According to various studies, nearly 80% of people fail to stick to their resolutions by the second month of the year. One of the key reasons for this is that our goals often lack clarity and structure. This is where the SMART method comes in—a powerful framework designed to help you set achievable and meaningful resolutions that you can actually stick to.

If you’ve attempted to find a new therapist recently, you may have noticed that there are a lot of providers who no longer bill insurance. Without going into a rabbit hole about why that is, I’ll give you a bit of a cheat sheet into questions to ask to still use your insurance benefits even if your therapist doesn’t bill or accept your insurance.

Instead of approaching resolutions as rigid, measurable goals, consider framing them as intentions. Intentions are flexible, evolving stories that allow room for growth, reflection, and change. By setting intentions, you are embracing the idea that your goals are not set in stone—they are simply a direction you are moving toward, knowing that the path may shift as you learn more about yourself.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, embracing a narrative approach means understanding the emotions we feel as integral to the story we are writing about our growth, rather than seeing them as barriers to success.

Whether you’re a political junkie or just trying to survive the endless noise, here are some tips to help you stay calm and collected during this chaotic time.