Recovery Goals: Rethinking New Year’s Resolutions
Now that Hanukkah and Christmas are in the past, the focus turns to the New Year, and with it, talk of New Year’s Resolutions. Say the word, “resolution,” out loud to yourself, and you’ll notice a kind of thud as it lands. Resolutions are specific, often rigid goals that are either achieved or broken. No wonder New Year’s Resolutions don’t seem to last more than a few weeks. We love the idea of intentions, which are more flexible, general, and positive. Even the word “intention” feels lighter, doesn’t it? Intentions help guide your mindset to focus on how you want to live. Intentions are all about growth, and growth includes taking small steps in the right direction and knowing that setbacks are part of the journey.
As we move towards 2026, let’s think of some recovery-focused intentions that can help serve you in your eating disorder recovery.
Prioritizing True Health
What does true health mean to you? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
What if in the new year, you started to look at all aspects of health, and how you could improve them? If you’re in eating disorder recovery, you’re likely working on your physical and mental health with your care team. Keep it up! It’s those small steps that keep you moving towards true health. Where else can you prioritize your health? Can you get more involved in your community, spend more time with friends, or find a hobby that helps you lean into the things that make you feel happiest (and that also keep your mind away from your eating disorder). Your social and spiritual health and well-being is just as important as your physical and mental, even if it’s often overlooked.
Strengthen Your Support System
Eating disorder recovery is hard work. It’s also not meant to be done alone. In the new year, make sure you have all the support you need. This can mean increasing your sessions with your care team, or adding new providers. In The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, the Horse says, “Asking for help isn’t giving up. It’s refusing to give up.”
In addition to the professionals who help to support you, are there other people that can be part of your support system? Are there friends or relatives that you’d like to be aware of what you’re struggling with, and confiding in them would feel good? Maybe there’s an online group that would help you feel supported. You can also strengthen your support system by removing things that aren’t supportive. When was the last time you cleaned up your social media so that you aren’t seeing content that doesn’t serve you? Social media can be a great support tool if it’s used correctly. Spend some time looking at who you follow and make it a supportive place to be for one person only – you.
Reducing Rules
Take a look at the various rules your eating disorder has. Can you reduce some of them in the new year? This can look like phasing out rules entirely, or reducing them in their rigidity or their specifics. Remember, intentions are about taking those small steps forward, acknowledging that setbacks and failures are bound to happen, and continuing forward anyways.
Make a list of all the rules your eating disorder has for you. Which ones aren’t serving you anymore? Decide if you want to get rid of it entirely, or if you can at least start to push back on it little by little. You’ll surprise yourself when you just try, and we’ll be here cheering you on every step of the way.
Building a Life Outside of Your Eating Disorder
Eating disorders take up a lot of your time. Not just the time you spend with your therapist and dietitian, but the time you spend obsessing over food, exercise, body image, and more. What would you like to do with your time instead? You might not be ready to dive in 100% to a new hobby, and that’s completely fine. Start thinking about what hobbies or activities or groups you’d like to be involved in. If you’re up for joining something, by all means, go for it! If not, just start researching. Find out when a group meets, or ask around for ideas. It could be something at school, work, your place of worship, your neighborhood, or your local library. It could be volunteering, or a class you’ve always been interested in, or a book club. Find what brings you joy and what you want to be spending your time doing.
Practicing Self-Compassion
This year, let’s practice self-compassion. Remember how we mentioned earlier that intentions come with setbacks? What you choose to do and say to yourself in those moments of setback is hugely important. Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness, care, and understanding you’d offer a friend (rather than harsh self-criticism). Self-compassion includes three components: mindfulness (observing and accepting without judgment), common humanity (realizing that everyone struggles and no one is perfect), and self-kindness (responding with warmth and encouraging support).
Self-compassion is hard to do, especially if you’re used to criticizing or punishing yourself. But we are trying something new and rewiring your neural pathways in the process. The benefit? Self-compassion, when practiced regularly, can reduce depression and anxiety and increase your resilience and motivation. One of the easiest ways to start practicing self-compassion is to use the STOP method from DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). The STOP method is a way to stay present and remove judgment in a situation. It stands for Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed mindfully. This year, you might only notice how you could have used self-compassion or the STOP method after the moment passes. That’s okay, because it’s still progress, and we’re focusing on our intentions, not resolutions.
Let’s Celebrate Together
We will be hosting a special Reflections and Intentions workshop led by Kerry McCarthy, MS, RDN, RYT, CEDS-C on Monday, December 29 from 5-6pm. We’ll reflect on 2025, journal, meditate, and set positive intentions for 2026 and your eating disorder recovery in the new year. Learn more about our workshop and sign up today - we want to see you there!
If you need additional support, we want to be part of your support team. Reach out to us today to learn more about our practice and philosophy and get the support you deserve.