My approach to almost any New Year resolution ideas I’ve ever gotten could be summarised in the quote by Ellen DeGeneres: “My New Year’s resolution is to stop procrastinating. I’m not going to start until next week, though.”
Yep! I am bad at those because committing to something for the next 12 months, 52 weeks, and 365 days sounds more like a sentence than an exciting journey, mainly because my commitment issues cannot handle such a long period of time.
But I love the idea of making New Year’s resolutions. I think the issue isn’t that I’m committing to something; it’s that I am afraid I will fail, and fear of failure is often my biggest enemy.
Yet, rambling gets me nowhere, so I’ve decided to create a list of possible New Year resolution ideas that are more aligned with the following few things:
- They are already things I am actively trying to implement into my life or am in the process of implementing. I wish nothing new; I am tired of exploring new stuff and areas, and I feel no curiosity in doing something new when I have a pile of unimplemented habits and unfinished projects.
- They are simple, applicable, and do not require a change of identity or cause imposter syndrome. We live in a world of influencers, and I am no stranger to getting obsessed with how someone else lives their life and wanting to have it, too.
- The resolutions inspire me, and I know precisely Why I want them in my life. I also understand what I lose if I do not do my best to implement them.
- I will also include resolutions that ask me to STOP doing something. I think it is important to declutter our lives regularly from unwanted relationships, habits, routines, and items.
So I came up with my own list of New Year’s resolutions, but throughout that process, I also came up with a bunch of more (way more) ideas than I should have and got inspired to share them with you.
I hope the list below inspires you. You can do with those ideas whatever you wish – ignore them, change them, copy them, modify them to fit your requirements.
Ideas for New Year’s Resolutions to Have
Personal Development and Learning
1. Learn to cook a new dish every month.
2. Read one educational article a day.
3. Practise a new language for 10 minutes a day.
4. Dedicate 15 minutes a day to creative writing.
5. Pick up a new hobby like painting or gardening. I have a list of 30 winter hobbies here to get inspired.
Health and Wellness
1. Drink herbal tea instead of coffee once a day.
2. Take a 30-minute walk every morning/evening.
3. Practice yoga or stretching for 10 minutes every morning.
4. Incorporate a new vegetable into your diet weekly.
5. Get a full health check-up once a year (you know you have to, but you most likely skip it like many of us)
Social and Relationships
1. Call a friend or a family member weekly.
2. Compliment someone every day. It could be a stranger on social media, someone at work, or your partner, parent, friend, sibling, and so on.
3. Attend a social event once a month (that’s something especially important for the introverts)
4. Send 12 handwritten letters or cards to someone (one card or letter every month sounds easy and achievable).
5. Create one new social relationship (meet a new person and interact with them closely) every month. You don’t have to create a new friendship; just making small talk and exchanging details is enough.
Financial Goals
1. Track your spending daily.
2. Set aside a small amount weekly or monthly for savings.
3. Invest in learning more about money (listen to a podcast, read a book, or watch educational videos)
4. Create a simple budget plan.
5. Have a “no spend” day once a week.
Mindset Shifts
1. Practice daily affirmations. It could be a short morning affirmation or a longer one to repeat while commuting to work.
2. Be more accepting of others’ differences.
3. Cultivate gratitude by listing three things you are grateful for every day.
4. Be kinder to yourself.
5. Take time to reflect on your personal growth every week.
6. Embrace change and be open to new experiences.
7. Practice patience in daily interactions.
8. Seek to understand first and then to be understood.
9. Choose positivity over negativity in challenging situations.
10. Celebrate small wins and progress, not just the big achievements.
Stop These Habits
1. Stop procrastinating: use a timer for tasks, improve your time tracking systems, and reflect and repeat your “Whys” as often as needed to stay focused on your goals.
2. Cut down on junk food. We are what we eat, and our feelings, emotions, and health are closely affected by what we put into our bodies. Junk food gives us poor health and junk feelings.
3. Limit social media to specific times of the day only. Set rules for yourself to follow or go through a 7-day no social media challenge and see how it could change your life.
4. Stop negative self-talk. You know you are your worst critic, and most of the things you tell yourself are degrading you instead of lifting you up. Would you tolerate someone else talking to you the way you talk to yourself? Would you love them and look after them?
5. Reduce impulsive buying by snapping a photo of the thing you want and waiting 24 hours to see if you still want it.
6. Avoid multitasking!
7. Don’t skip breakfast, and especially never drink coffee on an empty stomach.
8. Quit smoking.
9. Stop overcommitting and learn to say “no” when needed.
10. Replace watching TV (or streaming services) with active hobbies. Here is a list of 40 unusual and weird hobbies that are better than any TV show.
The Way You Treat the Environment
1. Use reusable bags for shopping.
2. Cycle or walk short distances instead of driving.
3. Participate in or organize a community clean-up. Alternatively, pick a few pieces of rubbish while walking your dog or take your daily dose of outdoor movement.
4. Take shorter showers.
5. Consider starting composting kitchen waste.
Career and Professional Growth
1. Enhance your professional skills with online courses.
2. Network with professionals in your field monthly.
3. Set clear work-life boundaries and respect them.
4. Seek feedback from your managers so you know what to improve.
5. Organize your space for better productivity. Here are a few organizational ideas for those working from home.
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.
