By  Melea Johnson, MA, LGPC, Staff Clinician, GW Resiliency & Well-being Center

Happy new year! As 2026 begins, many of us naturally reflect on the year behind us and think about what we want to carry forward. What goals or intentions did you set last year? Which ones did you meet, and which are still unfolding?

Taking time to reflect on the past year without judgment can help you set more meaningful and achievable goals for the year ahead. One of the most important lessons of goal setting is remembering that progress matters more than perfection. Seeing a goal reappear from year to year isn’t a failure; it’s often a sign of commitment to something that genuinely matters to you. Sustainable change takes time.

Identifying Areas for Goal Setting

Goals can take many forms. Common categories include:

These categories are simply starting points. Feel free to create your own based on what feels most relevant to your life right now.

Tips for Setting Yourself Up for Success

Be realistic about your current life circumstances.
Before setting goals, try mapping out a typical month or week. Consider your work schedule, self-care needs, chores, grocery shopping, rest, and time with friends or family. Visualizing how a goal fits into your real life—not an idealized version of it—makes it far more achievable.

Start small and build gradually.
Small, manageable steps allow you to adjust more easily, build confidence, and avoid feeling discouraged. Consistency over time is far more effective than trying to do everything at once.

Build in flexibility and review your goals regularly.
Goals are not static. Plan to review them every few months and make adjustments as needed. Life changes, and your goals can change with it.

Expect interruptions—and be kind to yourself.
Travel, holidays, illness, or unexpected stressors can disrupt routines. This is normal. Instead of abandoning your goals, make a simple commitment to return to them when you’re able.

Example: Building a Movement Habit Over Time
Rather than focusing on rigid expectations, this example shows how a goal can evolve gradually across the year:

Notice that the focus is on movement, not a specific type of exercise. This might include walking, jogging, gym workouts, Pilates at home, dancing, or anything else you enjoy. What matters most is staying physically active in ways that feel sustainable and motivating. Changing activities can also help prevent boredom and keep you engaged.

A Compassionate Approach to Goal Setting
Returning to routines after the holidays can feel overwhelming, especially when new goals are added on top of existing responsibilities. Instead of striving to do everything perfectly, aim to do something consistently. Small steps, taken repeatedly, lead to meaningful change.

Creative Ways to Support Your Goals

Choose tools that feel supportive rather than stressful—and remember, the best system is the one you’ll actually use. 

 

Join the GW Resiliency & Well-being Center for a Women's Well-being Lecture Series talk on “Women's Cardiometabolic Health” at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 12, 2026, with Courtney Jackson, ND, of the Oregon Clinic in Portland, Ore. Dr. Jackson is an expert on Women's Health, heart disease, and the prevention and treatment of a condition that is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. 

Board-certified in Naturopathic Medicine, Dr. Jackson is also the author of “Food As Medicine Everyday: Reclaim Your Health With Whole Foods.” She is the co-founder of National University of Natural Medicine's Food as Medicine Institute, author, public speaker, and owner of Summit Natural Health, LLC in Portland, Ore.

The R&W Center educates providers on evidence-based strategies that can be translated to patient care. This lecture series has a special focus on issues related to women’s well-being and is supported by the Rosemary Bowes, PhD, Women's Mental Health Fund. Learn more about the center's Women's Well-being Initiative and watch videos of previous lectures on YouTube! 

Register for upcoming webinars:

 

Mia Goff currently serves as the Art Therapy Intern at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Resiliency & Well-Being Center. She is a second-year graduate student in the Art Therapy master’s program in the GW Columbian College of Arts & Sciences.  In this role, Mia supports the well-being of the GW community through creative, art-based experiences.

Prior to joining GW SMHS, Mia completed an art therapy internship at a community arts access center in the Washington, D.C., metro area, where she worked with children and families of all ages. She has lived in the area since the summer of 2024 and has enjoyed settling into life in the region. Outside of her academic and clinical work, Mia loves spending time with her three “fur balls”— two cats, Simba and Wednesday, and her dog, Gigi—who keep life playful.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Mia earned her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Fiber Art from the University of Missouri (MU). Her artistic background includes papermaking, bookmaking, and weaving, which continue to inform her therapeutic approach. While at MU, she was actively involved in her community as a university tour guide and a coach for a USA Swimming club in Columbia, Missouri..

It was during her pre-college hospital internship and work with community youth programs that Mia’s interest in art therapy emerged.  Through a variety of medical and athletic engagements, she discovered how creative processes can foster healing and healthier relationships across many areas of life. She is passionate about using art to support emotional expression, resilience, and self-discovery, and looks forward to continuing to learn and grow alongside the university staff and community.

 

Welcome to the GW Resiliency & Well-being Center's Wellness Corner video series! Learn about and practice simple mind-body exercises with a member of our team! We have videos on different types of meditation, yoga, sound therapy, acupressure therapy, Qigong, and more.

Visit our website to access our resources and learn more about our upcoming events! The center takes an evidence-based, whole person approach to  the health and wellness (well-being) services it provides to all employees, trainees, and staff of the GW Medical Enterprise—the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), GW Medical Faculty Associates (MFA), and GW Hospital with some services available to SMHS affiliates like Children’s National Hospital.

 

Housed in the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, the Resiliency & Well-being Center (R&W Center) takes an evidence-based, whole person approach to the health and wellness (well-being) services it provides to the GW medical enterprise community. The R&W Center provides services at the individual, departmental, and institutional levels.  For more information about us, please go to our website or contact Janette Rodrigues, the R&WC's administrative director, at jrodrigues@gwu.edu. 

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