Grandiose New Year’s Resolutions never seem to work. Trying to completely change your lifestyle essentially sets you up for disappointment in yourself and ultimately, failure. We tend to be so hard on ourselves for not following through with our resolutions, but we don’t stop to think that the resolutions were unrealistic from the start.
Making small changes or steps forward which target specific aspects of your life is your best bet at creating a lasting and positive change in your life. You need achievable and practical goals.
Below is a list of several small changes I compiled that I think would be great areas in your life to target in the upcoming New Year. 2020, we’re coming for you!
- Less screen time more, more face time. Be present in your life. Put your phone down when you’re with family and friends. Limit your engagement on social media. And when you need to use your phone, do so in a proactive positive way. Make phone calls. Call your family members you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Reach out to old friends. If you need to use your phone, don’t mindlessly scroll through the curated feeds that make your life seem pale in comparison to. Because not everything is what it appears to be. Trust me.
- Drink more water. I personally need to do better with this. Drinking water is essential to our health. Not only does it help maintain body functions, it helps keep our energy levels up as well as ensures our brain is functioning at it’s peak ability. If you want to ensure you have a healthy mind and body, be aware of how well you’re taking care of it.
- Listen to your feelings, but push yourself. Nowadays, so many memes that seem to be relatable revolve around the practice of being antisocial. For example, I cannot tell you how many countless memes I saw post-holiday season that discussed how everyone needed to be alone for the next three months due to the amount of socializing they had to participate in. While you do need the opportunity to recharge, especially if you have draining family members and friends, try not to just bail on the previous plans you made. Push yourself to go to those plans instead of always taking the easy way out and cancelling or replanning them for a future date. Hold yourself accountable.
- Engage in more self love habits. Take care of yourself- mentally, physically and spiritually. Whether that means making an appointment with a therapist, starting a gym membership or even implementing a new skincare regimen, choose to start. No matter how little or how big the change, invest in yourself. Because you matter.
- Foster a hobby. Find something enjoyable in life. So often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, trying to make everyone in our lives happy, and we forget to focus on ourselves. A big part of enjoying life is to do things that are in fact enjoyable. That means picking up a new hobby that you can focus on, that brings you joy, and that is an outlet. It could be joining a yoga studio, picking up an instrument, or learning a new language. Whatever it is, you will learn and grow as a person because of it.
- Grow your network. Always be open to meeting new people. This does not specifically need to be focused on your career, it could also be your personal network of friends. Throw that old saying “no new friends” out the window. Not only is ridiculous, but it just stunts your growth. Be open to meeting new people and receptive to building new friendships regardless of your age. New friendships can bring a new energy to your soul.
- Be open to change. One thing that never ceases is change. Be open to it and accepting of it. Don’t be hard on yourself for being a different person than you once were. That is normal. That is what is expected. If you aren’t changing, you aren’t growing. So accept the change and welcome it into your life wholeheartedly.
Remember, small changes, big impact. 2020, we’re coming for you!
