New Year's is the perfect opportunity for those of us that said we were going to make changes in our lives weeks or months ago, but it seems like every year we create a list of impossible resolutions that we know we know we won't stick to. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, here is a list of resolutions worth sticking to.
1. Read more.
Reading is the perfect way to spend a little time away from the glowing screens of our TVs, computers, and phones, something that we could all benefit from. Growing up I used to read at least one book a week. For some reason this changed in high school and college. It just seemed easier to watch Netflix or get lost in the abyss that is YouTube.
2. Drink more water.
This is something pretty much everyone could benefit from. Drinking water is good for your skin, energy, and overall health. The best advice I have gotten for figuring out how much water to drink is to take your weight divided by two and that is how many ounces you should drink a day.
3. Be less judgmental.
It's simple for us to take the easy way out and be quick to judge others for what they say and do. This year aim to think more about others and their possible situations before you make assumptions or snap judgments.
4.Think and act more positively.
Going along with being less judgmental, I am going to attempt to be more positive. I have realized that I can be a very negative person. Most of the time I project a happy and optimistic attitude for others, but that isn’t the way I think and act on the inside. By internalizing this negativity I am just fueling even more negativity. I am going to work on taking the time to stop and think positive thoughts instead of negative ones.
5. Let go of grudges.
Like most people I fully realize that most, if not all, of my grudges are about silly little things that don't really matter. Half of the time I don't remember why something was a big deal, only that it was. For some reason a part of my brain tells me this "grudge" is important and I should hold onto it and be angry about it until my dying breath. So this year I am going to try to let go of these silly grudges and forgive the people who probably never even realized I had a grudge against them.
6. Stop apologizing.
I often find myself apologizing for things that we have no control over. Saying sorry has become an automatic response to many things. I have read a lot of really interesting articles on this subject that suggest taking the time to think about when you are saying it and trying to substitute sorry with "excuse me" and "pardon me" or finding a way to say thank you instead.
So, this new year don't try to completely reinvent yourself and set yourself up for disappointment with a long list of resolutions you know you won't keep. Instead, find a few small things you can work on that you can actually accomplish.
