New Year’s Resolutions For 2024
If you are like me, every January, you make a list of resolutions or things you want to work on for the year. If you are also like me, it lasts for about a month. My goals are the usual. Lose weight and exercise more. Very broad goals and hardly ever attainable.
The important thing to remember is to make goals or resolutions that are attainable. I’ve learned over the years that I have to break up the large goals and make them smaller so that I can reach them. Reaching the small goals helps me to have the motivation to continue on to the larger goals. Instead of saying I want to lose 50 pounds, I’ve learned to say, “I want to lose 5 pounds this month.” And I work towards that smaller goal. It really helps my mental motivation, knowing I’ve attained even a small goal. No one likes to fail. So, make goals attainable.
I’ve come up with a list of 20 New Year’s resolutions or goals that pretty much anyone can do.
(1) Start a photo journal
Not everyone has time to sit and write in a journal frequently. However, most of us have gotten used to using mobile devices to take pictures of important events and other things going on in our lives. Take pictures and put them in a special folder on your phone or your computer so that at the end of the year, you can review the highlights of your year.
(2) Choose a “Word of the Year”
Embrace a word that you can relate to, or that resonates with you. I’ve done this for many years. I’ve chosen words such as commitment and motivation. Start a Pinterest board and pin anything that has to do with the word you have chosen. I’ve also made scrapbooks of my chosen words that I can go through when I need a pick-me-up. Notices on the refrigerator and pictures on your bathroom mirror are also good as well. I’ve collected numerous quotes over the years that have to do with these words.
(3) Rekindle a long-lost hobby
Do you have a hobby that you once loved but haven’t done in a while? Perhaps you were into sewing. Or you enjoyed woodworking. Whatever it was that you loved but haven’t done for quite some time, now is the time to find a way to incorporate it back into your life without any expectations or pressure.
(4) Let go of the toxic people in your life
We all have those people in our lives that keep us from finding joy or reaching our full potential. We need to let go of those relationships so that we have room for healthier ones.
(5) Start a Memory Jar
At the end of each day, write on a slip of paper one thing that happened to you or that you did that day. Make sure to date the slip of paper. Put that into a jar. On New Year’s Eve, read through all of the slips.
(6) Make time for family
Let’s be honest. Our lives are busy. But our families are important. We need to set a time to spend time with them whether they live with you, near you, or far away. Make a schedule for time at least once a week to carve out some one-on-one time. Have a set time each week to Facetime those who live far away from you.
(7) Plan your meals each week
Kim Yawitz, RD, a registered dietitian and gym owner in St. Louis, Missouri, says:
Spending 30 minutes planning your meals each week pays dividends toward better health. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every week. I always tell my clients to rotate between two to three options at breakfast and lunch and to repeat dinner menus every few weeks.”
A 2017 study found that those who planned their meals in advance had a better quality diet and a lower risk of obesity.
(8) Cook something new every week
Remember. Variety is the spice of life. No pun intended. Choose an easy dinner recipe you’ve never tried before, at least once a week.
(9) Listen to novels while you work out
According to a study in Management Science, those who saved an audiobook for the gym worked out 51% more than those who didn’t. So download an intense thriller and see how quickly the time flies while working out. Audio lender: Audible is a great place to look for audiobooks. They usually have some kind of introductory offer for those wanting to check it out.
(10) Learn or hone a new skill
Want to learn a new language? Learn how to play the guitar or piano? It’s never too late to learn. There are many ways to take classes to do this. Try your local community college or even search for classes online. Even YouTube has some great videos that can help you learn.
(11) Keep clutter out of the kitchen
I am one of those people who can’t stand to have a bunch of things on my kitchen counters. I like the minimalist look when it comes to counters. Take 5 minutes each day to whisk away the clutter on your counters.
(12) Start walking more
We know we should be active in some way. Walking is a good way to start if you’ve led a sedentary life for quite some time. Even if it’s just a simple walk around the block, some walking is better than no walking at all. Even walking in place in your home is better than nothing at all. So get up and get moving!
(13) Make your bed every morning
Sounds like a silly suggestion, right? Actually, making your bed every morning sets your day off in a positive way to being productive.
Admiral William McRaven wrote a book titled Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … And Maybe the World. In it, he states:
If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
(14) Do one daily act of kindness
Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness are the ones that can mean the most. Holding the door for someone, letting someone go ahead of you in line, smiling at someone, saying hello to someone, and even complimenting them can go a long way. Not only does it hopefully make the other person feel good, but it can improve our own stress levels for our overall well-being.
(15) Cut yourself some slack
We are hardest on ourselves. Speak nicely to yourself and treat yourself with respect. Remember, we are all fallible human beings. We have our limits on what we can and can’t do. So don’t think you have to be your top self at all times. You don’t.
(16) Clean up your social media
Stop following people you don’t know. There are many people I’m friends with on Facebook that I have never met. But they all have a connection to my life in some way. Whether it be church, work, school, or even the same interest in a TV show. I’ve learned to unfriend those who never comment, never respond, and never interact with me on social media. My list has gone from about 1500 to less than 700. I have no regrets.
Also, decide how many minutes per day is too many to be scrolling. Set a time limit on how long you will be on social media each day.
(17) Power down at least an hour before bedtime
This is something I’m definitely guilty of and need to work on.
Phones, tablets, TVs, and other devices emit blue light, which suppresses the production of melatonin and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. You can read during that time, do a craft, stretch, take a bath, or visit with family—as long as you keep the lights low.
(18) Make your home more fragrant
Smell is associated with different parts of the brain that process emotion and store memory. Some aromas can affect mood. Vanilla is known to make people feel relaxed and joyful; peppermint can boost energy, and lavender can reduce stress.
(19) Play upbeat music
Blasting some happy music can work wonders on our minds and our bodies. It can even reduce pain during exercise, elevate our mood, and lower stress. Make yourself a playlist of songs that boost your spirit. I have a playlist on Spotify called “My feel-good playlist.” These are all songs that immediately put me in a good mood when I hear them.
(20) Volunteer regularly
Research has shown that when you pitch in regularly to help, it can lead to less stress and lower your blood pressure. Find some ways in your community to volunteer your time. Even if only for a couple of hours a week.
