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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 2021)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | DECEMBER 30, 2021 | 9A Self-improvement strategies to make resolutions a reality Self-improvement is at the heart of the majority of New Year’s resolutions. Individ- uals resolving to read more or live a more active lifestyle or travel are all attempting better themselves. Resolutions can be hard to keep, as the hectic pace of daily life can make it hard to find time for new activities. Individuals who want to see their resolutions through to the end can try utilizing various self-im- provement strategies to help them achieve their goals. • Share your goals with others whom you respect. Resolutions may involve in- tensely personal goals, but sharing those goals with people you respect can have a profound effect on your ability to achieve them. A recent study from researchers at The Ohio State University examined the effects of sharing target goals with others. In the study, which was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, 171 under- graduates were asked to move a slider on a computer to the number 50 as many times as they could within a given time frame. After doing this, they were asked to do it again but this time they were asked to set a specific goal regarding how many times they could do it within the allotted time. Someone identified as a “lab assistant” then went to check on their goals, but the assis- tants were presented differently to different groups, and one group was not checked on at all. One assistant was well-dressed and introduced as a doctoral student, while the other was casually dressed and identified as a community college student. Researchers found that those who shared their goals with the doctoral level assistant reported feeling more committed to their goal and in fact performed better than participants in the other groups. Researchers concluded that individuals who share their goals with people they respect are more likely to com- mit to those goals than people who keep their goals to themselves. • Start small, but don’t stay small. Setting small goals may not make individuals feel like they’re en route to the dramatic chang- es they feel they need. However, research indicates that incremental goals can pro- vide the early motivation people need to achieve larger goals. However, researchers at Peking University in China discovered that, while incremental goals helped peo- ple make more early progress, that progress waned if they did not eventually transition to their larger goals. Individuals can use their early successes to instill the confi- dence that makes them believe they can achieve their larger goals. • Change your perception of setbacks. Many a New Year’s resolution has fallen by the wayside due to setbacks. For example, someone who aspires to lose 20 lbs. may be trying to lose one pound per week for 20 weeks running. If an individual fails to lose that pound in a given week or even gains weight, that setback may compel that per- son to abandon the larger goal. But instead of seeing and even accepting that setback as a sign of failure, individuals should see it was a learning experience that can ulti- mately help them achieve their larger goal. In the weight loss scenario, individuals who fail to lose a pound in a given week can examine their habits over the previ- ous seven days. Identifying why an incremental goal was not achieved can reassure in- dividuals that they will know how to avoid those same pit- falls in the future. Self-improvement strategies can help individuals making New Year’s resolutions see those resolutions through to their suc- cessful conclusion. Hats Off to This Community Year of the tiger The lunar new year is celebrated in many cultures, but perhaps no celebration garners as much attention as Chi- na’s. The fanfare begins each year around the beginning of February. The Chinese New Year is marked by 12 zodiac symbols, which are rotated on a 12-year cycle. 2022 is The Year of the Tiger, a zodiac sign last celebrat- ed in 2010. The tiger holds the third sign of the Chinese zodiac, based on the tenacity he showed in crossing the perilous river during the Chinese Zodiac Race. The Jade Emperor didn’t know which big cat to include in the race, with the mighty lion garnering consideration. However, the lion’s raging temper repelled the Emperor, so the tiger was chosen instead. The tiger has been a prominent symbol in Chinese cul- ture. It is known as the king of all beasts, and is a symbol of strength, bravery and exorcising evils. People born during a Tiger year may live to seek adventure and have an insatia- ble thirst for knowledge. They also may be a little reckless and restless. Tigers have big energies and are fiercely in- dependent, according to Chi- nese astrologer Tiffany Lin. Enterprising and risk-takers, Tigers may be natural born entrepreneurs. The Year of the Tiger is cause for celebration, and this year’s festivities begin on February 1. • Family Atmosphere • Large Seating • To-Go Orders • Great Pizza 1745 E. Main St. • CG • 541-942-5531 Wishing you a safe and happy New Year Our good friends and customers! Best wishes, and many thanks for your support. W o r l d H e a d q u a r t e r s 1551 E. Main St • CG • 942-2926 Thanks for being there for us, and for one other, all year long. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2022! 200 Gateway Blvd | Cottage Grove 541-942-5400 | www.groceryoutlet.com Friendship Is Timeless …and it’s time to thank you for yours! Happy New Year and hearty thanks to all the kind folks who have contributed to our success here in the community. Your support means a lot to us. Cheers! You inspire us to deliver the most reliable, sustainable power possible. Every solution we create is to power you, your family and community. Visit PoweringGreatness.com. Coast Fork Nursing Center 515 Grant Avenue Cottage Grove 541-942-5528 www.prestigecare.com