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Resolutions of Purpose

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Resolutions of Purpose

Samantha Drury | Chief Executive Officer, St Bart's

Did you make any New Year resolutions for 2022?
A fresh year often brings with it a sense of renewal and an opportunity to take stock of what is and what isn’t working in our lives. Whether it is to eat healthier, take up a new hobby, exercise more, or connect in a more meaningful way with family or friends, there is always a sense of hope that in the coming year we will reap the benefits of self-reflection and improvement.

And yet, as we enter our third year living alongside COVID-19, it would be reasonable to throw the concept of New Year resolutions out the window as we scramble to make sense of the daily influx of information that is presented to us. In between the pro-vax and anti-vax supporters, conspiracy theories and the nightly news channel, it can be difficult to keep a level head. But it is now more important than ever to stay focused on our priorities and set ourselves realistic goals.

Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl (1905-97), devoted his life to studying, understanding and promoting ‘meaning’ after finding the will to live through and survive the Holocaust. He later went on to found what he called the field of ‘Logotherapy’, which is based on the premise that man’s underlying motivator in life is a ‘will to meaning’. From his personal experience living in a Nazi concentration camp, Frankl found that those around him who did not lose their sense of purpose and meaning in life were able to survive much longer than those who had lost their way.

We have seen evidence of the same philosophy here at St Bart’s with residents who are able to find purpose in their daily activities. From the young man at one of our Community Recovery Villages who has stumbled upon a new-found passion for cooking and tending to his vegetable garden, to the number of resident volunteers who dedicate their time to cook BBQ lunches for other residents, tidy up our gardens, and speak openly with school groups about their experiences of homelessness and mental health challenges. All of these St Bart’s residents have found meaning, which allows them to continue to put one foot in front of the other in their recovery journeys.

It’s never too late to make a personal resolution for positive change.

For more information on St Bart’s services, please visit stbarts.org.au or get in touch with us by calling 9323 5100.


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