By the time the new year rolls around, most of us have a long list of accomplishments, regrets, dreams, and memories. A new year brings the promise of adventure and a fresh start. With it comes the idea of a prettier, fitter, better-rounded, more successful you. But, while these things can always be hoped for and sought after, why is the new year the only time to do these things? Once January has disappeared and we enter into the everyday craziness of life, it can be easy to forget resolutions and fall right back into the old ways of the past year. So why not make a resolution with yourself every day, not just once a year?
Smile more. Everybody wants to be happy and to be the person that can light up someone else’s day. It feels simple to keep a smile throughout the first week of January when resolutions and the year are fresh and new. But a smile every day will only continue your happiness throughout the year.
Keep going to the gym even if it hurts. The week right after the new year, every gym nationwide is packed to the brim with people of all shapes and sizes who have decided to increase their fitness level or lose those extra pounds. By the end of the month, though, the gym is back to its normal capacity. What if that didn’t have to happen? If you want to be fit this year, don’t give up even when it is hard.
Make time for your friendships and hobbies. Work and school are important and I know that everybody has to do it. But the second that you lose sight of your friends and the things that you really love, you begin to fade into a numb cycle of going through the motions day after day. By the time the next year rolls around, you have to make yet another resolution to take care of yourself and find time for the things you love. Instead of needing to resolve to do these things year by year, keep them in the forefront of your mind every day.
Sleep more. During the holiday season, there is time out of classes and off of work where you are able to catch up on sleep. Do you realize how much better you feel? Even during the most stressful times of the year, keep resolving to get more sleep. You will thank yourself.
Follow your dreams. Every year I want to do something new, exciting, and life-changing. The beginning of the year brings promise for the upcoming semester and months where my head is filled with dreams of travel, new adventures, and new people. But, by the time the stress of school takes over and I think about applying for jobs and internships again for the summer, those dreams have become obsolete. This year, I hope we all can follow these dreams every day. It might actually let us have the best new year yet.
