I want you to go back to your school days for a minute, and remember what every project, paper, and experiment started with. Whether you called it an objective, a thesis statement, or an introduction, it was, in essence a “Mission Statement”: a cut-to-the-chase summary of what you planned to accomplish in the hours, days, or weeks that followed. You needed to understand and plainly state THIS in order to be successful.

Well, that same strategy also applies when it comes to improving your mental health and, of course, your physical health. As a psychologist, life coach, and, most importantly, a human being who has also faced her own share of challenges, I’ve learned that understanding and conveying exactly what you want to accomplish from the get-go is key.

So let’s start here. I’ll go first.

Here is what I, Dr. Jessica, hope to accomplish here, in this blog, and as a professional. Here is my “Mission Statement.”

“I want to show everyone who reads my work and/or comes to me for therapy that their self-talk is key to their self-improvement, and I want to impart strategies to make sure that everyone’s self-talk becomes more healthy, kind, supportive, and self-motivating.”

Yes, I like the sounds of that!

Now, how about you? In a few lines, I want you to write down or type exactly what you hope to improve in your life. Commit it to paper, so you can refer back to it and make sure you see it through.

Do you want to lose weight? How much? By when? What is motivating you? What has held you back in the past? Be realistic and healthy. Write it down.

Do you want to get in shape? What does that look like to you? What do you hope to do with a stronger body? How do you want to accomplish this? Write it down.

Do you want to improve your relationships? Your finances? Your job situation? Your home? Your moods? Your time-management abilities? Your education? Whatever it is, be realistic and specific, and write it down.

Take your time. You may have more than one area you’re struggling in (most of us do!), and you may need some time putting your goal or goals together succinctly.

My next blog will focus on how to put a plan for your desired changes together.

I look forward to sharing my empathy, perspective, and knowledge with all of you in future weeks and months and I thank you wholeheartedly for your time and trust. I guarantee you two things: 1. A healthy outlook can make what seems impossible, possible; and 2. With practice, my techniques can turn short-term shifts of thinking into permanent improvements.

See you soon. Have your “mission statements” ready!

Dr. Jessica