With the New Year right around the corner we are all thinking about our New Year Resolutions.
We might not all stay up until midnight on New Years Eve but almost all of us will make some type of New Years resolution. However, only a small part of us will actually stick to it. Why is this??
Nobody makes a resolution planning to fail at it. People don’t achieve their goals because they fail to plan. Don’t set yourself up for failure before the new year even starts.
Here is a list of new year resolutions to help you have your best year yet!
Take Time for Yourself
I know, this is easier said than done. We all get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget to take time for ourselves.
I’m a stay at home mom so the words “time to myself” usually don’t exist. That was until it dawned on me, my husband comes home from work and hides in the bathroom “playing on his phone” for 20 minutes after work claiming he has to “change clothes.” So after a long day why don’t I get my twenty minutes?
And now I do.. I honestly don’t know why I didn’t try this sooner.
Let me tell you this has been a game changer in my life and it will be one in yours as well. Start taking time for yourself, make it a daily habit. Even if its only 20 minutes, do something for yourself to unwind.
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Read More
I’ve heard this many, many times so I feel like there has to be some accuracy to it. The most successful people read at least 15 minutes a day. So why not give it a try? Even if you only have a few minutes to spare each day take some time and read an inspirational book.
My favorite time to read is when I first wake up in the morning, before any distractions arise. Here are a few of my current favorite reads:
Turn Off the TV
TV is such a waste of time. You sit down to watch a thirty minute show and before you know it you’ve sat there for 2 hours. Just think of what you could get done if you turned that TV off.
We haven’t had cable TV or satellite for several years now. In 2018, turn that TV time into something more productive. Here are some of my favorite ways to spend my evenings:
We do have a TV with Netflix but we keep it out of our main living areas. We keep ours down in our tiny basement which is an area we don’t ever use. Guess how many times I’ve sat in front of that TV in the last 8 months… Twice….. Yes only twice!
Give it a try to see how freeing it is. I promise you’ll have a lot more time on your hands. I’m sure this will work great for kids too. If they can’t physically see the TV they’ll think about it less until they forget about it.
Budget
If you’re not already living on a budget, you need to be. Budgeting is what enabled us to Save $20,000 In One Year!! It seriously is the best way to take control of your finances and set you up to be financially free. Wouldn’t you like to be in total control of where all your money is going each month? You can if you start budgeting.
Budgeting isn’t as hard as you might think and it’s totally worth the effort. If you need help getting started with your new budgeting lifestyle we’ve got you covered. Check out our Guide to Budgeting to get started. You can also learn more about the Cash Envelope System we use for our budget. The Cash Envelope System is so easy to use and it really does work. You have to try it.
Learn Something New
I am a firm believer that we should always strive to learn something new. Whether you decide to take up drawing, a new language, investing strategies or cooking, it is good to learn new things. Your brain, much like any other muscle in your body, needs to be exercised to stay sharp.
For the new year, find something that you want to learn more about. Once you know what you are going to focus on, create a plan to accomplish it.
Do some research and find out if there are any good books to read or software programs that can help you learn. Make sure you create milestones to track your progress. Most importantly have fun with this. Choosing to learn something new is all about bettering yourself so keep a positive attitude and an open mind.
Say “No”
Learn to say no! Say no to spending money on ridiculous things. Say no to working long days and lots of overtime at work. Whatever it is, say no to the things that aren’t going to make you happy.
For something that sounds so easy why is it so hard? Why do we always feel so guilty after using the word “no”. It’s time to take control of your life. Stop feeling obligated to say yes to things you don’t want to do and start saying no! Give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.
Say “Yes”
Start saying yes, to new experiences that is.
It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and try things you normally wouldn’t. Be spontaneous, break out of your normal daily grind and start living life. Whatever it is, try saying yes to things you would normally say no to and see where it gets you in 2018.
Get Outdoors
Ahh, the great outdoors. It doesn’t matter if you are deep in the backcountry of the Cascade Mountains or taking a stroll through Central Park, just go outside. This coming year make an effort to spend more time outside and you won’t regret it. Put down the cellphones and Xbox controllers, it’s time to get some fresh air.
Going outside has a profound effect on your well-being. Getting natural sunlight, fresh air, and a little exercise will really improve your mood. There is so much in this world to see and appreciate, you can’t possibly enjoy it if you spend all your time at the office or on your couch.
Travel
This one is a personal favorite for us. We love to travel and wish we could do more of it. Our favorite thing about traveling is not just seeing beautiful places and scenery, but it’s also about experiencing the different cultures around the world. You can learn so much from immersing yourself in a different cultures than your own.
This coming year we challenge you to try traveling. You don’t have to fly out of the country or travel around the globe, it could be as simple as going somewhere close to home that you have never been before.
Start out small and work your way up to bigger trips. If you need tips for keeping your next trip from getting too expensive you should read Traveling on a Budget . These are some great tips to keep your trip costs down.
There are so many cool things to see in this world and looking at them through a computer screen isn’t the way to do it. Get out there and explore, go see things for yourself.
Start Investing
It’s never too early to start investing for your retirement. It’s a scary statistic but one out of every three people in America has no money saved for retirement. Don’t be a part of that statistic.
Start saving for retirement now. With all the money you are saving you are going to want to invest it in one way or another. Take advantage of compounding interest and make your money work for you.
Our nest egg has averaged nearly a 12% return since we opened the account. That’s much better than a traditional savings account. Investing has been a big factor in how we were able to Save $100K in 5 Years. Take some time this year to learn about investing, you’ll thank yourself when you hit retirement age.
