For many of us, a new year brings a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future. Setting goals can be an important part of that, and New Years Resolutions abound in these first weeks. But are New Years Resolutions meant to be abandoned? The website Statistic Brain conducted a study and asked respondents about their New Years Resolutions, and maybe it wouldn't surprise you to hear that less than 10% of people felt that they achieved their Resolution's goals.

Those stats don't tell us WHY such a small percentage of people are unable to follow through and meet their goals, or why they can meet them initially but why the changes are likely to be lost over time. But I have a few educated guesses.

I am a big believer in SMART goals:

S – specific
M – measurable
A – attainable
R – realistic
T – time-based

This means that having concrete, clear goals that you can evaluate and test to see if you're on track are much more likely to succeed than lofty or complicated aspirations. We would all have better odds of sticking with our New Years Resolutions if we focused on making SMART goals.

Let's take an example: you know you want to improve your job satisfaction and have a career that makes you happy, and you're ready to take steps in 2017 to help make this happen. Well, that can sound like a goal in itself, but it isn't really a "SMART" goal. What do you need to do? How will you know you're getting closer? What are the first steps? How long should this take? A SMART goal might look like prioritizing completing that continuing education training that you've been meaning to do, so that in 3 months you can approach your boss and report on your success and have a discussion about future opportunities.

Change is hard. I think we all know that at some level, but we really need to understand this. Try setting yourself up for success, by coming up with a clearly defined goals and the specific steps you need to take to get there. And know that you don't have to do it alone. Enlist friends or family to help you, if you can. And if you could benefit from accessing the services of a professional, such as a doctor or counsellor, start there. Now could be the perfect time. 

I don’t know about you, but every year when we “fall back” with daylight savings time, it takes some adjustment. Sure, that first morning with the “extra hour” of sleep feels pretty good…but that doesn’t last too long. By the time the sun sets that hour earlier, I am already regretting the switch. (Remind me why we even have daylight savings in the first place?!?)

It’s around this time of year that I find people really start to notice the lack of daylight in the evening. We are fortunate here in Winnipeg that we still get a lot of sunlight, but the sun setting before dinnertime is tough on many. Whether it’s the “winter blues” or a depression that follows the patterns of the seasons called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” (or, SAD); take steps to improve your mood and get back to feeling like yourself.

A great first step is to make an appointment to see your family doctor. If you do not have a family doctor, it is a good idea to try to get one. You can contact the Family Doctor Finder for assistance. A doctor can assess and diagnose depression and also rule out other possible biological causes for your symptoms. You can also discuss adding vitamin D supplements, which some research demonstrates can improve depression.
 
For some people, they find that light therapy is very effective. The Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba rents high quality SAD lights, so that you may try one out before purchasing. They are simple to use, and less than ½ hour in front of the light in the morning can improve the mood and energy level for some people after as little as 1 week. Light therapy is not recommended for all individuals (such as those with Bipolar Disorder or cataracts), ask your doctor for more information.

If you are experiencing the “winter blues” or Seasonal Affective Disorder, you don’t have suffer alone. Evidence demonstrates that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which looks at noticing and changing unhelpful thought patterns, can be effective in treating depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Contact me to see if psychotherapy could be right for you.