It’s already two thousand fifteen, can you believe it?
Maybe seeing 2015 on your calendar is a reminder that your college experience is drawing to a close, maybe it feels more like a mile marker at the end of your first semester or maybe you are somewhere in the between. Wherever you are in college and in life, the beginning of a new year can be a fruitful time, in terms of identifying and pursuing goals.
That said, it can be easy to set an overwhelming number of resolutions and feel discouraged when progress is not immediately visible and that is okay. Transformation and growth take time. Habits are not broken and formed overnight, maybe not even in a single year. Below are some thoughts that help me stay motivated, while I continue to adjust my slightly daunting list of resolutions. I hope you are able to find some encouragement in them and that 2015 will be your best year yet!
- You are not expected to do everything on your own. Create visible reminders of what is important to you. Ask friends to help you stay accountable.
- Your life has a purpose. Looking for patterns in your goals can help you identify your purpose and evaluate how your activities align with it.
- You have a capacity. As paradoxical as it sounds, accepting your limits can make them less restricting. Accepting that you cannot do everything can help divert more focus into the handful of things you choose to prioritize.
- Goals can be adapted. Your circumstances and your mind can change. You may start out chasing one set of hopes and dreams, only to discover that something else is more meaningful to you.
- The start of the calendar year is not the only time for new beginnings. You are free to take steps toward change whenever you feel compelled to do so.
Article and photos contributed by: Marissa Nazareno