New Year's Resolutions and ADHD
New Year‘s Resolutions…why bother? The fact of the matter is, while many people start the year optimistically about keeping those resolutions, only 9-12% of people who set resolutions feel they successfully met them. Some of the primary reasons resolutions are not kept include; setting too many goals, not tracking successes, or forgetting the goal entirely. These reasons are compounded for folks with ADHD who have the additional challenges of overcoming procrastination, sticking to a routine, being forgetful, and focusing on the long-term results. But if you are one of the people who is determined to make resolutions for the new year, here are some suggestions that may help.
BE SPECIFIC
Many people set vague, grandiose, and unrealistic goals. You know the ones I mean: Save more money; Lose weight; Be a better person. What do those things even mean? Setting specific goals allows you to know when you actually meet them. Maybe those vague goals can be redefined: Save an extra $50 each paycheck; Take a 20 minute walk three times a week; Say good morning to my neighbor.
START SMALL
Most of the goals we set really consist of multiple smaller goals. The reward for meeting the bigger goal is so far off, people with ADHD have trouble staying future oriented and definitely lose interest before their goal is met. Breaking those big goals down into smaller goals will help; and you’ll get more gratification more often when you meet the smaller goals.
STAY POSITIVE
People with ADHD have a habit of beating themselves up if they perceive they have not done what they should. So, there are plenty of opportunities for guilt and shame to come sneaking in when a resolution is not met. Instead, focus on the successes and treat yourself the same way you would treat someone you love – giving yourself the benefit of the doubt and room to make mistakes.
MAKE IT A THEME
If resolutions seem daunting, or you have a track record of not keeping those resolutions, a New Year’s Theme may be more manageable. A theme is not so much about hitting a specific goal as it is about making overall changes. With a theme, it’s not necessary to stick to a strict routine or schedule: Themes guide daily decisions or even shorter-term goals.
For example, a theme may be as simple and as broad as “health.” This theme does not require a specific number of days at the gym or pounds to lose. Instead, it can inform how you live your life. Should you try to go to bed earlier? Maybe take the stairs instead of the elevator. Can you pack your lunch instead of eating out every day? New routines can also develop around a theme. Perhaps you may start taking a walk after dinner or meditating before bed.
No matter what you decide to do in the new year – resolution, theme, or nothing at all – remember to build upon the things that bring you joy: not what you think you should do or who you think you should be.
From everyone at The Affinity Center – Happy New Year! Written by Jenn Henefeld, IMFT-S
REFERENCES:
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (2019, January 7). Skip the Resolutions, Pick a New Year’s Theme. https://chadd.org/adhd-weekly/skip-the-resolutions-pick-a-new-years-theme/
New Year’s Resolution Statistics (2022 Updated). (2022, August 22). Discover Happy Habits. Retrieved December 30, 2022, from https://discoverhappyhabits.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
Next Step 4 ADHD. (2020, December 29). New Year’s Resolutions & ADHD: Try a New Year’s Theme Instead. https://nextstep4adhd.com/new-years-resolutions-adhd-try-a-new-years-theme-instead/
Silney, J. (2022, December 27). Resolutions Don’t Work: An Unusual New Year’s Guidebook for People Who Think Different. https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/new-years-resolutions-adults-with-adhd/