The end of the Fall semester, as well as 2012, is coming to a close. Some people believe in making new years’ resolutions with goals of bettering themselves either mentally or physically, while some people are content with just letting the new year roll in. Instead of focusing primarily on making future goals, why not reflect on everything that you have done this year?
The ability to self-reflect is important for personal development and engaging in the process helps you gauge where you are personally and professionally. For now is the perfect time to look back and celebrate all your personal successes and identify what you might want to improve upon. By taking the time to think about, and write down your own thoughts, this will motivate you to think about how you will approach a future scenario, and identify any changes needed to help insure your future success. Try to focus more on the positives, like all the successes you have achieved, as this is great for your self-esteem and is a good indicator of your strengths. For example, maybe you helped planned a couple of large events this year, and you now realize that you may have a calling in event planning. Maybe you have always wanted to stay active and get fit, and realized that you had already signed up for that yoga or zumba class. Perhaps you decided to volunteer either on or off campus and you followed through on your idea. Whatever it is, embrace that you did something great for yourself or other people, and this may help shape what your next goals will be.
Next, think of some things that you feel that you could improve upon, and make a personal challenge to yourself that you will either become better, or surpass the goal you set for yourself. Keep your goals specific, tangible and measurable, so that you will know when you achieve it. Didn’t do too well with your sleep schedule? Try going to bed an hour earlier every single night until you are used to it. Maybe you are looking to develop your personal brand? Start by updating and working on your cover letter and resume. Remember, positive reinforcement goes a long way, so reward yourself when you achieve your goals.
On behalf of Career Services, Volunteer Services, and Work Integrated Learning, we wish you luck on those exams. Most of all, we hope that each of you have a relaxing and enjoyable break over the holidays! We look forward to engaging all of you in the new year!
