With the dawn of the new year just behind us, some of your resolutions may have already fallen a bit flat. Resolutions, while made with the best intentions, often don’t hold up past the first few weeks of the new year. Forming new habits is truly difficult to do. Even if you are feeling a bit discouraged, there is still plenty of time to make 2020 the year you start eating healthier, take a dream vacation, or finally redecorate your living room.
Accomplishing anything you set out to do requires setting goals, creating habits, and forgiving yourself when facing setbacks. If you don’t know what changes you want to make, here are some good goals to work towards this year.
Get Out More
While your mind may instantly turn to hiking in the woods, getting out more does not necessarily mean going outside; although a bit of nature and sun-derived vitamin D will certainly do you some good. Instead, it means to go do things that you would not normally do. Break out of your comfort zone to find out more about yourself. Think of it as a bit like dating yourself. How else would you know that you might love kickboxing, Thai food, or anything else if you never went out and tried it?
Take Pictures
What better way to document all of the happy moments in your life? Taking pictures at events and gatherings allows you to occasionally look back and reflect on all of the great things you’ve done over the years. This is especially important for times when you are feeling underwhelmed with life and need a reminder that you have collected many treasured memories with people that matter to you.
Walk More
Simply walking may not make your waistline shrink as much as you would like, but it does provide benefits to your health. Some easy ways to get in extra steps include practices such as (safely) parking farther away from stores, taking a brief walk on your lunch hour, and walking during personal phone conversations.
Disconnect to Connect
With the rise of mobile technology, it is easy to feel more connected than ever before. However, there have been many that argue that all of this “connectedness” leads to major disconnects with our real friends and loved ones. Take time away from the screen to enjoy in-person interactions. Connecting with people over the dining room table or a simple conversation will not only be better for your eyes but will also nurture your existing relationships and allow you to cultivate stronger bonds than digital interactions can. Having strong personal relationships has been shown to increase both happiness levels and overall satisfaction with life.
Get Organized
Clutter has often been touted as a sign of creativity. While this may be true, a great deal of time is wasted by regularly having to search for things. Donate, recycle, or trash things that you don’t need. Regardless of whether your style incorporates organized chaos, or having a specific place for every item in your home, the right mix of functional storage pieces can help you breathe easy.
Save Money
We all know that we should be saving money. However, the truth is that most of us, for one reason or another, rarely actually do. If putting money away for a rainy day seems daunting, try starting simply. For the first month, save $10.00. The next month, save $20.00. Each month increase the amount you save by the initial amount you started with. In this example, you will have saved $780 by the end of the year. While this may not seem like a huge amount, it is more than what you would have if you hadn’t saved anything at all. While putting money away in the bank, be sure to take advantage of sales on needed or wish list items to save money on the things you buy.
By setting manageable objectives, you can take the first steps to making 2020 your year. If you experience setbacks, simply forgive yourself and get back on track. Remember that each step forward brings you towards your goals.
