The new year always motivates people to make big promises to themselves. What about you? Have you made new year’s resolutions about getting healthier? Creating lasting memories in the USA or advancing your English language skills? Something else? Well, one common factor will help you achieve any and all of these goals: being intentional.
Being intentional: planning ahead to make decisions, and take action, based on what’s important to you.
Deciding how you will spend your time, prioritizing your schedule, and putting forth your effort are the ingredients for a simple recipe for success when achieving your new year’s resolutions. Of course, there are some additional tips to make the job that much easier. Still, intentionality is the foundation of it all. Here are some examples of how being intentional is a foolproof way to achieve any goal in life:
- If you’re resolution is to get healthier, be intentional about what steps you’re taking to do so. Making intentionally based choices centered around this goal are the key to making it happen. Should you schedule a time to exercise or keep waiting for the perfect moment to appear? Should you prep those veggies as snacks for the week or scroll your social media on Sunday evening? Should you drink water or soda with your dinner tonight? These are all ways you can make intentional decisions toward your healthy resolutions. With a healthy intent at the forefront, you are bound to make choices that support your resolution and consequently end the year healthier than ever.
- If you’re hoping to create lasting memories in the U.S., be intentional about planning ahead to make those moments happen. Plan vacations in advance by speaking with your host family and then booking your trip. Make a bucket list of what you want to achieve before your program ends. Create a budget to ensure you have the funds to make it happen. Planning ahead can help you see all the American destinations on your list. Au pair Dham, for example, has been able to tour both coasts by carefully planning her trips during her time off.
Images courtesy of Dham.
- If you want to speak English more fluently, be intentional about speaking English with your au pair friends, even if they speak your native language. Intentionally read more in English every day. Join online classes or use language learning apps. Watch English language TV instead of TV in your native language.
Earlier, I mentioned tips to make it happen, and I want to name a few.
Being specific about your goals is crucial. For example, don’t just say you want to get healthier in 2022. Say you want to exercise three times a week and then schedule the time to exercise on each of those days.
Also, don’t expect to make big changes all at once. Try sticking to a resolution for a month, or even a week. Taking small steps and creating habits allows for a more sustainable journey and positive results.
Lastly, having a support system makes your goal achievement that much easier. For example, choosing to get healthier with a friend is a great way to have an accountability buddy and motivation on days you may not feel like working out. You can even let your host family know about your resolutions so they can cheer you on as you accomplish them.
If one of your 2022 goals is to become an au pair, start here. Au Pair USA has successfully matched au pairs and host families for over 30 years. We look forward to being part of your 2022 goals!
