Now that you’re in a new country, are you looking forward to having new friends, a new job, a new outlook, a new life in 2022? That’s great! Nothing could be better than starting your new life with energy and optimism (despite the pandemic). With a few days to go before the year closes, give yourself this moment to pause, evaluate the past year, and plan for the coming year. Imagine how you want the coming new year to be and, this is important, start putting it on paper.

The following are the suggested areas that you can focus on and the resources that can help you get started!

1. Set new goals

   After assessing what you need to start, change or stop, make a list of new goals you want to achieve next year. Remember that in order to succeed, the best goals to make are SMART – simple, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This formula is applicable for setting all kinds of targets – whether improving language skills, gaining career know-how, or reaching your ideal weight. Read the following articles to guide you in making your action plan:
   Making your New Year’s resolutions work
   Setting English goals the SMART way

2. Live healthier

   After a rough couple of years, we all know that health is our greatest wealth. So this year, make it a point to give more attention to activities that will keep you healthy. It could be a shift to a healthier diet, giving more time for sleep, or sticking to a regular exercise regimen. And don’t forget your mental health! Give yourself time to de-stress, relax, and do things that make you happy. Pick up a hobby, a new pastime, or maybe try meditating!

   For setting health goals, consider the tips in these articles:
   5 tips for staying healthy in MB
   Healthy eating habits for newcomers
   How to stay active in winter
   18 tips for dealing with stress and tension
   Emotional hygiene: 5 ways to keep your mind clean and healthy

3. Work smarter

   Make 2022 the year you achieve career success! You can do this by learning more about your new work environment, nurturing your soft skills, and learning how to work smarter, not harder! In Manitoba, achieving work-life balance is not as hard as you would think. To help make your action plan, read:
   Are you a work martyr?
   5 habits to help you achieve work-life balance
   How to excel in your new job
   Supports to help you in the workplace
   Soft skills: The key to getting and staying employed

4. Keep learning

   The late tech genius Steve Jobs said “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” This is one of the most popular pieces of advice on living life to the fullest and he’s right! Life is all about continued improvement. To do this, we should always keep an open mind and stay curious. Keep learning and strive for higher ideals! To map out your learning plan, read these tips:
   Want to boost your digital (and other) skills? Now is the best time to do it
   Reach your goals faster – 5 steps to a personal learning plan
   Want to get ahead in the Canadian workplace? Be lifelong learner!
   5 tools for learning anything on-the-go
   4 steps to becoming a self-directed learner

   If you want to be inspired by Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford University where he gave this advice, watch it here:
   

5. Nurture relationships

   There is compelling evidence that strong relationships contribute to a long, happy and fulfilled life. Make 2022 the year that you improve and strengthen your bond with your family, friends, colleagues, and the community. Continue to build your network by learning more about workplace culture and Canadian culture in general. Here are a few articles to start you off:
   Adapting to Canadian culture
   “Pardon me”: Understanding and adapting to Canadian social norms
   5 big ideas for better small talk
   5 strategies for working with people from other cultures
   10 pointers to help you fit in at work

Goodluck with your plans and have a happy New Year!