Happy New Year!!

Welcome Back to School Students and Staff!

With so much unfilled time over the break, I collected lots of little gems that gave me good ideas for blog topics.  I have considered many different directions for today, but I think I want to talk a little about resolutions or goals for the new year.  

I read a quick post about how each year we make New Year's resolutions, but because we are in a pandemic we shouldn't worry about any resolutions beyond simply surviving (the boredom, the quarantine restrictions, the hybrid learning - I could go on...).  While I do agree that this isn't the year to be making extreme resolutions that put lots of pressure on oneself during an already pressure-filled time, I don't agree with forgetting resolutions altogether.  The start of a new year is a great time to evaluate how we are doing and whether or not we want to make changes to the course we are on.  Each year it's a chance to do a little goal setting, a little envisioning, or a little bit of looking in the mirror to determine if we are pleased with the reflection.  

Keep in mind that I am talking about a metaphorical mirror...think more about who you are on the inside vs. what you look like on the outside.  If you like what you see, how can you enhance it or improve upon what's already working well?  If you wish to improve your self-worth, self-esteem, relationships with others, the ability to manage your emotions, or your communication style, then by all means set some goals for making changes.  

In life, if we expect to be successful in learning new skills we have to set some goals to make that happen.  Without goals how do we know where we want to go?  How will we know what steps to take to get there?  And how will we determine when we've succeeded?  Goal setting doesn't have to be lofty, it just needs to be SMART.

This is an example of how you can think about your goals in real and specific ways.  Can you answer these questions about your goals or resolutions?  If so, then you can start thinking about some of the little steps you can take to get there.  Try creating a goal ladder like this one...

This is a simple example but it shows you that once you've decided a goal is SMART, you have to then figure out the steps to making it happen.  Just saying you'll learn to ride a bike with no idea of how you'll do it won't help you get to that end.  You have to outline the path.  

Here is another example.  Lots of kids might say I want to get better grades in school.  So your steps might be:

• Ask more questions in class
• Discuss my learning with my parents so that I can organize my thoughts and understand concepts more deeply
• Spend less time on my device
• Read more
• Set aside 1 hour each evening for homework/review

Lots of times kid's goals are related to making new friends, deepening relationships, communicating better, or managing emotions.  These are great goals, and I have lots of ideas for helping students improve relationships.  Some places to start are:  

• Listen more than you talk
• Tune in to the needs of others 
• Practice kindness towards others and yourself (relationship building is hard and you are bound to make mistakes!)
• Be true to who you are but also practice expected behaviors that are going to help others feel positive about you
• Smile more
• Remember that actions speak loudly and can affect how others feel about you and about how you feel about yourself, so try to think before you act especially when your emotions are high.  
• Show genuine interest in others.  

So what are your goals for the new year?  Keep this pandemic in mind.  Keep them small (no more than three), keep them SMART, and use a ladder to get there.  Don't let stumbles or missteps along the way deter you from trying again!  Keep that mindset in growth mode, and remember that nothing happens overnight, so you have to have patience, grit, and determination.  Lastly, remember that you are in charge of where you go and what you achieve this year, so give it your best.  I believe in you cougars!   

Let's have a great year!

Mrs. Hempey