The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ja nu ar y 10 ,2 01 9 | 10 It's 10 days into the new year ... how are those reso- lutions going? A common companion of each Jan. 1 is the notion that we need to set some big and lofty goal to achieve during the Earth's next trip around the sun. It can be a chance to make some positive steps and perhaps try something new, but it can also be a trap for pressure and frustration if we choose resolutions that aren't the best for us. So what can you do to help make your resolu- tions more motivating than disappointing? • Challenge yourself to come up with reasons why you want to achieve this goal. And not just one or two ... try for five to ten. The more easily you can do this, the more likely the goal is a meaningful one that you have a good chance of achieving. • Be specific. State ex- actly what it is that you want to achieve. For ex- ample, "Be healthier" is pretty vague, so how will you know if you've achieved it? Try some- thing more specific like "Go for a 30-minute walk four times a week." • Be realistic. Chal- lenge yourself, but ensure that you aren't setting yourself up for stress and guilt. "Learn Russian in one month" sounds amaz- ing, but it's not likely to happen. How about some- thing like "learn five new Russian words a day?" It's much more manageable, and achieving that will motivate you to keep do- ing it. • Set a timeline. Break your goal down into smaller steps and decide when you would like to achieve them. Want to de- clutter your home? How about tackling a closet one weekend per month? That can feel less daunt- ing than focusing on the whole job at once. • Think of your goal as a work in progress. Take some time to check in on how you're doing and rejig as needed. Don't beat yourself up and give up. Accept that at least right now, the original goal isn't working and you need to either change the goal or change your plan to achieve it. Have goals related to mental health and well- ness? Check out the Cana- dian Mental Health Asso- ciation (CMHA) Halton website at www.hal- ton.cmha.ca to see how we can help. Melanie McGregor is the communications and advancement specialist at the Canadian Mental Health Association Hal- ton Region branch, which provides mental health/ addictions community support and education. Visit www.halton.cm- ha.ca for more informa- tion and follow @cmha- halton on Twitter. OPINION RESOLVE TO STICK TO YOUR GOALS IN 2019 HERE'S SOME TIPS TO HELP WITH THOSE RESOLUTIONS, WRITES MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column We dig deeper on the issues that matter to you. VISIT THEIFP.CA TO READ CURRENT AND PAST INVESTIGATIONS OPTICAL www.familyoptical.ca GEORGETOWN Marketplace Mall • 905-873-3050 In Store Eye Exams. Call 905-873-0367 BOLTON McDonald's Plaza • 905-857-5556 In Store Eye Exams. Call 905-857-7830 Notice of Public Meeting haltonhills.ca 5 Council to make decision regarding Retail Cannabis Stores Halton Hills Town Council will decide whether or not to allow cannabis retail stores in Halton Hills at its meeting on Monday, January 21 in Council Chambers, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills. Results of public input will be shared including data from the online survey launched in December. Survey available at: letstalkhaltonhills.ca Input on retail cannabis stores can also be provided via ballot boxes located at: Town Hall, Halton Hills public library branches and Gellert Community Centre. Information about cannabis can be found on the Town's website at: haltonhills.ca/cannabis. 221 Miller Dr., Georgetown 905-873-6776 www.GenesisHealthTeam.com WALK-IN & FAMILY CLINICFAMILY CLINIC Walk-in and Appointment Call for details Platinum 2018 Halton Hills Miller Dr. M ou nt ai nv ie w Rd .S 8t h Li ne M ai n St 15 Sd. Rd. Eaton St. 10 Side Rd Opposite to Allison's Farm Market