As students this is a great time for you to set some goals as well. You are at the beginning of a new year and you'll be experiencing new classes and seeking new opportunities. What are your hopes for the coming year? Maybe it's something small like working on your writing skills or maintaining a certain grade in one of your classes. Maybe it's something a little bigger like seeking out new opportunities in the community. Or maybe this is the year you want to challenge yourself.
As school begins this week think about the bigger picture and take some time to think about your goals for the year. What do you want to accomplish?
Jot them down somewhere and refer back to them throughout the year. For me it always helps to think out my goals and determine a path forward. Here's an example from my goals for the coming year.
1) Goal - Take more time for me:
Action Plan: Spend 30-60 minutes a day for myself (walking/running, meditation, exercise, reading a book)
Notice there are lots of options for attaining my goal. It's about finding something I enjoy and taking the time to actually do it. I find that taking a 30 minute walk first thing in the morning is the best way to jump start my day. I feel more energized and productive when I get out and get that fresh morning air.
Think about what works best for you as you are setting your goals and your action plans to accomplish them.
Another trick to achieving your goals is sharing them with someone. Telling someone your goals gives you an extra push because you're accountable to someone other than yourself. I don't know about you but once I've told someone I'm going to do something it makes it that much harder to say "Nah, never mind, not important."
So this week will be a busy one. You're starting a new year, finding new classes, and planning out the next few months of activities and responsibilities. Look at your new list of to-dos and class assignments and figure out what you want to look back on at the end of the year as your biggest accomplishment.
You have a year of opportunities before you...enjoy the journey.
Brittania - ICAN Hiawatha Center