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Declutter your home
How much time do you spend cleaning your house every day when you could be doing something else? What if I told you that by decluttering your home, not only would you decrease your stress levels, but you would have more time to do things you love.
Our recent post 4 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life has a step-by-step guide on how to declutter your home and simplify your life. I recommend decluttering one room at a time. Decluttering your home isn’t going to happen over night. If you’re looking to start ASAP, start with a smaller room first, such as a bathroom. If you are ready to dive right in, start with the basement or a storage room.
Other rooms to declutter:
- Garage
- Bedrooms
- Kitchen
- Toy Room
- Computer Room
- Closet
Cancel Your TV Provider
This is another favorite on this list. The reason I love it so much is because it can lead to you having time to try other things on this list. We cut ties with the cable companies in 2015 and we won’t go back. Yes, it takes time to get used to not having TV. Once you get past the first few months you’ll realize it’s so nice not wasting time staring at the TV.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics conducted a survey in 2016 which found that people, on average, were spending at least 2 hours per day watching TV. That’s more than 14 hours per week!! Imagine what you could do if you had a half a day to learn something new or to spend time with your friends. We love not having TV in our house. I really think you should try cutting ties with television this year.
If you aren’t wanting to cut TV out completely try Netflix and Hulu are great alternatives. These are great options for those of you who love TV but want to drastically decrease your cable bill.
Start Exercising
To make next year your best year yet, it’s time to start exercising. There are so many wonderful benefits to exercising! Science has proven that regular exercise helps you control weight, reduce diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and it helps boost your immune system.
What most people don’t realize is that physical exercise has just as many mental benefits as it does physical. Exercise releases chemicals in your body that improve your mood and can leave you feeling relaxed and happy.
Have you ever had a workout that you regretted? Probably not.. In order to start this new year off right find a workout plan and stick to it!
Here are some great benefits you might experience when you workout regularly.
- Less Stress
- Sleep Better
- Improves Endurance
- Confident Booster
- Increase your Energy Levels
Rise with the sun
Some of the most successful people in the world rise with the sun, if not before the sun. It’s a pretty simple idea, get up early and you have more time to get stuff done. Studies conducted by Harvard University professors have shown that people who rise early are also more proactive.
One thing you might not have thought about is that people who get up earlier are generally in better moods. The reasoning behind that is there are fewer distractions early in the morning. The first hour of your day will shape the outcome of the rest of your day.
If you wake up and have to rush to work your likely to have a stressful day. If you get up early and have time to relax before going to work, or waking up your kids, you’re probably going to be in a better mood. Nobody wants to wake up and be rushed.
This coming year you should try to wake up early. Get in a routine of going to sleep a little earlier and getting up earlier. The key will be to stay consistent with your bed time and the time you wake up.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Keeping good company is going to make 2018 your best year yet. The people you surround yourself with can really change the way your next year plays out.
This year you should really think about the people who you have around you. Think about the 5 people you spend the most time with. Do these people encourage you to achieve your goals? Do they empower you to be a better person? Are they positive? Do you feel energized and happy when you are around them?
If you answered yes to those questions you might already be surrounded by great people. If you read that and found yourself thinking your friends don’t have any of those traits, it’s probably time for new friends.
Make it your goal in 2018 to surround yourself with positive and happy people. If you find yourself surrounded by good people you will be happier and have less stress in your life.
Disconnect from social media
Shall I say more? How many of you spend countless hours every day on social media? I too am a victim. Some days I wish I had a timer that showed me how many times I peaked at my social media outlets. I think I would be scared to see the outcome.
Social media affects us negatively in ways we aren’t even aware of. It can lead you to having negative thoughts about yourself and others. A lot of what you see on social media platforms are staged to some extent, so please stop comparing your house, body and life to someone on Instagram or any other account. Chances are what you’re seeing isn’t real. Disconnect from social media, focus on the here and now, and make the life you live, the life you love!
Make a new friend
This is going to one of our areas of focus this coming year. We just moved into a new house in a state that we haven’t lived in for over 10 years. We are going to put a lot of focus on meeting new friends.
Even if you have lived in the same area for your entire life, you should always try to make new friends. I think you’ll find it really cool to make new friends and learn all about them. You might even learn something new from them so take a chance and go meet some new people!
Spend more time with family
Who doesn’t love spending time with their family? Even when they drive you a little crazy.
Watching your son take his first step, or your daughter play in the sprinkler… These are big moments in your families lives you wont ever get back. You don’t want to miss that because you had a late meeting at work or a business trip. To make next year your best year yet, do your best to be present and spend more time with your family.
Buy Experiences
You heard me, buy experiences instead of “stuff” is so much more fulfilling.
When you were younger where do your favorite memories take place? Is it a trip you took with your family, or the night you got to stay at grandmas and turn her whole living room into a blanket fort? Or is it the toy you got for your 6th birthday?
Yea your right… I can’t remember what toys I got at my 6th birthday either.
So chances are it was the trip you took or the memories you made at grandmas house. If you want to have the best year yet, spend your money on experiences, making memories, not on an object you or someone else will forget about a month from now.
Craft or build something
This is a really fun thing to work on next year. We really love to do our own DIY projects around the house. There is just something about doing work around the house that David really loves. It might have to do with not wanting to pay someone to fix things but he won’t admit that
Find something that you can build or create and just go with it! For some ideas you can check out our Farmhouse Tables we have built and refurbished on our DIY Page. We also track some of the remodeling we have done on our house. It might be the spark that get’s you excited to start working on your house so check it out.
I really hope that this list inspires you to try something new next year. We really want you to have your best year yet!!
Feel free to tell us about your New Years resolutions in the comments below!
Original article and pictures take livinglowkey.com site
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