The year 2020 gave us numerous reasons to push off our New Year’s resolutions. It started with the fires in Australia, then came the novel Coronavirus. COVID-19 put a halt on life as we knew it and put a strain on communities across the world. In particular, families struggling with DIPG have been negatively impacted, since hospitals have become a dangerous place with the virus lurking in the air. These children who are spending time in the hospital get limited time with their families, while also having a limited time to live.
We would like to encourage you to take some time to keep these families in your thoughts and prayers while reflecting on your New Year’s resolutions. Even though the pandemic is still in effect, we are seeing our life in a new light and will no longer take the little things, like going to grandma’s or gathering with friends, for granted.
Here are 5 New Year’s resolutions that you can keep for more than one week.
- Keep a jar in the kitchen to put spare change in.
At the end of each month count up the change and see how much you collected. You can then decide as a family where it goes and whether to donate it to foundations, such as The Cristian Rivera Foundation, or use it as a rainy day fund. Another option is to use it as savings for that beach trip your family has been wanting to go on!
- Create a list of different skills you want to learn.
During 2020, it became evident that we need hobbies to keep us occupied when we have down time. Generate a list of 12 skills or hobbies you are interested in and tackle one each month! This will give you a variety of options to fill your free time with.
- Plan a family activity for each week or month.
This could be family dinner every Sunday or visiting family that lives nearby. This year we learned to hold family and friends close to our heart because we really could lose them at any time. It was a reality check that everyone needed and in 2021 we need to make sure family is a priority.
- Have a positive outlook on life.
Rather than focusing on all the negatives, focus on the positives. Get a journal and each week write 3-5 things you are grateful for. You can also talk about positive experiences you had that week along with positive things you see in your future. Be optimistic, everything happens for a reason.
- Volunteer and/or give back to your community.
Each month set a day for your family to volunteer at a local non-profit. More people are in need now than ever before. Volunteering is a great way to show others you care and allows children to get involved at a young age. If you don’t have enough time to volunteer, donate each month instead!
The year 2021 will be the fresh start everyone needs. We encourage you to keep these resolutions in mind because they can benefit you, the people around you, and your community. When it comes to DIPG and our foundation, we want you to become more involved, whether it’s volunteering or donating – we appreciate it all! We are grateful for your love and support and cannot wait to see what 2021 has in store. We want you to charge “Full Steam Ahead” this year!
By: Rhea Maladkar
