Workout. Go to the gym. Eat healthier. Lose weight. Get up earlier. Read more. Drink less. Go to bed earlier. Spend less. Save more. Start a new hobby.
These are some common new year’s resolutions. Maybe you’ve been there and you’ve done that. And did you fail like me? Probably. A few years ago, I got to a point where I resolved to not make a new year’s resolution because I was afraid of yet another February fall-off. Why couldn’t I commit to one goal and be consistent with it?
To answer this head-scratcher, I ultimately tapped into some knowledge I gained in my previous life (this is what I call life pre-kids). I used to write Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for special needs students as part of my work at a therapeutic day school. A child’s goals were specific and the benchmarks beneath the goals were SO specific. For example, Sally has an “On-task/work completion” goal. A benchmark for this goal might include something like, “Sally will attend (sit still, eyes on teacher, hands to self, quiet voice) to a task during large and small group instruction across settings for a 10 minute period with no more than 1 teacher prompt in 4 out of 5 trials as measured by teacher charted data.” See how specific that is? Words and numbers in the benchmark and it’s not even a math goal. You may have to read it several times to fully understand it, but there is method to the madness.
IEPs are written to include S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound.” These kinds of goals are imperative in education. Sally’s goal encompasses each of these qualities given who she is. There’s a lot to hold in your mind about the child and the ecosystem in which he/she learns when writing an IEP.
I never loved (or even really liked) writing IEPs, but I’m glad I have the experience under my belt. It’s totally informing me of how I should be coming up with my 2020 resolution. If you’ve failed at keeping up with resolutions in years past, try to make S.M.A.R.T. goals. Most resolutions are too vague. They’re words or phrases (“workout more”) when they need to be clearly spelled out plans that you can stick to. Also, keep it simple. You don’t have to reinvent yourself. Small things can make big differences. The feeling of achievement, even it's small, can have a positive effect. So, in true IEP fashion, here’s my 2020 intention…
GOAL: Re-commit to meditation practice.
BENCHMARK: Adrien will sit quietly (eyes closed, back straight, fingers interlocked on lap, thumbs touching) on her meditation bench for a duration of 5 minutes at a frequency of 3 out of 7 times per week for the year 2020.
I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but…
This goal is specific. I have to sit in a certain position using a certain bench. Yoga doesn’t count here, as much as it can be a meditation!
It is measurable…5 minutes 3 times per week.
It is attainable for me. I’ve been doing this for years and have worked up to longer than 5 minutes. I am recommitting to something I can easily achieve and build future success from.
It is relevant. I see meditation as an important and scientifically proven healthy method of self care. It’s also a piece of the spiritual puzzle for me.
It is time-bound. I will give myself a year to accomplish this goal and will re-evaluate at the end of 2020.
I will also put this goal in writing and mark my meditation days on a calendar. It’s so much more real when you write it down, don’t you think? Writing something into a pretty planner is much more exhilarating than typing it into an app or Google calendar (but, maybe do both!). So, there you have it. Go translate your resolution into a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Then start crushing it.
