New year positive affirmations

2.) I always try to let the light of hope shine in my life

Hope is something that can make the difference between success or not and can make the choice between going on or giving up.

Difficult situations can happen to any of us but hope makes a difference to how we react to and deal with them.

Hope can be part of having a faith in a higher power and this does not have to be religious, though my personal belief in hope is very much rooted in my belief in God, the hope that comes from witnessing nature gives us a huge lift. The hope that tomorrow will be better gets many of us through tough times.

I have often had times in my life when I have felt unable to go on and many would not have done so, my life has been far from easy, but I ask myself surely it is better to go on because tomorrow may be better than to give up now. I have often had to pick up the pieces and aim to move forward in a positive direction.

Hope and faith are what keep me going …. I believe that things when they are bad can be better with hope and working at it.

Questions for self-reflection ~

1.    How can I have more hope today?

2.    How can I show others around me the benefits of staying positive and having hope?

3.    Who can I turn to in my family or social circle when things are not going well for me and I need support? Have I no matter how bad things are, maintained relationships with people so that I have them to turn to? Do they know that they can also turn to me and that no matter how bad things may be for me I can still give and take?

Valerie Hartland

Career resolutions

It will help if your career goals and plans are realistic to begin with, therefore try breaking them down into immediate, short and long term goals. Career goals may well be easy to express in a few words, get a job, but to do so is made more likely by good planning for your search, such as being sure that you have a good resume that shows you in the best light. Starting with steps such as identifying your skills, preparing your CV or resume and circulating it to job boards is a sound first step but expecting to go on holiday, or buy a home will be a goal too far too soon and will be a longer-term plan. Some time ago I attended a course for budding entrepreneurs, where we were being taught to make short, medium and long term goals for building a business, while we tend to want a quick fix.



Short-term objectives are points which will be accomplished within the next few days, weeks or even few months...like having a de-cluttering clear out, ready for spring cleaning. Such a plan is achieved bit by bit, e.g. one room at a time. Working through the stages step by step completes the goal.



If you are job searching, an example is to first identify your skills, list your experience and career history and qualifications, then make a generic CV and build up a set of job specific CV's for the roles you are going to apply for.

Do you need to update your skills? If so, it may well help you if you do some training and get a qualification. This begins with finding the courses of study you need. It is true that the past years have seen many financial cuts to adult education but there are excellent free online courses from reputable organisations and I would especially recommend in the UK, vision2learn .

Long-term goals typically require a variety of steps and do not happen overnight. An example was my spotting that I might use my experiences as an older and disabled person looking for a job to write and create an income. I won’t be a well-known writer and be rich overnight but it will grow, starting any business is never an overnight process.

Of course, you may have listed your resolutions and goals somewhere, even if just in your head, however career goals tend to be recorded more formally. This can be because you're a part of a government employment programme, such as being on Job Seekers Allowance in the UK, and must record your job search activities. Even if not officially required to keep a record of your job search activities, it is very helpful to do so.

Keep a record of your goals, and use the excellent and often fun on-line ideas to help you. Bucket lists are a popular idea over the past few years and have all kinds of ideas from small to very grand plans. Enter a Google search for free bucket list templates and ideas and enjoy making plans You can even make a career specific bucket list. Just Google Career bucket list for ideas to get going.

Of course, many people have no alternative other than for work related goals to take precedence over personal ones, getting a job is often a very urgent matter, but you will adapt as necessary, and don’t be too hard on yourself if something does not work out, keep your plans realistic and achievable. Goal setting involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-targeted (SMART) goals….and remember to celebrate your achievements !!

*** if you have a web site or blog, get it up and running, place content on it regularly and monetise it with e.g. affiliate programmes, i.e. merchandising supporting your niche...children, computers, weddings etc. etc. Most people looking for a job would benefit from having a website as a place to illustrate the skills and experience they have, a website shows ‘your brand’. It need not have any cost involved as a simple website and or blog, can be set up at no cost and certainly be adequate at least to start with. While demonstrating your ‘brand’, who you are and what you can do, you may even find that your website and/or blog leads to a new career perhaps as a writer, an affiliate marketer selling products and services online or selling your own goods and/or crafts.

