You know those days – you're quickly searching for your documents, the kids are impatient, and then everything falls out of your hands. The morning is already way too hectic, and you think to yourself: Another moment like this where my daily routine isn't running smoothly. When will this finally change?
Good news: Even habits that regularly annoy you aren't set in stone. There's still room for improvement, as the saying goes. We'll tell you how to best define goals for personal change—and how to keep your eyes on the bigger picture.
Never change a running system? That's why you should occasionally turn your life upside down
We understand: Sometimes we just like to settle for our old habits. Personal change is exhausting, often time-consuming, and sometimes pushes us beyond our comfort zone. But even small resolutions can make a big difference in your life.
You can reduce your everyday stress and enjoy the moments with your loved ones much more consciously. You might discover new talents and interests and gain the positive feeling that you're reaching your full potential. You'll feel fitter and have even more focus for your daily challenges. So: Let's get started!
Find out what a fulfilling life means to you
Research shows that holistic and, above all, long-term well-being depends on certain factors. Not every change you manage to implement will work wonders for you. Some goals you set for yourself can actually have the exact opposite effect.
Once the often quick, short-lived rush of happiness wears off when you've fulfilled a resolution, everyday life returns. Sustainable satisfaction doesn't set in. To change this and achieve more balance in the long run, you should focus on certain changes with the following characteristics:
- You improve your skills.
- You can use your skills successfully for something.
- Through your support you can empower others.
In this way, you achieve a positive psychological effect by recognizing your competencies and feeling their impact. This increases the kind of motivation that comes from within, rather than relying on external recognition.
This actually also applies to the last point: supporting others. Raising a child, passing on practical tips to new colleagues, or simply helping a neighbor with a carry: doing a nice favor for others also strengthens our sense of connection.
Combined with the fact that you can use and share your skills, you ensure a positive, lasting impact on your well-being. It can strengthen your identity, improve your relationships, and bring you a sense of achievement that will have a holistic impact on your life.
Define goals that really move you forward
Try to free yourself from factors that don't truly fulfill you—because they don't come from you, from within. This includes mere validation from others, but also aspects like your appearance, recognition through feelings of power, and excessive financial wealth. Unfortunately, resolutions like these don't bring long-term satisfaction.
Instead, question potential goals based on the points we explained in the previous section. This way, you'll quickly find out whether the planned changes are truly a good fit for you or whether you're simply fulfilling others' expectations. By doing this preliminary process, you'll be taking the right step toward a sustainably fulfilling life.
Hope instead of frustration: The right route to your goal
Setting and achieving goals successfully also depends on the method! This will result in fewer setbacks and the motivation to keep going. We've compiled some tips to help you leverage positive psychology and change your lifestyle:
1. Write down your resolutionsYour thoughts are racing, and you may have already spoken to a friend or family member. But what really helps now is to put it down on paper. Write down your goals and put them in your calendar, hang them on the fridge, or schedule automated emails to yourself. Research has proven that having constant written reminders helps us achieve them enormously.
2. Formulate your goals positively
With goals like "I don't want to be so stressed in the morning," you're focusing on the negative. Instead, incorporate the positive effect you hope for right from the wording. "I want to prepare well for the next day in the evening so I can enjoy more peace and quiet with my family in the morning" would be an alternative. This makes the planned change sound much more concrete and also provides you with the positive prospect of a relaxed start to the day.
3. Don’t take on too much at once
Upending your entire morning routine? This can be a major maneuver, especially when juggling family, household, and work. So, set milestones and smaller points to work on, step by step.
In this example, intermediate marker 1 would be your own routine, followed by that of your family members. As sub-points, you choose the outfit question, breakfast, and lunch to go. You gradually change the individual points once you've adjusted to the changes so far.
Because if you try to establish too many new habits at once, your to-dos will drain your energy, leading to frustration and failure. So, break down your resolutions carefully so you can regularly achieve interim successes along the way and stay on track.
Setting health goals: What you should pay attention to
Many people set health-related goals: They resolve to become fit enough for a marathon, eat less sugar, or simply incorporate more exercise into their daily routine. This type of resolution is often particularly difficult to achieve—partly because the topic is associated with many expectations within society.
Therefore, along your journey, make sure that you continue to do good for yourself with what you do. Not only your physical health, but also your mental health is of great importance. Frustration, anxiety, depression, and other mental difficulties have just as much influence on how you go about your day. Therefore, you should always make sure to strive for new life goals holistically, rather than torturing yourself over one particular area.
The factor of mental health should not be underestimated: Your emotions can have a significant negative impact, but they can also have a positive impact. If you want to know more about this, read on.
Coping with life crises: How do I stick to my goals during them?
Now it's time to believe in hope! It's been proven that a positive attitude can help us better overcome even health crises. Our mind gives our body such a positive boost that it simply has to follow suit. Here's how you can help yourself persevere even in difficult times:
- Hope connects: Surround yourself with people who motivate you, take you seriously, and stand by you instead of belittling you. The hopeful feeling that things will get better arises primarily in interpersonal relationships.
- Self-help: You don't have to go through this alone. Perhaps there are online forums, clubs, or local groups where you can find like-minded people. You can exchange tips and encourage each other.
- Celebrate your interim goals: This way, you'll feel a real impact on your life, get an extra dose of endorphins, and be motivated for the next step. Because yes: You can definitely be proud of yourself!
Self-help: more show than substance?
How can a small change help with my big worries, you might ask? We'll tell you: Much more than you might think. Setting goals gives us a sense of hope for improvement; of control when we feel helpless; of validation because we're achieving success; and of self-confidence because we believe in ourselves.
These positive feelings have a profound impact on your mental health and help you achieve holistic improvements. You'll be incredibly grateful to yourself when you look back in a few days, weeks, or years and see how courageously you took that first step today.
Cover photo by Vitolda Klein.
