With a pandemic, stressful election, rampant forest fires, and an attempted coup at the Capitol, it is no surprise that this past year has been difficult. In fact, February 2020 was the last month I had where I was completely unaware of the wild events to come. In reflection, I think that one of the most important things I learned this year was to set small goals for myself. When everything in the world and my personal life seemed uncertain, it really helped me to have easy actions that I could cross off my mental checklist. It felt like, regardless of everything happening in the world, I still had control over something. Therefore, here are some of the small goals I set this year and how I worked on them.
The first goal I set was honestly kind of embarrassing. I used to really suck at flossing regularly. I would floss every night for a while and then I’d start to forget, or I would get lazy. This definitely did not make my dentist happy. Somewhere near the beginning of the pandemic, I finally decided to actually floss every night, and replace the floss when I ran out.
After a couple of months, it became a habit and now my teeth feel much cleaner!
Another goal I decided to work on was to write in my journal every day. I have tried to keep a journal in the past but always ended up forgetting to write for weeks at a time. To help myself remember to write a sentence or two each day, I put my journal in a visible place next to my bed and started writing in it right before I went to sleep each night. Incorporating this into my routine helped me reflect on things in my life that I was grateful for during times where I felt overwhelmed. I also really enjoy having memories written down, so I can be reminded of good times and challenges I have overcome.
My final goal was a little more daunting than the first two. I have always enjoyed being active, and I played sports all through high school, but freshman year I stopped exercising so much. I quickly became out of shape and constantly felt tired and stressed. When I moved back home at the beginning of the pandemic, I decided to start doing workout videos with my mom. They were usually only about 30 or 45 minutes long, which made them easier to incorporate into my Zoom class schedule. My first quarter transition to online classes was difficult, but having time set aside a couple of days a week to work out with my mom helped me de-stress. After a few months, I began to feel stronger and healthier too.
There were a lot of things that I wanted to accomplish that didn’t happen this year. There were a lot of times that I felt hopeless, too. Despite the lack of progress on some of my long-term goals, I am proud of myself for finding ways to improve my habits and health. That being said, these goals will not work for everyone (although I really do recommend that you start flossing if you don’t already). Gauging your own lifestyle and needs is important in establishing small goals, so try a few things and figure out what works and what doesn’t. From taking more frequent breaks from looking at your computer screen to calling your friends once a week, there are many simple habits you can incorporate into life to help improve your wellbeing. Let’s hope this year is less stressful and full of more personal growth.
