A new year is a time to start fresh, a time to reflect on oneself and decide what things in one’s life need to be changed. While there is room for improvement across most if not all aspects of one’s life, it is important to narrow down the scope when setting personal goals. Doing so is necessary
in order to avoid getting overwhelmed and, as a result, discouraged by broad, unreasonable objectives.

We asked our staff what areas they need to work on and the majority of their answers were related, indicating many could benefit from aiming for similar progress.

Some students said they have trouble with placing themselves in others’ shoes and thus need to embrace empathy. They acknowledged that they need to be mindful of what those around them are going through and realize that everyone has their own problems at any given time.

Likewise, staff members said they could benefit from extending empathy towards themselves. Teenagers are no strangers to pressure, especially that which they put upon themselves in terms of school, sports and jobs. Many forget to be kind to themselves and as a result develop a negative self-image. These students would like to practice more self-love and accept that they are only human and cannot be perfect.

Self-compassion was also brought up by students who want to begin putting themselves first. Some said they need to stop allowing themselves to be walked over by others, as well as needing to stop spreading themselves too thin by helping others before themselves – following the principle of putting on one’s own oxygen mask before assisting others with theirs.

Several staff members responded by saying they need to improve their mental and physical health.

Their ideas for doing so involve self-care, for their minds with rest and awareness and for their bodies with a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise routine.

Students want to change their attitudes as well, in particular, their views on life to more optimistic ones. They would like to start looking at every day from a more positive perspective than they typically do in order to be able to appreciate each day they have.

Additionally, our staff spoke of wanting to become carefree. Many students struggle with nerves and over-thinking. They said they need to quit worrying about petty things and begin to give their attention to the things that actually matter.

Our staff also mentioned wanting to change their personalities to become more outgoing and extroverted people who are not afraid to put themselves out there. The idea of such self improvement is often a subject around this time of year. Everyone is setting their new year’s
resolutions and hoping to make this year better than the last. When asked what their resolutions were, our staff’s responses fell under the overarching theme of consistency.

Students want to be consistent with their good habits in the new year, habits such as volunteering, studying and working out. Some students responded with wanting to be motivated and determined as well – things that allow consistency to prosper.

Several of our staff members admit to losing their motivation halfway through activities which results in them abandoning them. Students want to become self-driven, to be strong in their initiative so as not to count on others for finding success.

Others would like to pick up new practices like journaling to get their feelings down on paper and better understand their thoughts. Reading is another thing members want to do more of in the new year. They would like for it to become a source of enjoyment and escapism, something that would allow them to put their phones down and feed their brains.

Staff members want to alter their frame of mind. Instead of longing after the lives of others, students wanted to start romanticizing their own lives – appreciating the beauty of the little things around them. While it is important to work towards self-improvement, it is vital to remember that working on oneself should not be determined by the date. It can be a journey that begins anytime during the course of the year and something that one takes breaks from now and again. A lot of pressure is put on becoming the best version of oneself with the beginning of each new year and that stress can deter people from making any progress at all.

This issue can be aided by setting goals that are both plausible and achievable. It is easy to think big when it comes to goals, and while it may be true that one can do whatever they set their mind to, it is also true that one can get themselves in over their heads.

Planning out a goal into a series of smaller goals can be helpful. When doing this, one is able to celebrate the minor successes that contribute to reaching the overall goal. Students mentioned how this method allows them to see their progress and prompts them to keep working towards what they want to accomplish.

Another way our staff members stay on track to achieve their goals is by finding the right motivation. They find it to help significantly when they ask themselves why they are setting a goal and what the goal will do for them when they reach it – therefore knowing the significance of seeing it through.

Some spoke about how they nudge themselves to keep working towards their goals by setting reminders on their phones and writing notes for themselves in order to remember what they want to achieve.

A good support system can push one to improve themselves also. Our staff thinks it’s a good idea to inform those around them, their family and friends, of their goals. That way, they can be a source of encouragement and maybe even offer a little help.

Measuring one’s success is a critical part of reaping the benefits of one’s goals. This can be done in several different ways.

Our staff members consider themselves successful by their level of personal satisfaction. Even if they have not completed their goals entirely, students say that if they feel good about their progress, they already consider themselves successful to some extent.

Furthermore, one can measure their success in self-improvement and goal-achievement in terms of where they are. One can look at where they were previously and compare it to where they are currently and where they would like to be in the future. Students say they notice how far they have come and how much they have grown when reflecting on their past selves.

While the start of a new year presents a good opportunity to start working on oneself, it can also be a root of stress. It does not have to be, with specific goal setting and a relaxed approach self-improvement taking the pressure off of making progress.

Staff Editorial