by Prudence Caskey | Jan 11, 2016
The New Year is a great time to make a fresh start to live a happier, more balanced life.
Happy New Year! This month, our blog will be focusing on tips and ideas for making a fresh start. Do you have a New Year’s Resolution yet? If so, how do you plan to make sure you will achieve your goal? How can you assure yourself it is not simply a wish you will wish every January, simply to forget by February? There is a huge difference between a goal and a wish. Which category your New Year’s Resolution falls into, depends on you. Here are three tips to make this year’s goals stick:
- Tell someone! To tell someone about your goal gives them the permission to ask about your goal. This is called an accountability partner. Usually, a workout partner will help with getting you to go to the gym or workout. Maybe fitness is not your goal, it could be you strive to have a closer relationship with God. You could give a friend permission to call you if you don’t show up to church on Sunday. Perhaps your goal is to further your education so you can apply for a promotion or a new job. Tell a friend, and ask them to check in with you from time to time regarding your progress.
- Believe it! The best way to achieve a goal is to believe it is possible. If your goal is to get back to school, sit down and figure out when you will graduate. Mark it on a calendar, believe it will happen and achieve the goal, whatever it is.
- Start it! You can only get there if you take the first step! Let’s say you want to get back to school, call the admissions office on Monday and see what is needed to start the process. As the 4-H Extension Agent, I have assisted many young people with college applications and the financial aid maze. It can take time to get everything together to g0 to college. Don’t expect to start classes right away, but don’t let delays stop you. You can start classes later in the year.
What do you do should you get off track? Start again! If you did not meet your goal, or haven’t reached your goal yet, keep working on it. I started a “Read the Bible in a Year” plan three years ago; I plan to continue the plan and finish in 2016! Be positive with yourself and if you do not complete your goal, continue to work toward it in 2017.
Prudence Caskey is the Santa Rosa County 4-H Extension Agent. She works with youth ages 5-18 to develop life skills. She can be reached at prudencecaskey@ufl.edu or by calling the Santa Rosa County Extension office at (850) 623-3868.
by Whitney Cherry | Dec 25, 2015
Enjoy a high-energy game of exercise bingo as you race other teams to see who can win! This game is available at your local extension office.
The New Year is upon us, and it is so fun to celebrate its coming with our families. Do you have a favorite New Year’s Tradition? If not, there is still time to plan one for this year! Here are a few fun and easy ideas to inspire you:
- New Year’s Eve Bonfire– roast hotdogs and marshmallows and enjoy hot chocolate by the fire. More family friendly campfire recipes
- Game Tournament– set up a tournament of games. You can play Minute to Win-It Style games, board games, or even electronic/video games. Each hour until midnight, let a family member choose their favorite game to play.
- Balloon Countdown– You will need a balloon for each hour of the countdown, depending on when you start. I recommend starting at 6PM, so you would need six balloons. Place a slip of paper with a craft, game or activity written on it. Place a slip in each balloon, then blow up the balloons and label each one with a number, representing each hour in the countdown until midnight. For example, at 6PM, have a family member pop the balloon with the number six on it, and then the family would do the activity listed on the slip of paper. Continue to pop balloons until midnight! Some of the activities you might include are: make paper hats, write down New Year’s Resolutions, make noisemakers, enjoy fireworks, etc.
- Progressive Hors d ’Oeuvres– this sounds fancy, but is really simple. Just prepare your family’s favorite snacks. Each hour, enjoy a different snack until midnight.
- Family Movie Night is another inexpensive favorite. Make homemade pizza or pop popcorn and enjoy a night in with your family.
- Fireworks can also be a fun activity, but be sure to read our tips on firework safety beforehand.
- Balloon Drop– a nice alternative to fireworks. Use masking tape to tape together 2 lengths of netting. Extend the tape to make a “rip cord.” Fill with balloons and confetti and tape to the ceiling (use painter’s tape so you do not damage the paint). At the stroke of midnight, pull on the rip cord and enjoy a cascade of celebratory balloons and confetti!
- And finally, you can go all in and recreate your favorite game shows. Imagine win-lose-or draw, family feud, the price is right…the possibilities are endless.
Do you have a favorite family New Year’s Eve tradition? If so, share in the comments! We want to thank you for another great year in 4-H! If you are not currently a 4-H member or volunteer, contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office for more information, or visit http://florida4h.org for more information.
