Beat the Odds with These Organizational New Year’s Resolutions

Written by: Elizabeth Smith Miller, Director of Marketing & Events, National Safe Place Network

Are you one of the 41% of individuals who makes one or more New Year’s resolutions? In 2017, the top 5 New Year’s resolutions included:

• Lose Weight (21.3%)
• Life/Self Improvements (12.3%)
• Better Financial Decisions (8.5%)
• Do more exciting things (7.1%)
• Spend more time with family/close friends (6.3%)

According to research, only 9.2% of people felt they were successful in achieving their resolution. The number one reason for failed resolutions is the lack of a clear goal. NSPN is making it easy for you to beat the odds by helping your organization create clear goals for top resolutions.

Lose “Weight”
Stress will make you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. You can lose this “weight” with the help of NSPN. Organizational Development members can shed some stress by taking advantage of benefits already available including:

• Crisis debrief for staff and volunteers
• Ace the audit tips and consultation
• Department specific consultation and support

If there’s an area where your organization is struggling and could use some help, let NSPN help lift the weight off of your shoulders.

Maybe you’re thinking of a different type of weight… Does your inbox seem pretty hefty after the holidays? Perhaps you’re deleting emails without reading them? Take some time to go through your inbox and make some updates. Consider updating your profile or preferences.  Many businesses send emails based on interests you have selected or information you have provided in your profile.  For example, occasionally, NSPN may send emails to individuals with a specific job role or to organizations in a specific regions. If your information is not correct in your profile, you may receive an email that isn’t helpful to you. Consider logging in to your NSPN profile and update your information to make sure you’re only receiving information that fits your needs at www.nspnetwork.org/login. Your user name is [merge data].

Life/Self Improvements
In the youth and family services field, self-improvements are critical. Not only do individuals want to better themselves for a successful career, the lives of young people depend on continued growth of knowledge and skills. Every year, organizational leaders are making the choice to become a Professional Development member to help enhance the skills and abilities of their staff. If you’re a Professional Development member, you already have access to the following benefits (plus more) at no extra cost:

• Personalized development plans and self-care plans
• Emerging Leaders Institute (launching March 7, 2018)
• Professional coaching for middle managers
• Access to Clinicians’ Coffee House web events and CEUs
• And more ways to develop professionally

Better Financial Decisions
Sometimes the best and easiest financial decisions include taking advantage of benefits you already have. If you’re an NSPN member, you can save money by taking advantage of discounts already offered to your organization. Base members receive discounts on NSPN events including:

• Child and Youth Care: Foundations course
• Youth Thrive training
• Focus 2018

If you are an Organizational Development, Professional Development, or Training Center member, you have deeper discounts and even FREE access to some events and additional resources.  If you’re not already a member, you can achieve your resolution of making better financial decisions by becoming one. Base membership is only $200 and provides a multitude of benefits to your organization. Join today here.

Do More Exciting Things
If traveling to Louisville, KY for Focus 2018 or having NSPN create a personalized training just for your organization isn’t exciting enough, consider doing something new! NSPN is the only membership association that customizes benefits to fit the needs of its members. If you have a need – or an exciting idea – connect with the membership team to discuss ways we can help.

Spend More Time with Family and Close Friends
All NSPN members have access to NSPN Connect. NSPN Connect is a forum where member of all levels can network, share resources and ideas, and have discussions around impactful topics. Log in to NSPN Connect today and ask a question about how something is done in another organization or share some ideas you find helpful. Feel free to upload documents to share with others.  Licensed Safe Place agencies have access to Safe Place Connect and National Youth Advisory Board Collaboration Committee (YCC) members have access to YCC Connect. If you are part of the Network in more than one way (NSPN member, licensed Safe Place agency, and/or a YCC member), you have access to each forum based on your affiliation.

Ultimately, whatever your resolution is for your organization, NSPN wants to help remind you that you have support. Together we can!

Try a Mantra for 2017

Written by: Katie Carter, Director of Research, Education & Public Policy for National Safe Place Network

Looking back in my 2016 work notebook, I have a list of “possible mantras” instead of actual resolutions for the previous year. I was coming back to work after several months of maternity leave and I guess wasn’t quite ready to commit to a traditional resolution. Instead, I was adjusting to my life as a new mom working full-time. Some of my “possible mantras” for 2016 included: “This is enough;” “Don’t forget to breathe;” and “No is a complete sentence.”

I wish I had reviewed my 2016 mantras more frequently than in January and now.

So this 2017, I’m going to try again to pick a mantra, write it down, post it around my workspace and my home, and use it. And I’m going to just pick one, not make a whole list of them.

If you are a person who also has trouble sticking to a resolution, may I suggest a mantra as well? I got the idea here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/forget-resolutions-embrace-a-yearly-mantra-instead-226656. The author provides an example: instead of deciding to exercise three times a week, your mantra could be “move more.”

