Why SMART goals for New Year Resolutions?

Chelsea Conner • December 30, 2023

Setting SMART goals in the New Year

With the new year approaching, many people start to set new goals, or what we also call ' ‘New Year’s resolutions' ', for themselves. It is good to note that during this time of year, individuals are also taking the time to evaluate our previous goals from the past year. Did we achieve what we set for ourselves? Do we need to make adjustments for the upcoming year? What barriers got in our way this past year in completing these? So forth and so on. SMART goals can be a great way to set us up for success when evaluating and setting goals.

So what does SMART stand for? S stands for specific, which means making your goal specific and narrow in on what you are trying to achieve. M stands for measurable, which is important due to needing to be able to measure your progress along the way to achieving your specific goal. A stands for achievable, because when we set ourselves up with unattainable goals, we are setting ourselves up for failure. This is something we want to avoid. R stands for relevant, which means your goal needs to be aligning with your values and have a “why” behind it. When we have a big “why” behind our goal, this will help motivate us to continue to work towards our goal long term. T stands for time-based. It is important to give ourselves an attainable time frame to achieve the goal we are setting.

When setting and working on these identified goals, it can be beneficial to gain support by a mental health professional during this process if we find difficulty at all. Research has shown setting goals in counseling treatment in a SMART goal format can increase the likelihood of making the change you desire to make, as well having professional help can assist you through this journey, specifically with accountability, as well with gaining coping skills to overcome the obstacles that arise reaching your identified goal.

If this is something you’d like additional assistance with, call us at 859.338.0466 to schedule an appointment with one of our Mental Health Professionals. Our current offices are located in Lexington, Frankfort, and Richmond, KY. At the Offices of Paul Dalton - Lexington Counseling and Psychiatry, we have been trusted mental health professionals in Central Kentucky for over 22 years!

Supporting Articles:

https://your.yale.edu/hit-mark-when-you-set-smart-goals

https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/nc-smart-goals-fact-sheet.pdf

https://www.verywellmind.com/smart-goals-for-lifestyle-change-2224097#:~:text=Setting%20SMART%20goals%20in%20therapy,relevant%2C%20and%20time%2Dbound.

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The Benefits of Therapy

By Chelsea Conner • September 8, 2025

The Benefits to Therapy and Why It Is Important to Seek out Help

How to Build Success When Recovering from Substance Use

By Chelsea Conner • August 14, 2025

Substance use is a growing health concern. 47.7 million Americans reported the use of illegal substances according to a study conducted in 2023 by The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. A Substance Use Disorder (SUD), defined by The American Psychiatric Association, is ‘a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance despite harmful consequences.’ The American Psychiatric Association recognizes that someone who has a SUD has an intense urge to engage in any of the listed substances - alcohol, tobacco, or psychoactive substances that impact daily functioning, interpersonal relationships, and overall health. Another term well known for SUD is addiction. There is no single cause for a SUD but rather, a combination of factors can contribute to its development. Self-medication, genetics, peer pressure, curiosity, performance enhancement, and medical use turned misuse can all lead to someone engaging in problem use with substances and even addiction. Another study conducted in 2023 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, showed that 70% of people who sought out treatment for substance abuse/misuse reported improvements to their overall health and functioning within the first year of treatment. There are several available options for treatment, including outpatient care, intensive outpatient care, and in-patient care treatment. It is also important to have a collaborative approach when it comes to treatment for a SUD to have the best outcome, which can include medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, peer support, AA/NA meetings, sponsor, and a healthy support system within interpersonal relationships. It's important to remember that addiction is not a moral failing, it's a complex medical condition that can affect anyone. Compassion, understanding, and proper treatment are essential to recovery and can lead to successful outcomes. Some treatment modalities that have shown success in therapy when treating SUD include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Contingency Management (CM), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), as well as a facilitated 12 step program and a trauma focused lens. Whether you're concerned about your own substance use or worried about a loved one, help is available and healing is possible! Call our office at 859.338.0466 to schedule an appointment to work with one of our providers to start your healing journey to recovery. Our current offices are located in Lexington, Frankfort, and Richmond, KY. We have been trusted mental health professionals in Central Kentucky for over 22 years! Articles and Resources: https://drugabusestatistics.org/ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction-substance-use-disorders/what-is-a-substance-use-disorder https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6175215/ https://www.pyramid-healthcare.com/blog/2019/02/12/self-medication-and-addiction/ https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment