We’ve passed the mid-point of the year, and I was wondering how many New Year’s Resolutions have been kept. Have many of us made the changes we felt we needed to make and have seen a difference? Phillipa Lally at University College London found that, on average, it takes 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic, but with more complex habits, like exercising regularly it may take up to 254 days. Making personal changes can be difficult and we need to keep motivated, remembering why we wanted things to be different and noticing the improvements that small steps make. On a wider level we know that change can often be for the better but every day we are faced with a range of changes that we have no control over that affect us. It could be the weather, the exchange rate (if we’re going on holiday), someone else’s opinion of us, or even football results…
Most recently there was a change brought about by those who voted, (60% of those who were eligible voted, a change from 67.3% in 2019) resulting in a new political party being in charge of running the country. So, what do we expect from this change? We all have reasons why we voted the way we did, and there will be changes we want to be made. At A Way Out we had a clear election manifesto for all political candidates outlining the changes we wanted all political parties to sign up to. Where we need to see change happening includes a commitment and sustainable funding and resources to address male violence against women and girls, health and justice for women and girls in the criminal justice system, a statutory definition that recognises adult sexual exploitation, and a strategy to address male violence against women and girls that educates and involves men and boys as part of the solution. We remain committed to supporting the women and girls we work with now and those we will in the future, after all ‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world’.
Sue, Head of Service
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