Here are some other examples of possible mantras to replace popular resolutions:

Do you have other ideas for mantras or resolutions? Let us know on Twitter at @nspntweets.

Happy 2017.

Grant Writing Resolutions

January – a time of reflection, new beginnings, resolutions, and preparing for grant-writing season. We are busy preparing for an upcoming webinar for NSPN members on grant writing resolutions. For a preview of the webinar, check out these two grant-writing tips.

Resolution 1: Lose the weight.

Grant writers and development officers carry the weight of the world on their shoulders during grant season. Worrying about whether your words will help save jobs or lose them. Programs may close based on your skill set alone! STOP IT! Just like with a diet, one practice or change is never sufficient to get the healthiest outcome. You are responsible for doing your best. And, that is all you can do. You have to share the burden with others. You need to develop patters of behavior that work for you. If you feel alone, call or connect with your NSPN membership team. We will figure it out together.

Resolution 2: Don’t be a citizen of ProcrastiNation.

We are busy. It is all we can do to get today’s work done. We may often fall short of our goals. Grant season will highlight every tendency you have to wait until a better time. When you wait until the next week or until you can get to it (whenever that is…) there are often challenges. While it is true you do not always know the data a funding application will be due… you do know that you will probably need updated logic models; organizational charts; need data; resumes; and, position descriptions. You can start on all of that now. Pull out your shiny new phone or paper calendar and set aside at least one hour per week to do something related to fund development preparation. It will make things easier in the spring and you may even hug yourself with joy and relief for planning ahead, or at least check something off your to-do list.

Want more tips? Join us on Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. EST for the NSPN Members-Only Webinar: 12 New Year’s Resolutions for Grant Writing. You can register here: https://nspn.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_185042

Please note: This webinar is open to any NSPN member at the basic level or above. The webinar will be recorded and available to members with access to the Training Center after January 15, 2015.

What do New Year’s Resolutions mean to you?

What is a resolution?  I asked this very question to a couple people and received the same initial response from all.  I received a “look”, a look that implied “I know the answer to this but I have to think about how to verbalize it.”  They had to think about what a New Year’s Resolution really was.  After thinking for a moment, they shared replies such as “it’s something new someone wants to do for themselves”, “a new beginning”, and “putting something into motion”. What if I told you a resolution is as simple as a promise.  A resolution is a promise that you make to yourself (and work hard at keeping)!

Year after year, resolutions are made; yet, you find many are broken.  Why is it so difficult for people to follow through with their resolutions?  Perhaps the reason that they are so easily broken is because they are not thought to be actual promises, but instead ideas.  People like the idea of something, but it is expected that not all ideas come to fruition.

How can you do better?  Start by simply thinking of your resolution as a promise.  It will help motivate you to be more thoughtful about the resolution and you will be more motivated to keep it.  When you feel down, remember that you can do it!  You wouldn’t have made the promise if it weren’t realistic or if you didn’t believe in yourself to do it.  You have made progress and it’s not time to give up.  Next year, one of two things will happen.  You will be proud that you kept your promise and accomplished your goal –OR- you will wish you stuck to it and will be starting all over again.  Which will you choose?   Make this year the last year that you make this same promise to yourself.  Whatever you choose, make sure it is the right choice for you.  Believe in yourself and don’t give up.  You are worth it!  A promise is a promise!  Happy New Year!

Feel free to check out the tips below to get moving in the right direction. 

