New Year, Same You?

You know the saying new year, new me? That's honestly a lot of pressure for people in the dead of winter. Every year one is expected to make impacting New Year's resolutions while it's still snowing and the temperature is nearing negative/ below zero. Most species hibernate during this time. Humans though? Many of us are suffering from "The Big S.A.D." (Seasonal Affective Disorder) - while the other half of us are attempting to stand all ten toes down and do better at the top of our new year. Regardless you are valid in your experience; we all can acknowledge that change, no matter how small, isn't easy.

An example of this is how gym memberships sky rocket in January, showing that many have to ambition to exercise. Come February, burnout is beyond evident and the amount of people at the gym begin to continually decrease. What's a way that we can combat both the pressures of goal making and the need to rest while enduring the winter? Making S.M.A.R.T. Goals may be the answer.

"S.M.A.R.T." goals are goals we make that are specific in time, measurable in progress, achievable to accomplish, relevant to your objectives / values, and time-based - meaning there's a realistic time-frame for the goal to be achieved.

For example, let's say you lost your license from a DUI in Wisconsin and are working towards getting it back. You WANTED to have your license back by 2026. However, that goal is not achievable nor is it time-based with what the State of Illinois nor Wisconsin is telling you, especially because the incident occurred a few months ago. The State of Illinois needs you to complete 40 hours of NICASA (rehabilitation services) first and also attend a Victim Impact Panel, all of which you need to pay out of pocket. The courts also ordered you to be on probation and complete volunteering. During this time you are expected to be sober and meet with an officer at least once a month either at their office or at your home randomly and partake in community service at least once a week. In order to make the goal SMART, you must consider all the factors that impact the decision you get that back.

You may have planned to have all of this stuff completed within 6 months, but with probation on top of rehabilitation services, it's looking more like 8-12 months, maybe longer, depending on what the State of Illinois decides. In the end, your SMART goal would aim to have your license back about 18 to 24 months after you received the DUI due to the other court ordered activities that you are required to complete. Every 4 to 6 months you can reevaluate the timeline and plan accordingly by adding or subtracting time, depending on what you have successfully completed. This is all not a process that you can rush, only get through by completing things one at a time.

The very first goal in that instance would be to get sober, which in itself is not an easy feat... and certainly not something you can attain within a week in most cases. You may have to look into additional resources like an adult support group for alcoholics on top of the NICASA classes, so that you have extra resources to help you with your sobriety. Other external factors can heavily impact this as well - such as driving without a license, continuing to drink or drive under the influence, etc. In fact, you get caught drinking and driving without a license enough times, you can end up in jail in a Work Release program, fighting a felony charge, where the only times you can leave the jail would be to go to work or receive treatment.

Now you're probably asking, what does this have to do with me? Absolutely nothing to be honest. I've never gotten a DUI nor needed to be on probation, etc. However, I know A LOT OF PEOPLE my age who are going through DUI charges right now and are fighting for their license. My best advice would be to envision themselves partaking in the V.I.T.A.L.S. TO SUCCESS to get through their probationary period.

The first step in the VITALS to Success are to validate how you feel. In the last example, you lost your license by drinking in driving. You can validate how embarrassing and disappointing something like that is to yourself - but also give yourself compassion and grace by acknowledging you made a mistake. Validate to yourself how hard it is to remain sober in our culture, how life changes may need to be made to accomodate to that. Next, you imagine how life sober will look like to you. Envision yourself doing life without alcohol - what activities will you partake in instead? How else can you spend your time now that you cannot drive for a little? Can you do stuff at home like crafting, gaming or see yourself with a group like a sports league or group therapy?

Once you decide which direction you want to head, take small steps towards your goal. Sign up for a therapy intake online. Start a 500 piece puzzle or coloring journal at home for when you're feeling antsy / anxious. Ask your buddies if they're down to do basketball in the mornings at least once a week. Join a men or women's group that's biblically based so that you can couple support with your spiritual values. When you feel like drinking, go to the gym or contact an accountability buddy that will sponsor you. Spend time with people who don't drink and want what's best for you. Once you get started with that, you can give yourself a round of applause.

Applauding yourself means celebrating the little wins. Maybe you finished doing the Victim Impact Panel and 20 hours of your NICASA treatment along with some of your community service hours. That means you are more than half way through your probationary period with a few more hours of treatment and community service to complete. Affirm to yourself that you are doing what is needed to accomplish your goal of getting your license back; say something positive to yourself to show you can see the effort and changes being made.

Lightening your load is essential during this process. If there are simple things you can complete in a timely manner, do that. If a Victim Impact Panel is 2 hours and takes place twice a month, get that done as soon as possible so that you are one step closer to completing your court orders. Sign up for NICASA and community service hours as soon as you can, so that when you start them they can seamlessly be part of your routine without much disruption. Figure out ways to accomodate to not having a vehicle to ride in such as ordering stuff on Instacart or using UBER to get to and from work / services.

Sweeten the pot by celebrating your accomplishments - no matter how big or small. To celebrate achievements, instead of drinking, perhaps you go on an outing without alcohol like golfing or bowling. Maybe you can work with your probation officer to take a vacation or staycation that is drug free where you swim in a pool for a weekend and relax in a hot tub. There are many things you can do to celebrate the little changes and small wins for yourself. Something as simple as going out for ice cream with a sponsor could suffice.

Change takes more than the first month of the new year. In fact, changes may seem so small and miniscule to the next person they may never notice the difference between who you are vs. who you were. Regardless, celebrate the little wins, no matter how small, because no one knows the amount of effort it took for you to complete the tasks that were required of you. Many changes do not take place overnight, but can be seen over time if you are paying attention and being intentional with your time.

For this year in 2026, all I can task you with is doing your best, no matter what that looks like. Change, no matter how small, matters - and the steps you take will eventually take you to where you want to be.