Set aside  15 – 30 minutes to reconnect with the lessons you learned through the Independence program. You may wish to record these somewhere so you can refer back to them again. You will also have an opportunity to share your reflections and/or goals with your group later in the session.

Here are some things to consider:

• What have I learned about myself – my private motivations, my values and my aspirations – and how they affect my financial behaviour?
• How did I feel when I started this journey – about myself, my choices, my future?
• How do I feel now about these?
• What was the most important thing I learned during the program? Why was it so important? How will it change my life?
• What changes have I made already? How am I going with those? Can I see any results yet?
• What other changes am I planning to make as a result of what I’ve learned?

Set aside some time to set some goals.

Writing down your goals and setting yourself a timeframe for checking your progress gives you far greater chance of achieving them.

Use a journal or an app to record:

• Goals
• What I will do
• Timeframe/By what date

Tips for effective goal setting:

• Be realistic and specific

Take time to think carefully about your goals. Weigh up whether the goals and timeframes you set yourself are achievable and think about how you might deal with unexpected setbacks.

• Use positive language

Use language that is optimistic, encourages perseverance and values effort. Define your goals in terms of what you will do not what you won’t do. Changing your language will help to change the way you think.

• Surround yourself with people who persevere and support you

Surrounding yourself with people who share your values and show perseverance in accomplishing their goals will strengthen your positive mindset and encourage you to persevere too. You might choose to share some of your goals with a trusted friend who will support you. This is another strategy that can increase your chances of success but beware of sharing too widely as this can have the opposite effect, and undermine your efforts.

•  Be a flexible thinker

Keep your thinking flexible and be ready to adapt. See challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

• Set manageable goals

Set small goals and break big goals into smaller chunks. Celebrate your accomplishments along the way and this will motivate you to keep going.

• Take time for reflection

Reflect on your achievements, no matter how incremental, and think about how you want to continue. When you think back on your choices, do it in a non-judgmental way. If you have not met your goals today, don’t be unkind to yourself, but think about what you will do differently tomorrow.

Get together with your peer group to share your experience with each other. Share your learning, how your ideas have changed and grown, your hopes for the future. You can keep this discussion as general and light or in-depth as you like, depending on the level of comfort and relationships in your peer group. You may want to share some of your goals with each other and set a time to check back in and share your progress.

Design a celebration activity for the peer group to acknowledge the work you’ve done together and individually through the Independence program. Use what you learned in Budgeting to cost the event, or give it extra purpose by making it a fundraiser.