Tips on Making and Keeping Your New Year’s Promise

• Put some thought into it! What do you really want to change?  Is it a personal goal or does it have to do with family, friends, or the outside world including work or school?
• Make sure it is attainable. You want to do something that is good for you, which is why you are promising yourself in the first place.  You don’t want to set yourself up for failure before you even start.
• Don’t leave it open ended. If you want to lose weight, set an amount (“I promise to lose 20 pounds this year and keep it off.”)  If you want further your education, decide what you want to learn and be specific (“I promise to take a pottery class this year.”)  One is less likely to give up or “phone it in” when setting clear specific goals.
• Plan ahead! Do you know how much you want to save?  Have a schedule?  Ideas on types of storage or labels you need to get organized? Do you need to have healthy food options on hand?  A pair of walking shoes?  Need to get rid of things from your home or work environment? Want to be better at your job?  Joining NSPN can help with this!
  • Write it down. There may be times where you don’t remember what you should or shouldn’t do.  Writing it down makes it more formal and it helps when your “bad habit brain” wants to take over!
  • Have a contingency plan. Identify what you will do if temptation kicks in! Anyone, at anytime, can suffer from a pesky craving or forget and fall back into bad habits.
    • Does your promise depend on the weather? What happens if it rains?  Make a plan and take away the room for the excuse ahead of time.
    • Craving ice cream or an after dinner sweet snack? Try cool whip mixed with flavored Greek yogurt.  YUM!!
    • Running late? Don’t hit that snooze button!  Set your alarm for when you actually need to wake up and place it on the other side of the room.  Don’t waste an hour of interrupted sleep just to keep hitting the button.
• Let others know! The last thing you want is external influences pushing you to break your promise.  Let people know around you that you have made a promise to yourself and appreciate their support.   You increase your chances of success when sharing details of your journey as you tend to receive extra external motivation and encouragement!
• Have a friend ready to support you. There will most likely be a time when you need the extra support or someone to get your mind off things.
• Write down some positive self talk statements. Who knows the best part of you more than yourself!  It’s ok to tell yourself how awesome you are and that you are WORTH doing this for yourself!
• Be persistent! It takes at least 21 days to start a new habit. Don’t expect that things will change overnight.  It took some work to create the bad habit, generating a poor credit score, or gaining the extra pounds, so it will take some work and time to turn things around.  Take things day by day.  Don’t look at it as a lifetime commitment or a yearlong commitment.  Wake up in the morning and say TODAY I am (or am not) going to do this for this day.  Recommit yourself each day.
• Track your progress. Regardless of the size of the step, every step forward is a plus!  Give yourself credit when credit is due.  A little happy dance never hurt anyone; go ahead, stop what you are doing and smile about what you have just accomplished.
• Reward yourself along the way! Yep, that’s right… you deserve a pat on the back!  Make your rewards meaningful. Some reward examples include downloading a song or album of choice, having a spa day (You can find great deals online for local massages!), or something like going bowling.  Depending on what your promise is, you might have a short-range, mid-range, and of course the ultimate goal!  The rewards can mimic the outcomes (the more you do, the more you reward)!
  • Here’s some more great reward examples:
    • Complete a Brain Break from NSPN’s Plugged iN Email!
    • Take a hot bath. Go ahead and splurge on that calming lavender oil (or other pleasing scent of choice).
    • Give yourself a Mani and Pedi! (Or if it’s a mid-to-ultimate goal splurge for the professional one!)
    • Get a massage or a facial.
    • Visit a farmers market and get some goodies.
    • Buys some fresh flowers and set out on your counter. Seeing them every day for a week will be a great reminder of how hard you worked.
    • Have a play date! Yep, whether with a friend or significant other, take time for a movie or other fun outing.
    • Turn on some music and dance around like no one is watching.
    • Enjoy a fun attraction like the zoo or city Ferris wheel (even the largest sky scraper in town and check out the skyline if you’re in a large city).
    • Do a crossword puzzle, word search, or play a card game.
    • Allow yourself a few hours to read a book.
    • Check out a play at a local theater.
    • Host a game night with friends.
    • Have coffee or tea with a friend.
    • Take a road trip! Weekend trips to a new destination a short distance away are great!
    • Take some photos and make a collage.
    • Give someone special a gift (like flowers, a meal, or something else special)
    • Reach for the stars! … Or just look at them. Star gazing can be breathtaking. Perhaps your city has a local planetarium.
    • Go to a local craft show or home show that’s in town.
    • Take a nap. Sleep is a good thing.
    • Go through your DVDs at home, pop some popcorn and watch a throwback movie you enjoyed and haven’t seen in a while.

Helping Youth Make a Promise?  Here are Some Tips to Help Them Get Started!

• Help Youth categorize their resolution promises.
  • Examples: school/work, finances, recreation, social life, health
• Make sure the goals are attainable.
• If they are unsure about what to change or do to enhance their life, ask them questions to get them thinking. Where do they want to be in a few years?  Are they looking to save money for a car or rental, go to college?  What steps do they need to take to get there?  Are there areas they can focus on to help?
• Share your success stories with them. You can share with them the amount of work it takes to make it happen, and that it is possible!  You might be able to offer ideas to make it easier.

 

Sample New Year’s Promises:

• Stop a Bad Habit
  • Smoking, Biting Nails, Drinking, Fibbing, etc.
• Lose Weight / Have a Healthier Lifestyle
  • Eat Healthier, Become a Vegetarian, Walk/Exercise More, Drink More Water, etc.
• Learn a New Skill
  • Grant Writing, Cooking, Blog Writing, Sewing, Typing, Knitting, Speaking a New Language, etc.
• Try Something New
  • Yoga, Zip Lining, Sky Diving, Hiking, etc.
• Start a Hobby
  • Painting, Dancing, Collecting Coins, etc.
• Travel / Visit a New Place / Be Spontaneous!
  • Travel to Another City, State or Country; Visit Your Local Museum(s) in Your Own Town, etc.
• Spend More Time with Loved Ones (Including your pets!)
  • Plan a Family Game Night Once a Month, Take Your Dog to the Dog Park Once or More Times a Month, etc.
• Get Organized
• Save Money / Manage Debt
  • Create and Use a Budget, Use Coupons, Build/Rebuild Credit, etc.
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
• Be Kind! (Offer at Least One Random Act of Kindness Each Day.)