Dear Mardie,
I honestly never thought I would go through another Christmas without a child to share it with. We started the Adoption For Life program a year ago, and I was sure we would have adopted by now. But it hasn’t happened. What can I do to ensure that a year from now, I am a mother?
Goals are wonderful. They give us motivation and, with proper planning, can help us identify the steps needed to reach our goals. As the New Year approaches, this is an excellent time to see where you are at, and what steps you need to take to ensure that you have done everything you can to make your adoption goal a reality in the year to come. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
Have I done everything I need to do to be ready to adopt?
This includes being home study ready, having a solid website or Facebook page, networking, advertising, clear preferences, and more. If you can safely answer yes, then you are indeed where you need to be.
What do I need in order to achieve my goal?
If you are prepared in every other way, you probably need to increase your advertising and/or networking exposure. Take a look at what you are doing and what is working and what isn’t working. Talk to your coordinator if you need additional assistance. The most important thing families are doing today is a dedicated Facebook page and targeted Facebook ads.
Are you stuck?
Sometimes, we want to move forward toward our goal but it seems so big, we just feel stuck – like there is simply too much to do. Break your goal down into steps, and do one step a day. For instance, if you need to advertise, but you haven’t done anything toward that goal yet, start with small steps. The first step would be to build a Facebook page, next would be to take photos, then add a video, schedule some posts, decide where you want ads to post, and so it goes. One step at a time.
Ask for help!
If you are still overwhelmed or don’t know where to go, speak to your coordinator today. Don’t put it off! Attend the webinars too. All the tools are here for you, just grab hold and take the next step. Day by day, step by step, you will achieve your goal as thousands of families have before you.
