A New Year’s Message from ALSM’s President & CEO
Greetings!
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps, you make the generic ones–lose weight, exercise more, save more money, keep in touch more often with family and friends, and on and on. You may think it is not worth making the resolutions if you do not keep them. So, the question arises–are resolutions worth making if not fulfilled?
Well, I believe New Year’s resolutions are worth making for a couple reasons. The first is that making a resolution requires reflection and an assessment of what needs to be done. Even if the resolution falls flat, the reflection that led to the resolution has value of its own.
The second is closely related because it brings up the issue of failure. I suggest that there is power in owning up to what we may perceive as a failure. So, what went wrong? And what can I learn from my not following through on last year’s resolution?
We all need change, but change is hard. Sometimes we find it hard to admit that the need to save more money, for example, requires an actual change in behavior—something far beyond a resolution. I also suggest we review what we view as successes. We can learn from both failures and successes. Maybe we did succeed ever so slightly in saving more money. If so, what changes in behavior and attitude led to that limited success?
As we hang a new calendar on the refrigerator door, let’s take the time to reflect and assess the accomplishments and failures past year. What changes do we need to make during the coming year?
May you experience a 2023 filled with adventures and successes!
Sincerely,
Patricia W. Savage
