Believe me, I get it. By now you're sick to death of hearing the phrase "new year, new me" every time we approach the end of the year. This saying causes strife for a lot of people due to its sheer frivolity - after all who actually changes all their old habits simply because it's a new year? While the concept in itself can be frustrating, the sentiment behind it actually makes a lot of sense. The start of a new year feels a lot like a blank slate, with 365 more chances to get life right. So, what do you do? You want to fully embrace the excitement and possibilities of a new year, but fear being lumped in with the "new year, new me" supporters. Fear not, for I have concocted 4 sneaky ways to better yourself in the new year that are realistic and effective.
1. Fitness goals - Set a practical, yet satisfying goal when it comes to your personal health. Personally, I'm gonna aim to only eat the Chick-fil-A in the dining hall twice a week this upcoming semester. Also, I'm gonna try to go to fitness classes at least two times a week, even though I will hate myself during said classes. Other options include drinking more water, eating more fruits/veggies, getting more sleep, and trying to break unhealthy habits. If you start out by saying that you plan to drop 8 dress sizes by the time the next year rolls around, you'll never stick to your guns. Instead, adopt small but attainable goals along the way.
2. Academic goals - Think about how you want to perform academically in the next upcoming semesters. Goals for this can be based on an ideal GPA, or a grade for a specific class. They can also be more abstract. Maybe you want to focus on really learning all course material, and not just memorizing content to get a good grade. Maybe you intend to approach all your classes with passion and curiosity, not just the ones you are overtly interested in. Planning to get all As may not be 100% realistic for everyone. Set goals that will make you feel good but will challenge you at the same time.
3. Social goals - The new year is a prime time to evaluate the friendships and relationships in your life. Really think about everyone in your life and their individual impact on you. You could set a goal to remove all toxic friendships from your life, and focus only on people who positively impact you. You could also make this more of an additive experience, aiming to make new friends in the new year and foster connections with people you haven't spoken to before. Personally, I'm gonna aim for strengthening bonds with my sorority sisters, and truly trying to develop strong friendships with all of them. This is a great area of your life to enrich, even if the developments are small and gradual.
4. Personal goals - This one is broad, for a good reason. The new year is a perfect time for fostering new hobbies, focusing on personal growth, and employing self-love techniques. Maybe you want to pick up a new hobby, like knitting or yoga. You might want to devote more time to yourself, allotting one hour a day for relaxation or keeping a daily journal where you can record your feelings. It could be that you're interested in a creative hobby like painting or writing, and are finally going to allow yourself to explore it. Spending more time with your family, getting involved in your community, and getting organized are all examples of personal goals that are relevant yet realistic.
I hope these examples of sensible yet sensational resolutions have helped quell your fear of that dreaded "new year, new me" mentality. Clearly, you don't have to change everything about yourself in order to have a good year. However, the excitement and motivation that comes with a new year is just too awesome to waste. If you have another resolution in mind, I'd love to hear about it! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go eat four dozen Christmas cookies before I have to start sticking to my fitness goals!
