Making resolutions - and keeping them

 

By Chief Editor and Blog Manager- Amanda-Jane Turner

I am stunned that we are already at the end of 2017! I know this will echo what many of you are already thinking but where did the year go?

As a year ends and another starts it is quite common for people to make resolutions. Sometimes they resolve to lose weight, get fit, stop smoking, pay off debt... endless lists!

According to Statistic Brain however only 9.2% of people succeed in their resolutions and, Business Insider stated that 80% of new year resolutions fail by February of that year!

So how do we make positive improvement resolutions  that we can keep?

Towards the end of the year I like reflect to on the year that was as I prepare for the year to be. So tonight, I am sitting in our lounge room with a cup of tea, thinking of the year and my goals and what I have achieved and learned. In January this year I made goals, not stereotypical hope for the best type resolutions – like stop eating chocolate (as if!) or other vague and unrealistic notions - but real goals that I had definite plans to work on to achieve. This year one of my goals was to become a Justice of the Peace (Qual) Qld.

Goal

Targets are more likely to be achieved if the steps towards them are both realistic and feasible, so as I work full time it was important for me to find a Justice of the Peace course that was offered online as I do not have the time to go to a physical training venue. Additionally, knowing that I would need to study, pass an exam and go through checks before I could be registered as a JP I made my target due date for this goal to be by December 2017. This made the goal more realistic as it allowed for the time needed to achieve it.

To become a JP (qual) in Queensland, I started by researching authorised training providers, looked for online options for both the course work and the assessment and ensured that I saved money to pay for the course and the registration. After researching course options I decided on one and saved up to pay for it. I aimed to enrol by July to ensure that I would meet my deadline of December to be registered!  In July I completed the online training and assessment. The process to become a JP includes police record check, referees, being sworn in/affirmed by a Magistrate and registration. By September all this was completed, and I became a JP!

Learnings

When making your plans for 2018, reconsider the standard resolutions that are often made while in party mode and are so vague they never stand a chance of being achieved, and think of two to three main things you wish to do or achieve in the year and make reachable plans on how to bring these into fruition. There is no guarantee that your goals will be achieved in the year, but at least this way you are working towards actual realistic outcomes with tangible steps.

What are your reflections of your resolutions or goals you made in January 2017? Have you achieved these goals/stuck to these resolutions? If yes, what did you do to ensure success? If not, what can you improve on next year to help your success?

(c) AWSN 2017

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organisation or association.