Years Resolutions
Welcome to 2022.
It is time to make those dreaded New Year’s Resolutions that we all tend to forget by Valentine’s Day. For some of us we ruminate on the “should” about not doing them or by telling ourselves we will do it tomorrow and when we don’t do finish our goal, we often feel more shame, guilt, and beat ourselves up about it. Did you know that DBT has DBT coping skills to make short-term and long-term goals easier? This helps us to make a goal and feel better about ourselves? Let’s see how you can begin setting realistic new years resolutions for 2022.
What are These Skills That Can Help You Create Realistic New Years Resolutions?
The skill is accumulating positives in the short term and long-term. It is one of our emotion regulation skills to help build positive experiences. Then, to be more mindful of these experiences. And, finally, to continue to build a life worth living.
Short Term Goals for Accumulating Positives
Accumulating positives in the short term is doing a small pleasant event each day. This skill may seem easy to some. To those who suffer from mood-related symptoms or intense emotional dysregulation, it can often be hard. The skill is meant to help build up a wall of tolerance to the emotional mind and help us to be more resilient. For example, if your realistic New Year’s resolution was to eat better or exercise more.
You could find pleasant events that correlate with that to help build mastery so you continue with the short-term goal like going for a walk on the beach or looking up recipes that sound fun and exciting. The key to making realistic new years resolutions in small pleasant events is to build up a tolerance to the emotional mind. Both negative emotions and mood-related symptoms are reasons why we give up on our resolutions. By increasing pleasant events each day we can build experience.
Long Term Goals for Accumulating Positives
Accumulating positives in the long term is the second part to setting realistic new years resolutions or making goals. The long term helps you to make changes in your life. This will create more positive events in our future such as exercising. This will help build our life worth living. We first need to identify our values. If we don’t know what our values are or living someone else values it can be hard to complete long-term goals. After you have your values, think of a few goals related to this value and choose only to work on now. Then identify small action steps toward the goal and do one action step now.
Why is this helpful for setting realistic new years resolutions in 2022?
With accumulating positives in the short and long term you can give up making resolutions that don’t get met. Instead, you can build a life worth living. Start setting realistic new years resolutions that you can keep this year. If you need support, a DBT therapist may be able to help!
See how DBT Therapy in Los Angeles, CA and Las Vegas, NV Can Help You Work Through PTSD and Trauma.
If you are struggling with PTSD, trauma, abuse, or assaults and are ready to get support, our DBT therapists are ready to provide just that. Our comprehensive DBT program at our Los Angeles-based therapy practice includes individual therapy sessions, phone coaching, and a skills group to help you learn emotional regulation and other helpful tools. If you are ready to begin DBT to help work through PTSD and trauma in Los Angeles, CA or Las Vegas, NV please follow the steps below.
- Connect with us using the contact form.
- Start getting support from a DBT therapist.
- Begin finding hope and a way to move forward with DBT therapy today!
Other Services at the DBT Center of the South Bay
The DBT program offered at our practice located in Los Angeles, CA can help with a variety of mental health struggles. We help those with self-harming tendencies, suicidal thoughts, isolation, and loneliness. Additionally, we assist those in need of help with managing anger and engaging in healthier family dynamics. Our services are available in-person or online in California and Las Vegas. If you’re ready to receive the support you have been seeking, the DBT Center of South Bay is for you!