NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

BY JERÉ ANTHONY

It is a new year and you are now faced with a clean canvas to paint your next year of experiences. What will you choose to do with your blank slate?

As a self-proclaimed New Year’s Resolution Enthusiast, I would like to offer some suggestions as well as encouragement. I find that setting goals can be very motivating and leave the feeling of triumph, as slowly but surely things begin to be crossed off of your list. I also think there is power in speaking your goals and dreams out loud, or even better sharing with a trusted friend. This can create accountability and help motivate you when times get tough.

Here are a few of my suggestions to add your list of resolutions:

• See your child(ren) once a month– Helpful tip- try to schedule your visits for the beginning of the month, just in case an unknown circumstance arises that could prevent you from visiting.
• Keep your In-Service up to date in Optima- Nothing is worse than having to remember a year’s worth of In-Service time at the end of the year that you know you have completed. Try to log your In-Services immediately, it is one less thing in life to remember to do! Helpful tip -there is a link in the newsletter that takes you straight to Optima, click it before you close out your newsletter and BOOM that is done!
• Call your Supervisor– Your Supervisors are always there for you, they can offer helpful advice, direct you in the right direction, or just be a friend that you can vent to about the struggles in your case. Helpful tip- There is no such thing as too much information for you to provide your CASA Supervisor with, and they love knowing what is going on in your cases! 
• Talk to someone involved in your case? Put it in Optima! It is always better to record contact logs and notes when they are fresh on your mind. Helpful tip- Use your cell phone to record a voice memo about your visit, that way the details are all fresh when you get to a place to log it in. 
• Step out of your comfort zone when choosing your In-Service hours- this one may surprise you, but I challenge you to learn new things with your In-Service choices. Choose books, movies, and podcasts that are new ideas for you, these things will all help shape you into a better volunteer. Remember when we are uncomfortable, that is when we grow the most. 
• Take care of yourself- being a CASA volunteer is a huge responsibility and you should be proud of what you are doing to help your child in your free time. Make self-care a priority this year. Give yourself and excuse to start up a bubble bath or binge out on Netflix. You deserve it!

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I hope you are inspired to take down some of the resolutions and feel empowered to take 2017 by storm.  Remember you have already accomplished more than most people because you are volunteering your time and changing lives. That is certainly something to be proud of!