OPINION: Here’s to a year of learning and growth

Published 1:08 pm Thursday, January 7, 2021

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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

If you are still keeping your new year’s resolution, great job.

If you feel like you have already blown it, do not stress. A resolution is about the change you want to make, not about meeting a specific timeline.

A few years ago, my new year’s resolution was essentially to adopt a hobby, specifically I wanted to bake more.

I know this is the opposite of what many new year’s resolutions are about. At its core though, it was about choosing to invest more in something I enjoyed. This has led to great learning opportunities, adventures both savory and sweet and a sense of accomplishment.

Some would call it self-care.

At the core of the new year’s resolution tradition is the desire to be better than we were the year before. This can be a variety of things. While many focus on getting fit, exercise or eating healthier food, self-improvement can come in many forms.

If you did make a new year’s resolution, write it down and put it somewhere you will see it every day. It has been said that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Seeing your goal everyday makes you more likely to stick with it and develop the habits needed to reach the improvement that you want.

I think one is also more likely to accomplish their goals if they tell someone about it. Some would consider this an accountability partner. Telling a trusted friend can mean encouragement to accomplish what you want to and possibly ideas on how to get there.

I got plenty of feedback when I posted about wanting to bake specific things on my Facebook in the coming year — mostly people wanting to be taste testers! I didn’t bake all of those things that first year, but it started a doughlicious journey that has included scones to potstickers, with varying degrees of success.

Even if you did not set a new year’s resolution. I hope this new year is full of wonderful new experiences of learning and growth for you.