Aspirations for the year ahead

The start of a new year is often a time for reflection — of the previous year’s highlights and achievements, and what’s to come next.

More than 70 percent of Australians have made a new year’s resolution for 2023, a nation-wide survey by Finder says.

Not surprisingly, diet and exercise-related pledges, along with aspirations relating to money, cashflow and savings are by far the most common among survey respondents.

Also perhaps not surprisingly, research also tells us that only about 10 percent of resolutions will actually be fulfilled.

Setting unrealistic or vauge goals are among the reasons people abandon resolutions. But what about an alternative? A sustainable choice for the months and weeks ahead — and, done well, a choice word that becomes a subconscious attitude. What about a ‘word’ for the year? A nudge. A mindset. A vision. A focus and an aspiration representing the year ahead — that is positively aligned to an individual or group’s values and goals.

The Weekly Advertiser team’s word for the year is ‘grounded’.

We also considered ‘understanding’ and ‘reflect’.

Rural and regional journalism is deeply entrenched in community life. It is part of community life. It is grounded. It is you. Rural and regional journalism captures and shares the news of the day, and it records the history of tomorrow.

It should both reflect and challenge the community’s values and goals for a prosperous future in an ever-changing world.

And rural and regional journalism requires a deep understanding and appreciation of the community and the people this publication, and its current custodians — our team — serves.

Its meaning and outcomes will evolve as the year progresses, and we continue to self-reflect and evaluate our work.

We don’t always get it right; but we do our level best to make good decisions that educate, inform and entertain our readers.

What’s your word for the year?