12 New Years Resolutions That You’ll 100% Be Able To Stick Out Past January
January is just around the corner, which means it’s almost an entirely new year. The new year is an exciting time. It’s an opportunity for many people to make new changes and resolutions. Although the new year can also be daunting. It’s easy to set unrealistic resolutions that are hard to commit to. If you find yourself making unachievable goals every year and want to change that this list is for you. Below are 12 new years resolutions that won’t just help you change for the better, they’ll actually easy enough to last beyond the month of January.
1. Drink More Water
This seems like one of those no brainer new years resolutions but you’d be surprised how many people don’t do it. On average would should drink around half-a gallon of water a day. That seems like a lot and it can be at the beginning but over time drinking that much water will become second nature. Invest in a quality, reusable water bottle and be sure to take it with you nearly everywhere. If plain water still isn’t attractive try infusing it with fruit to change the flavor up.
2. Make To-Do Lists
For a lot of people their new years resolutions include getting organized. While that is the goal it isn’t always easy. Rather than go out and buy yet another planner that is destined to collect dust try making to-do lists. They’re simple, short, and easy to make. You’ll have a better idea of what you’re actually capable of achieving every day and what you can’t. Or you might surprise yourself and see that you have more free time now that you’ve put down exactly what needs to get done rather than have to run lists in your head over and over again.
3. Workout More
You don’t need to run out and buy a gym membership or an expensive yoga class pass to get more fit. Thanks to technology many trainers have turned to the web to get their skills out there. There are plenty of online videos to help start working out at home. If working still is one of those new years resolutions that you struggle to keep and you’ve already tried at home workouts consider taking even smaller steps. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Park a little further away when going to a store. Even doing small stretches in the morning can make a world of difference. Gradually the idea of working out won’t seem so daunting.
4. Wear What You Own
It might feel that with along new years resolutions you’ll need a new wardrobe but that isn’t true. There’s nothing wrong with shopping or treating yourself to items you really want. The only problem is when you start buying things you basically already own. If you go to buy a pair of black booties and you already own five you might need to rethink that purchase. Try turning the hangers on your clothes facing you. Whenever you wear something turn it towards you. After a month or few weeks see which clothes haven’t moved and consider getting rid of them. That way you keep what you actually wear and you’ll leave room for possible new purchases.
5. Turn Off Technology
Technology isn’t evil and it isn’t ruining our minds, but it can disrupt our lives sometimes. It’s easy to constantly be glued to the screen. For some people their job requires them to exclusively deal with technology. After a while sitting still and staring at a screen without moving can become a struggle. You don’t necessarily need to unplug for hours or any other ridiculous tech new years resolutions but it can be beneficial to stop using technology for a bit every day especially right before bed time.
6. Read
There’s something about actually reading a book that can be incredibly enjoyable. It can be a great escape from the rush of everyday life. Reading also helps relax your mind and gives you a chance to get away from a screen. On the other hand modern technology is beneficial when it comes to literature because nearly any book you could think of is a click away even. You could easily invest in a tablet and read books digitally. If you’re not much for actually sitting down and reading consider looking into audio books, some are even done by famous actors.
7. Keep Up With Current Events
This might seem dull but everyone should keep up with current events. You don’t have to know every headline in the country but it’s not difficult to keep up with the major topics. Keeping up with current events can help you form political opinions so that way when it comes time to vote you’re prepared. They can also prepare you for possible things you need to avoid or look out for. If there’s a rise in crime in your area being aware of that can keep you safe.
8. Maintain A Skincare Routine
This doesn’t mean you have to throw yourself into a 14-step Korean skincare routine. This resolution is all about finding a skincare routine that works for you. It’s easy to put maintaining a good routine aside when life gets busy, but it’s important. For some it might be helpful to create a slight rigorous routine, adding beyond just a simple face wash. Others it might be a challenge to simply wash your face every night, which needs to happen. Set aside a few minutes before bed every day to clean and hydrate your face. A big thing about skincare is it’s all about preventative rather than changing what’s already there. Your older self will thank you for taking your makeup off and putting some moisturizer on before bed.
9. Check In With Yourself
New years resolutions can seem all about changing yourself but that isn’t always the case. This resolution is all about maintaining the person you already are. It’s easy to push mental health to the back burner but the results tend to be disastrous. Try and take a moment every day to check in with yourself and see how you’re doing. This could be done through journaling. You could always talk things out with someone or even talk it out with yourself. If you aren’t much a writer you could use a mood tracker. Color in each day to reflect how you feel so that way you can look back at and see how you’ve been doing and if things need to change.
10. Cut Down On Waste
It can be difficult and expensive to go completely waste free. In an ideal world living waste free would be accessible to everyone, but just because you can’t be completely green doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to cut down on waste. Rather than getting your coffee in a disposable cup every day consider investing into an reusable cup. Instead of constantly getting take out of work, which usually comes in styrofoam containers, try bringing your lunch in something cute like a bento box. Also try being mindful about where you’re buying your everyday items and what you can potentially live without. Fast fashion is hard to avoid but in the end it might be better saving up for an ethically sourced dress than one that’s cheap and has a short shelf life. Or better look into local thrift shops. More and more stores that carry trendier, high end second-hand clothing are becoming popular everywhere.
11. Build Your Savings
Building your savings as young as you can is crucial. Not just for a cushier retirement but in case there is ever an emergency that would require a lot of money. Saving money can be difficult though. Some people live paycheck to paycheck. That can be incredibly difficult but if you’re able to spare even $20 a month that will help in the long run. It might seem small but overtime that money will add up and hopefully it will become easier to put away more money. On the other hand some people spend money as long as it’s available. If that’s the case for you consider how you have your paycheck deposited. If your job does it automatically talk with your bank about having a certain amount of money pulled from every paycheck and immediately store it in your savings. That way you’ll never miss the money because you never saw it in the first place.
12. Relax More
This can honestly be one of the more difficult to maintain new years resolutions. Forcing yourself to relax can lead to be even more stressed. It might seem strange or even trivial to make yourself relax more but it is important. It’s easy to get burned out in school and in careers, which results in nothing but bad times. Relaxing doesn’t mean taking a bubble bath and doing face masks every night. Relax in whatever way works for you. For some it can be watching a few YouTube videos, for other it could be taking a walk after dinner. Taking a break from working all the time will actually help you be more productive in the end anyway.
