<strong>Setting Attainable Goals</strong>

<span style="color: #000000;">We all have goals that we want to reach but when they are too broad, they can be overwhelming.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Feeling overwhelmed can cause you to sprint away from your goal rather than pursue it. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">People use either "avoid" or "approach" techniques in dealing with their goals. <em>Avoidance tactics</em> come from the desire to escape unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and even physical reactions one might have as a result of having what feels like an insurmountable goal.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">....and who wants to have an insurmountable goal? </span>

<em><span style="color: #000000;">No one, that's who!</span></em>

<strong><span style="color: #000000;">How to Set Attainable Goals (Approach)</span></strong>

<span style="color: #000000;">Here are a few steps that you can take to start making attainable, realistic goals:</span>

<strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="color: #000000;">1) Define your goal</span></span></strong>

<span style="color: #000000;">If you make too big of a goal, it's too broad and general. </span>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;">Here's are examples: </span></span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I'm going to lose weight." </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I'm going to start exercising?</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I'm going to get organized."</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">What the heck does that mean? How do you understand that statement? Where does your brain go with that? </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">If it's overwhelming, it will probably freak you out on some level, scare you off, and you will go "avoid" rather than "approach". </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">When you make a goal, define and operationalize it. Make it very specific and measurable. </span>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;">Here are some examples:</span></span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I'm am eating eating salad for lunch today."</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I am exercising for 20 minutes on the treadmill today."</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">"I am cleaning up the pile of papers on my desk today."</span>

<strong><span style="color: #000000;">2) Stay on today</span></strong>

<span style="color: #000000;">Our lives happen from one breath to the next. Stay in the breath of today. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Make a goal that you can accomplish today. Make it something that you can actually do TODAY so that you can get the reward of accomplishment. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Most importantly....HERE IT IS.....KEEP READING......THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.....</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">You will create the evidence that you need to see in your life to show yourself that YES you really CAN DO IT.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">You have probably spent years and years doing what you don't want to be doing. There are piles and piles of evidence from the years gone by that are in your face telling you that you can't do it.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Making tiny, approach-based goals that you can do today are going to show you the EVIDENCE that YOU NEED that YES YOU CAN DO IT.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">3) Keep it simple </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Just pick one thing. JUST PICK ONE THING.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">A food, a snack, an exercise, a task....one thing. Press the easy button.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Don't try to change everything in your life in one big sweeping motion. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">You need time to adapt, grow, and learn. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">4) HAVE A PARTY </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Make space in your life for seeing the little things that you do each day add up into new habits little by little.</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">I often hear people shame themselves for not being where they think they should be. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">NO!!!!</span>

<span style="color: #000000;">You need to meet yourself where you are right now. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Honor and value the space that you are in, that you are alive, breathing, and able to do the work of living your life. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Have a little party with yourself that you are doing your life, one breath to the next. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">Love yourself in this very moment in time. </span>

<span style="color: #000000;">[author] [author_image timthumb='on']http://dianazilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/dianazilly.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]by Diana Zilly, MS, MA, LCPC, NBCFCH.  Diana is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Fellow in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Joliet Junior College. [/author_info] [/author]</span>