Are New Year’s resolutions helping or hindering you?
Credit to Author: Ivy Chiu| Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2018 13:53:29 +0000
As a newcomer to Canada, you have so many goals to achieve already, so be SMART about taking on new resolutions
Whether you celebrate with the calendar year or with your own traditions or faith, the New Year is a time to celebrate with family and friends. It’s also a chance to acknowledge the year that’s gone by and look ahead to the coming year. The dawn of a New Year is full of possibilities for you to shape your year and it’s a common tradition to make resolutions in order to do so.
New Year’s resolutions can be anything you want them to be; how can you effect positive change in your life or those of others? What negative elements would you like to leave in the past and what positive aspirations would you wish to bring forth? This annual milestone is an opportune time to make and commit to a plan; however, it can also bring stress and anxiety.
As a newcomer, your settlement journey comes with its own set of pressures including many changes and endless items on your to-do list, in addition to goals that you’re working toward. Instead of adding pressure with New Year’s resolutions when you’ve already got so much going on, why not focus on your existing goals and get them done right?
To help, here are a few tips on how to ease into change, cross off those to-dos and achieve your settlement goals.
Make your goals SMART
SMART goal-setting is a practice used by businesses, schools and individuals alike to assist with successful achievement. This simple acronym creates structure and clarity around your goals to increase your chance of success. Here is how to make your goals SMART:
- Specific: be as detailed as possible with the outcomes that you want to achieve.
- Measurable: identify the elements of successfully completing your goal; these are what will define your success.
- Attainable: plot out how you will achieve your goal; ask yourself what resources you need to achieve your desired outcome.
- Realistic: determine if your outcome is achievable with the available resources.
- Time-bound: create a completion date for your objective (and make sure it’s realistic)
Take control of your finances
It’s crucial to establish a Canadian credit history as soon as possible; it can be used to help manage everyday finances such as signing up for a mobile phone, buying groceries and setting up household utilities. With your Canadian finances in order, you’ll be able to face your goals head on.
Get involved in your community
When managed properly, New Year’s resolutions are a great way to drive meaningful change. If you’re closer to the end of your settlement journey and have additional time to take on something new, getting involved in your community is a great way to give back. Consider volunteering your time to the services that supported you in your journey, getting involved in a local charity or participating in events at your children’s school.
Most importantly, remember that your goals are about you and your family creating a happy home in Canada. Congratulations on how far you have come and happy New Year!