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Not all of these are free but some of the sites have a free version e.g. Weebly

Valerie Hartland

New Year positive affirmations

1.) Being hopeful about the future is easy for me.

Wondering and dreaming about the future is something that most of us give at least some time to, sometimes with hope and optimism and sometimes with dread and apprehension. Tell yourself that when you think about your future you feel optimism

Regardless of the unexpected difficulties that can happen to us all, tell yourself it is easy for you to look ahead with optimism and relax. Know that you can survive what life throws at you and this confidence will be a wonderful feeling.

Being hopeful for the future is the best way to look forward and it is better to look ahead than to look back if your past has been difficult and painful. Being interested in your future makes you live life with more focus. Optimism drives people forward and helps to give us energy and good health. With good health is it is easier to survive any difficulties that do arise. Even in the dark times, you can be hopeful and positive about the outcome and that you can rise above difficulties.

Try to convince yourself that optimism comes naturally to you instead of it being that you must work at it.

Tell yourself that today you focus on being hopeful and positive about your future, you view the future and coming new year with optimism, excitement and curiosity.

Questions for self-reflection:

1.    Am I genuinely hopeful for the future?

2.    What can I do to increase my sense of hopefulness and optimism?

3.    in what ways, will I benefit from being more positive and optimistic?

Valerie Hartland

Escape the post-Christmas slump

Well, here it is again …That time of the year. It seems as if everyone is going to parties, visiting family and friends, maybe even going on holiday, shopping at the sales, and you have no job and no money. Try to find things to do, to give yourself a sense of achievement and to be in a good frame of mind for the start of the new year

Things on the job-hunting front may seem quiet, however, it is still good for a job seeker to be as active as during the rest of the year, indeed if you are claiming state benefits where you must submit evidence of your job search activity, then you have no choice.

Expect to have results, do not just think oh well its holiday time so I am not going to get a job now and may as well play around on Facebook. Take advantage of the fact that some businesses will be quiet, others will be looking for staff for the new year.

Benefit from the opportunities to lift your spirits …of course with no money it is easy to become cynical and stressed out, but even so there are ways to have your spirits lifted that are even free …play some online music, if you are reading my blog then it is quite likely that you do have internet access. Read some old favorite books, many of these such as the classics are available free online.

Certainly, you may have little or no money but never forget that many of the best gifts that can be enjoyed and shared come free. You feel self-conscious being unable to buy gifts but not all gifts need to be bought, offer to baby sit some children in the family or friend’s children while their parents get to go out and enjoy watching cartoons, or making things. Visit and spend time with an elderly relative and take your cell phone or tablet with you to share some downloaded old favorite songs or movies that you can enjoy together, it’s a feel-good experience for everyone. Google Random acts of kindness and be reminded how many things can be freely given. Doing something for others helps boost your own morale and when you feel good and positive, you feel more positive about identifying your skills and talents and about writing your resume or CV and job hunting. If you are invited to family occasions and to parties …do go, …be pleasant, be helpful, take a little something with you if you can, even if it is just a simple box of chocolates or flowers or a plant, and talk to people that you meet. Do not be a job seeking bore, unable to talk about anything except being unemployed, it is holiday time, but if you get the opportunity to mention your skills and that you are looking for a job, then do so ……

Do some voluntary work or make plans to do so in the New Year , there are many organisations needing help , do something to help those with even less than you have and not only will you remember how fortunate you are, but it may even lead to a job .

Be positive about your prospects for the new year ...these ideas and others that may come to you will help you be more cheerful even if money is very tight and right now you do not see much of a change coming in your circumstances ...be positive and optimistic, find ways to enjoy the new year festivities and have a head start on a positive new year …

Valerie Hartland