The time for new beginnings is upon us and many have already decided what 2019 will bring by the sheer force of their willpower. But aren’t we all tired of the same old resolutions that most of us don’t stick to?
This year, focus on the small changes you can make that will lead you to your bigger goals.
Take a class
What’s something you always wanted to know how to do? From painting to archery to Javascript, there are tons of classes available near you and online. If you want to take things at your own pace, you can pencil in some time in your schedule to watch YouTube tutorials. Many creators have multiple videos that can help you master a certain craft or just learn something new.
Join a club
It’s hard to make friends as an adult, but joining a club is an easy way to see some new faces. It can be as simple as a book club or you could loop in a fitness goal and join a Crossfit team. At first, it might not seem like you have too much in common with anyone else. But bonding through a shared experience can open you up to people you might not have considered friendships with otherwise.
Stop drinking soda
It’s 2019. Are you still drinking soda? It’s easy enough to stop buying the beverage and replace it with the plethora of flavored sparkling water options out there. As long as you’re not substituting in anything just as sweet (juices are sneaky culprits), dropping soda can help you drop some lbs.
Pick up a lost hobby
Did you play an instrument as a kid? Maybe you used to knit or paint miniatures or bake like nobody’s business. Whatever it was, it made you smile, and odds are high that you’ll pick it back up in no time if you try.
Change your hair
You don’t need to go bright pink or buzz it all off, but you’ve probably gotten pretty cozy with your stylist or barber. Take a break from “the usual” and go for a different cut or a slight color lift (or darken!). We all know the power of parting your hair differently than you usually do, so imagine how you’ll feel with a completely new ‘do.
Figure out what your actual fitness goals are
Need to lose a certain amount of weight? Why that number? Do some digging to uncover what you really want. Sometimes you just need to adjust your nutritional intake. Other times you just need to work in a bit of regular cardio so you can take the stairs without needing an oxygen tank. Make the smaller adjustment and the results will not only come, they’ll last.
Stop doing something that harms the environment
Stop forgetting reusable shopping bags by stashing some in your car or find some that can neatly fold up into a purse or backpack. Cut down on your meat intake, recycle more, bike or use public transit for one of your weekly errands or commutes, take your own thermos to the coffee shop — the options are endless.
Read a book
It’s so hard to read books in a world with smartphones, Netflix, and Elon Musk’s Twitter account, but it doesn’t have to be. Start off with a collection of short stories (or essays for the nonfiction buffs). You get a sense of completion in a few pages rather than a few hundred which spurs you on to read even more. Get a few anthologies like this as well as some poetry and trade-off between short and long form literature so you don’t lose momentum.
Limit your time on social media or your phone
Technology is surprisingly on your side here. Between iOS’s Screen Time and Facebook’s, Instagram’s, and YouTube’s similar efforts, setting limits for how much time you spend on your phone has never been easier. For a little more customization (particularly Android users) the app Offtime can help.
Donate to worthy causes
Set aside a little each month to give to those in need. It doesn’t always have to be a major charity. You could become a patron to a media professional you admire on Patreon or throw a few bucks to a stranger’s GoFundMe. These more intimate forms of giving are often the most rewarding because you can see tangible results.
