Spring into spring
Kickstart your year’s resolutions with the new season.
Even if you already set some resolutions at the beginning of the year, spring is a great time for a fresh start.
Reflect on the year so far
The turn of a new year is often seen as the best time for a fresh start, to make resolutions or set goals. It makes sense because you have a new calendar or diary and it’s a new school term. So now you’re a few months into the year, check in to see how it’s going so far. What goals or plans did you make? Do they still excite you or do you want to have new or different goals? What progress can you celebrate, big or small? Who or what do you need
to help you keep going?
A chance to begin again
For some people, spring feels like a much better time to make plans than the beginning of the year when it’s still winter. Clinical psychologist Dr Emma Hepburn says, “January can be a time when you want to hibernate rather than set goals.” With the official start of spring on 20
March, nature is waking up: flowers are growing and buds are appearing on the trees. Dr Hepburn says, “As the days lengthen and become warmer you feel better so you’re more likely to want to start working towards your goals.”
Keep yourself motivated
With nine months left of the year there is time to work on your goals. Are there crafts, games or sports you’d like to try? Do you want to change your bedroom or simply keep it tidy? What would you like to be more of – kinder, braver or more relaxed, for example? Or what would you like to be less of – less anxious, maybe, or less impatient, perhaps? Think about what will help you with these intentions. Writing them on a piece of paper and putting it up on your bedroom wall will remind you. Or you could buddy up with a friend to encourage each other to stay on track. Think about when, how and where you’re going to work on your plans. Dr Hepburn says, “Setbacks are inevitable but you can learn as much from these as successes. Also don’t get stuck on goals that no longer work for you.”