An Ode to a New Year: Setting Goals and Resolutions

We at Empowered By Vee are amazed that 2023 flew by so fast. So much has happened this year that it’s a bit of a challenge to sum it up in a few words. We want to thank everyone for being part of this journey and for trusting us to help you reach your potential. 

We can’t believe a new year is almost upon us, so this December we wanted to give some advice on setting goals and resolutions!

“No dream is too big and No dreamer is too small”

• Reflect on your dreams. 

Someone once said, “No dream is too big and No dreamer is too small”. Ponder. Wonder. Dream. Think about what you want for your future, whether that means graduating from uni in a few months and owning a car in a year or writing a top-selling book and being sold out. Take time to sit with your thoughts and write them all down, even say them out loud.  Visualize your life in the future and the steps you need to take to get there. Break it down into smaller, achievable goals. Identify any potential obstacles and create a plan to overcome them. Creating a vision board or writing down your dreams often allows you to see yourself in a new light and find your intrinsic motivations to pursue your dreams. Most importantly you can brainstorm the realities of the roadblocks you might face and have a plan on how to achieve each success.

• Recognise areas to grow

Maybe you have been avoiding talking to a friend after some drama or skipping the gym and eating unhealthy food. Whatever it is, remind yourself that as the new year approaches you might need to find ways to get rid of bad habits or create new ones. It's never too late to start, and it's important to be honest with yourself and take responsibility for your actions. Taking the time to reflect can help you identify what needs to change and create an action plan to make it happen. Growth is a natural part of life…

For example: If you might be struggling to go to the gym and exercise, try to take the stairs rather than an elevator or text friends to go to the gym together

For more interpersonal conflicts taking the first step; apologizing or calling that friend can be so powerful. Maintaining healthy relationships is just as important as keeping your body and brain healthy

• Reach out to your community

From family members to friends and peers, yes pets are included, remember to rely on your community to uplift you and support you. Sometimes all you need is a few lovely words from Mum to get you through the day. With constant application deadlines, homework, and deadlines. Self-care can be forgotten. Text a friend to have lunch or invite some peers to a study session. Write a letter to friends back home and stay in touch with professors. Stay connected with people who care and share your feelings. Ask for help when you need it. Take time for self-care.

• Watch What happens

Being a uni student, growing up and eventually entering the ‘real world’ is a multi-faceted journey that’s inevitably going to be a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes the road can take you somewhere new and maybe it’s not what you had in mind but that can lead to your next best friend, a job interview or even a new passion. So don't be afraid to take risks, you never know what the outcome may be. Maybe this is a professor telling the class about an internship or a special guest visiting your class, whatever it is, seize the opportunity to watch what happens.

• Step outside of your comfort zone

Every time there's a cause for a new celebration, a new milestone, we can get a little teary-eyed at realising just how fast time passes. So make the most of the time you have and do something you have never done before.  As the new year approaches, remember to try something new. Make things interesting and shake things up, take a music class or join Speech and Debate, maybe even go bungee jumping? Have fun and make the new year just as memorable as this one!

From everyone here, we are wishing you a grand end to 2023 and a fantastic beginning to 2024. To a new year, a new season, and a new journey!