Guaranteeing a fruitful new year, 2022
Many of us had a difficult year in 2021. Some of us experienced illness, loss (death of loved ones), job precariousness, and isolation from #COVID19. The New Year, 2022 is here and celebrations are flowing in everywhere every minute. At the conclusion of 2021, people were gearing up to make fresh commitments and new beginnings for 2022. It’s time to establish New Year’s resolutions that will guide us realise our goals. The start of each year carries a lot of enthusiasm, positive energy, and good vibes. People celebrate this day by spending time with their friends, family, and loved ones. Many celebrations make this event extremely memorable and worth remembering! As we welcome and celebrate 2022, I share from my experiences key actions that can guarantee a fruitful new year for us in 2022.
1. You must first develop a strong sense of self-discipline: Be true to yourself and resist the temptations of the crowd, eschew impulse purchases, and peer pressure. Keep in mind that you are not in a race against anyone.
2. Create a life plan: It’s a good idea to write out a plan for your life once a year or every three months. Be intentional to implement your strategies and track your results.
3. Invest in your own growth: It could be higher education or a career change. Make a list of the areas in which you need more education and training. Apply for graduate school admissions or scholarships if necessary, both domestically and internationally. Remember, you do not have to travel abroad to pursue higher education or professional development. Leverage technology to access quality education and knowledge from the comfort of your home.
4. Sign up for educational classes or programmes that can help you improve: Take advantage of online classes that are freely available (#MOOCs). Learn new things and improve your abilities by enrolling in relevant online courses. To get started, check out Coursera, edX, Open2study, Alison – Free Empowerment Platform, FutureLearn
5. Reading is a great way to keep yourself up to date on the latest trends and developments in your field of interest: Join reading clubs or have a plan to read more books this year.
6. Having a budget whether annual or regularly, is critical: Never go above your spending limit without first consulting your budget/plan. Maintaining distinct budgets for daily expenses, projects, and family obligations is always a good idea. Bulk purchase of food and household supplies is recommended. Your spending watchdog should be the budget.
7. Journaling: Keep a journal to record your day-to-day or weekly activities: This helps you to keep tabs on your progress and make adjustments as necessary.
8. Have a mentor: Do you look up to someone who has achieved success in your field? Reach out to someone in your field that you admire and respect and ask if they would be a mentor to you. You must make yourself available and engage with them frequently as agreed upon to build a strong relationship.
9. Entrepreneurship: Invest in yourself and your team this year. Leverage on social media as a tool to reach new clients, partners and connections that will help you pivot your business.
10. Participate in personal and professional development programmes: either online or in person, whenever possible. Myself and the team at Research Desk Consulting Limited will be sharing more opportunities for both personal and professional development on our social media handles. Ensure you #Like and #Follow Research Desk Consulting Limited on all #socialmedia handles to keep up to date with such opportunities.
11. Let’s remember to pray consistently and know God for ourselves. Whether you’re a christian or muslim, prayer is inevitable in the success equation. We need to cultivate praying to become a lifestyle which will guarantee serenity, stability and divine guidance in our pursuits. Do not oursource your personal and professional intercessions to a third-party, be the captain of your own spirituality. Deveote time to studying the Bible and consciously fellowship with the brethren.
Happy new year everyone!
By Kojo Ahiakpa
Team Lead and Agribusiness Advisor
Research Desk Consulting Limited
Email: kojo.ahiakpa@researchdesk.consulting