New Year’s resolutions. Some people love ’em, some people hate ’em. Either way, setting a few goals at the start of the year can be a helpful catalyst for focus and positive change. Think about reframing the language of these too; instead of giving something up, how about ‘start something new’? We’ve pulled together our top three that you can take forward wherever you go – relevant for any time of year, designed to inspire you for the better!
So, here’s our short list of the New Year’s resolutions that are 100% worth sticking to…
1. Be more conscious
Awareness of the world both around and inside you is what it means to be conscious. You can smash this new year’s resolution goal in a few ways.
Focus on sustainability and look at ways to reduce the waste you produce every week. How can you travel more consciously? Contiki can support you with this too. Or can you focus on just buying local produce? Can you reduce your plastic-usage? Being more eco-conscious gets you a big high five from Mother Earth, and she needs it!
You can also become more conscious about your mental health. Schedule in monthly ‘me time.’ Practice meditation and gratitude. Help others with their mental health and call a friend each week for a check in. It’s good to reflect on goals you’ve perhaps set in the past and not met. Ask yourself what stopped you then, and what’s stopping you now? This conscious type of goal-setting is a kinder way to create new year’s resolutions that can positively impact you and those around you.
2. Live with purpose
Forget the ‘new year, new me’ vibe. This new year’s resolution is all about living with intention, being brave in your decision making, and saying ~adios~ to the bad stuff in your life.
So how do you start living with purpose? Simple! Write down a list of what good looks like in your life. This might be having a cup of tea in bed on the weekend. It might be spending time with certain people. Perhaps it’s creative pursuits, or the feeling you get after a run. Living with purpose is about aligning the life you lead with your core values. We can all make time for this when we pause to think about the things that really matter to us, and making space for that in our day to day.
3. Celebrate yourself
This new year’s resolution is all about backing yourself. Celebrate yourself, and all the things that make you so uniquely YOU. We all have things we wish we could change. Instead of focusing on what we lack, reframe this to think about what we have in abundance already. Consider compliments you’ve received. Maybe you’re a brilliant listener, a thoughtful friend, funny as hell, or great in a crisis. Practice love and gratitude towards the most important person – you!
Celebrating yourself can look however you want but we vote you make it feel more like a goal by rewarding yourself. Got a promotion at work? Helped a friend when they were down? THAT IS ALL YOU! Treat yo self for being freakin’ amazing. Give yourself a little gift, get the fancy coffee, and perhaps most important – learn to say no to things that drain you. When you look after number one the rest will follow.
AND IF YOU DON’T QUITE ACHIEVE YOUR RESOLUTIONS?
The best thing about these new year’s resolution goals is that they don’t need to be done in a strict timeline (fact: you can celebrate yourself anytime, anywhere). All they’re really trying to achieve is to make you a healthier, happier, more boss-ass person. Why wouldn’t you aspire to that?
Even if you don’t quite reach your goals, you’re still winning. The Japanese have a philosophy called ‘kaizen’ that directly translates as “change for better.” It relies on improving a process (or yourself) bit by bit, until you get it right. Any small change is a step in the right direction.