What are your expectations in New Year?

The relationship between expectations and resolutions is that our dreams and hopes are driven by impulse. We have new resolutions, expectations and responsibilities coming up this year and these could be, to start on construction, spend less and save more, expecting another baby, making a family, to mention but a few.
Expectation is a strong feeling that something will happen. Many of us had set goals in 2017. Now that we have crossed over to 2018, if we review and evaluate our performance, where are we? Some of us achieved our goals and some did half way but some abandoned their goals in the month of February or March.
The challenge of keeping New Year resolutions might be due to following reasons:

Unrealistic goals
We set too many unrealistic goals at the same time aiming for a quick change. Before setting goals, one should know how much is needed and the income projected. Otherwise without a clear plan, it is close to impossible to meet the set goals.
We fail to write down our expectations. This seems simple but very key. Writing down our resolutions is like a commitment to fulfilling them. It gives us a more clear direction and the zeal to work towards what we need and expect.
The resolutions are not well-defined: We do not know how and when to achieve what we resolve to do at the end of time, simply because our goals are not specific and measurable to be attained.

Value of resolutions
Some resolutions we make are not truly important to us. For example, one can resolve to lose weight in 2018 to receive care and love from a spouse. It is the same way we make money resolutions when we allow our happiness to be contingent upon others, which can set our lives up for resentment.

Experiences, backgrounds
Our expectations are shaped on the experiences and backgrounds. Difficult experiences may create negative expectations of how life will be because of the challenges we faced. On the other hand, while growing up, we lived in a more desirable and privileged lifestyle which may lead us to expect that things will always come to us easily. Nevertheless, we need to control our thinking and live life to the fullest by focusing on our actions, emotions and thoughts.

However, it is normal if we have not met some of the expectations because of factors around us beyond our control which makes us think that life is unfair, breaking the rest of our energy to do what matters to us.
In conclusion, there is great value of setting goals because they create a destination for our life and a direction for our daily choices.
Therefore, we need to be aware of our expectations. This requires that we be mindful of ourselves, our abilities and the environment we operate in so that we develop productive plans and goals.

Quote: “Every day is a new beginning, Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be” Marsha Petrie Sue.

Ms Annet Katusiime Muhumuza is a financial literacy trainer and consultant at Be Money Wiser co. Ltd.