New Year’s resolutions are a time for reflection—a chance ‘to think about the limited time we have on this Earth and how to use it wisely’.

To start the year, we asked a cross section of our executive team to tell us what they wished for in 2023.

Most preferred to keep it simple, starting with Don Campbell, Clinical Service Director, Staying Well Program, Medical Division Director, Hospital Without Walls. He said his resolution for the new year was to ‘Get back to basics. Be thankful for each day, every day. Smell the roses and leave the roundup in the container!”

His ‘buzzword’ for 2023 would be ‘focus’. As in “focus on a small number of projects and see them through”. He would like to spend the first forty-five minutes each day, “focusing on a long – term issue before I open my emails.”

Wanda Stelmach, Chief Medical Officer, intends to keep her focus on the patient, saying, “My New Year’s resolution is to champion the idea of the patient in the centre of all our endeavours in 2023.”

Simplifying matters, was also a priority for Debra Bourne, our Chief Operations Officer. Her resolutions for 2023 are grounded in the practical:

1. keep my inbox under control and never receive a ‘your mailbox is too full’ message.
2. don’t press the ‘snooze’ button in the morning
3. tidy my desk every night
4. commit to doing the back exercises my Physio prescribed, every day
5. And at every opportunity reduce my carbon footprint

Jason Cirone, Chief Allied Health Officer says a major priority for 2023 for him will be the staff. He believes that “while we will set some important service goals for the new year, they will only be achieved through a healthy, well and engaged workforce, and this is where we will focus our attention and support”.

Pina Di Donato, Executive Director, Public Affairs and Foundation reflecting on 2023 says, “I am reminded of a quote by Anais Nin…. ‘Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one’s courage’.

Her advice “to myself, my team and others is to be brave, back yourself, believe in your ability to affect change and most of all, go out there and make your life as big as you can.’

Being kind, ranks high in the wish list of Belinda Scott – Executive Director, Mental Health.

She says, “My New Year’s resolution is to show kindness to others and to be kind to myself, to feel and breathe, connect with others and find things that bring you joy each day. ”

“My wish for the new year is to continue to make a difference in the lives of the consumers we work with and each other.” she adds.

Anthony Gust, Executive Director, Digital Health, predicts 2023, “will be the year of together.  Together we will continue to look after patients but also each other.”

He says, “For me 2023 is about all staff caring for each other and having peace of mind that they have done their best not only over 2023 but the last three years.”

So as we join them in making plans for the new year, here’s wishing that this will be a year when we will be kind to each other.  Here’s wishing 2023 is the Year of Together.