Everyone’s looking for tips and tricks to help them start off the new year right. January means new beginnings and new opportunities, but it’s up to you to take your life by the throttle and rocket off into prosperity! This is a new day. This is a new beginning. Here are 18 ways to begin the year feeling fresh and invigorated!

1. Buy A Plant!

It’s due time to become a #plantpal Not only do these little gems of green add some color to your space, but if you’re living in an apartment, they’re a great way to bring the outdoors inside and have a host of health benefits! They purify the air, reduce stress, and you don’t need to be an green-thumbed expert to provide

2. Declutter!

There’s no rule that says spring cleaning can’t begin in January! If you haven’t touched something in six months, have a conversation with yourself about why you own that item and if it might do better in someone else’s life. Decluttering can improve mood by lessening the places dust has to gather and if you take your things to a consignment store or use a site like poshmark.com, you can even bring in some extra $$$ to start the year off!

3. Take a Day Trip

Take a day to get out of the house and go somewhere completely new! Got a place you’ve been dying to go? Grab a friend or two and just go! Even if you can’t manage to get a few people together, taking a drive by yourself and familiarizing yourself with what your surroundings have to offer can be incredibly inspiring and offer some awe-striking perspective

4. Return To Pinterest

Pinterest recently launched a brand new function that allows you to section off your boards. So if you’ve got a “style” or “home decor” board, take 15 minutes to organize them into some sections such as “kitchen” or “hats” etc. This can also be the year to try all those recipes you’ve been pining!

5. Cook More

Cooking can be incredibly therapeutic and allows you to focus on a task that will 100% bring nourishment to your body! By getting into the kitchen and breaking out that recipe you’ve been wanting to try since forever, you’ll not only be enhancing a life skill, but be able to have your cake AND eat it too!

6. Take More Baths!

Baths can be a great way to wind down and pamper yourself. You deserve to take out some time for yourself here and there and just relax. Plus, you won’t feel pressured to check your computer or phone since you’re submerged in water! Break out that new bath bomb you got for the holidays and light a few candles, because it’s hard to let life get you down when you’re this relaxed.

7. Start Two New Books

What?! Two books at once? That’s crazy! Well, yes, and no. Maybe it’s an ambitious goal, but 2018 is about improving! You should start two new books, a fiction book, and a non-fiction book. You can set aside days for each, or read one in the morning and one at night, but both offer some amazing things! In fiction, you can find unique stories that can offer perspective when applied to your own life. In non-fiction, you can find examples of real life experiences on overcoming challenges and find inspiration for what you want to achieve!

8. Go See More Movies

We’re living in a golden age of cinema! And with Moviepass offering “any movie at any theater for just $10 a month” there’s really no excuse to not get out there and enjoy all the artistry being created in the industry! Check your local listings for something that catches your eye and go see it! Make it a double feature and maybe see something you normally wouldn't. There’s a lot to be learned by going out of your comfort zone, and the movies are a great way to do it!

9. Learn a New Skill

Been itching to try out yoga? Botany? Blacksmithing? Do it. What’s stopping you? Only you! You’re your own worst enemy when it comes to trying new things. It can be scary to try something new, sure, but think about how you’ll feel afterwards? You don’t have to climb Mount Everest, but you could be on your way if you start by taking a hike up the nearest hill. It all starts with the first step.

10. Try Out The Gym

I know, I know. Hear me out: I’m not the biggest fan of the gym either. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve never been to one. I’ve been super intimidated by the mere concept of it! But if you go at it with a buddy who knows what they’re doing, it won’t be all that bad! The gym is a place where you know everyone’s there to better themselves and most people should be friendly enough to help you out if you need a little guidance. Plus, most of the machines have instructions printed on the side. Just take it at your own pace!

11. Set Tiny, Manageable Goals

Got an essay due? (Really professors? It’s like, the first week of classes, ugh!) Set tiny goals allowing yourself to hack at it in increments. A paragraph an hour. Or section off your assigned reading with some rose gummy bears between the pages to motivate you. Whatever you need to help you through the process, do that! Make a to-do list for each day to help you stay focused and keep you motivated as you cross stuff off it!

12. Set Aside Time For Someone Special

We’ve all got someone special in our lives. Whether it’s a best friend, significant other, or even a close parent, these are the relationships that help us define happiness. Set aside some time to do a special activity together. It can even be as simple as going to the movies! Or taking a skill class together. Whatever it is, as long as you’re spending time with someone who brings joy into your life, you’ll be feeling the better for it!

13. Binge A New Series

Sitting sedentary on the couch might not seem like something you should do to brighten up your new year, but if you’re spending that time investing in a new series on Netflix or Hulu, your time will be well spent. There’s so much content out there now it would be criminal to not take advantage of it. Plus, with hit shows such as How To Get Away With Murder and Scandal about to have a crossover episode and The Magicians just about to enter its third season, you’ll want to be ready for spring streaming. So make your own potato chips and sit down to let the magic flow.

14. Purge Your Closet!

A more specific version of #2 (2018 is all about improving, right?) Make your options simpler by getting rid of the clothes you never wear? Got a seasonal item that you just love? Great, put it in a box and tell it you’ll see it later. Keep it simple. Have a good rotation of a handful of outfits that you just can’t live without and let the rest go. See how simple that aspect of your life seems when you’re not rifling through endless mountains of clothes.

15. Speak Up

If you’re witnessing injustice, do something about it. If you’re in a position where you’re not bound by physical, financial, or personal risk - advocate on behalf of your fellow humans. Especially women. Lift each other up, because that’s the only way to make real change.

16. Tell Yourself You’re a Badass

“You’re gonna do great today” “You’re a badass” “Remember to slay them all” Set yourself a little reminder on your phone, or write it down in a notebook or on your calendar - make the effort to bring a positive mantra into your life. You’re your own best cheerleader, you just have to remember that.

17. Develop a Relationship With Yourself

I can’t stress how important it is to have a good relationship with yourself. You will ALWAYS be there for yourself, through thick and thin so it’s important to get to know yourself. Set aside mental-health days and do things just for you. Splurge a little on your favorite piece of candy, or go into a crystal store and see what one catches your eye, get your aura read, go for a long walk by yourself. Do things for you and see how they make you feel. And don’t beat yourself up when things don’t turn out the way you thought they might. At least you tried it!

18. Register to Vote!

FINALLY MIDTERM ELECTIONS! This November is going to be incredibly important so please please please register to vote!! It’s super easy and there’s a handy website that’s accessible for 31 states plus Washington D.C. This election will change the face of our current government as we know it for better or worse, so get familiar with the candidates and the issues. It’s our future, and we have the right to choose it!