When a new year comes around, it’s not unusual to stop and think about what we’d like to change or do differently. I don’t know what it is about the calendar rolling over to January 1, but it inspires us to ask questions we don’t normally wrestle with in mid-July: When this year comes to a close, what do I envision for my life? What habits are working for me, and which ones aren’t?
This reflective ritual provides us with an opportunity to figure out what to keep pursuing and what to let go of. For most of us, it’s a meaningful process, something that brings renewed focus. But sometimes the resolutions we make don’t last as long as we’d like them to. The enthusiasm fades, and we’re reminded once again that setting a goal and completing it are two very different things.
Maybe you’ve already experienced this and pushed through — you found the strength to carry on. If so, keep going! Or, perhaps this describes you: Your New Year’s resolutions have seen better days, and you’re settling back into some of the same old habits you wanted desperately to break. If so, welcome to the club.
Resolutions are a mixed bag. You win some, and you lose some. But building habits and systems that make the resolutions more likely to happen is always a worthwhile endeavor. Change comes incrementally, and there really are no shortcuts. You’ve got to show up and put in the work. And that’s easier said than done.
I’m learning this lesson every day at Neighborhood House.
Reaching our goals requires patience. And let’s face it: Waiting can be difficult. But in terms of what it teaches us, the process is invaluable. The reality is, most “overnight success” stories took years, sometimes decades, to write. Someone had to show up and put in the work.
Last year, when it became clear that we would need more financial resources to prevent homelessness, we asked you to give. Very quickly, those gifts became a lifeline to those in need, sustaining our homelessness prevention efforts in Wilmington and Middletown.
We established the Homelessness Prevention Fund to fuel interventions that mitigate housing instability, leaving families less vulnerable to eviction. And while we’re still raising $50,000 to fund this important work, I do have some good news to share: $5,869 has already come in!
We can’t offer a full continuum of care that wraps around children and families without a community of friends and partners who stand with us. So when I see a number like $5,869, I am filled with gratitude, because I know that behind every dollar given is a person or organization who believes in what we do.
Do you know what makes goals more achievable? Having someone come alongside us in the achievement of those goals. Success hinges on partnership.
So, as 2023 unfolds, let’s rally around each other — lift each other up — never forgetting that we are so much stronger together.
- Alison