Bloom in 2021!

 As we move into 2021, many of us are focusing on personal growth.  After the interesting year that we all had, you may be anxious to start a new chapter, and begin to map out what you want to accomplish during 2021.  Rather than resolutions that may last a week, you may want to focus on smart, practical growth goals that will help you bloom!

A week or so ago, in the Quote of the Day on the Columbia Live Feed, I published a picture of a bud.  There was a lot of potential in that bud.  I knew it would turn into a beautiful flower, but what I did not know was that it would bloom into multiple flowers.  The first goal is to focus on the ultimate possibility!  Give yourself the opportunity to dream big, not to limit yourself or your potential.

As you set your goals, you will want to be mindful that life is not easy, and you are not a victim.  Hard work and sweat equity can make a huge difference as you reach for success.  You may set a big, long-range goal, and break it into several short range goals to help you achieve your ultimate goal.  Remember being ambitious is important, but you must include a focus on planning to get your goal accomplished.

As you set your goals, remember that your self-imposed ceiling is just like the ceiling in your house: Man made.  You must take the lid off your expectations and remove the ceiling.  As Matthew McConaughey once said, when talking about putting a roof on your future, “We shouldn’t create these restrictions on ourselves.”  When I looked at the original bud, before it broke out, it looked like a duck-bill.  The bud was not really attractive, but rather than putting it away in the basement, I proudly displayed it in a prominent place in the living room.  Just like our personal growth goals, we can be rewarded with a beautiful result.

As you finalize your goals for 2021, include a goal to improve communications skills and become a good listener.  Your communication goal may include several aspects, such as: Encouraging the speaker to elaborate, by asking pertinent questions.  Another element in your communication goal could be to mentally capture key points, and reiterating what the speaker said.  In your goal to increase communication you will want to focus on the speaker’s ideas, rather than interjecting your own creative ideology. 

Setting personal growth goals can help you improve your level of success, through focused diligent work.  Remember, change is difficult, but taking small, incremental steps when setting thoughtful goals in a clearly laid-out plan can propel you to success!  If you are interested in learning more about Columbia School District, email me at Pamela.Campbell@myeagles.org or call 5175926641,