It’s that time of year again. A time where our newsfeeds will see four words more than any others – New Year, New Me. We’ve been blessed to have survived another year of madness and now our fresh start is upon us, ready for us to wipe the slate clean as we welcome in the New Year, and a potential new version of ourselves. Sticking to resolutions is hard and working towards a new you can be even harder. Here’s three simple tips to help you get started.
Write down your goals:
I’ve often struggled to stick to my New Year’s resolutions, but every year I make a list. The list gets put in an envelope and sealed until the following New Year’s Eve. Sometimes I’ll open the envelope and smile at my naivety, and commend myself for my wild imagination as I see I wrote “become fluent in two more languages” as my number one goal for the year, but there have also been times when I have beamed with pride as I have checked off goals that I actually have achieved.
Writing things down is a sure way of marking them in your mind and it will give you the motivation to start chipping away at your goals. After all, if you just think about a resolution, that’s all it will ever be; a thought. Start with small, attainable goals and pair them with bigger goals. Never think a goal or resolution is too out there, because you could really surprise yourself.
Cleansing your body and mind:
After the Christmas season, it’s not uncommon to feel like your body and mind need a detox. After all, it’s a time of year filled with lots of good food and a lot of nights on the town. Making small changes to your diet and fitness regime can help start the year on a healthier note. I have found that writing down what I eat has helped cut out the bad food here and there.
Many people also take part in the campaign known as Dry January, which is way to cut out alcohol out for the whole month of January and any money donated to the cause will be used to help those affected by alcoholism, both struggling individuals and their families. Participating in Dry January is a great way to detox and cut alcohol out for a while, as well as helping people who need it. You can get more information on Dry January at alcoholconcern.org.uk.
Declutter:
Not only is decluttering your physical surroundings incredibly therapeutic and beneficial as you begin the New Year, but mentally decluttering is even more liberating. Start with your surroundings like your bedroom, wardrobes, handbags and then move to bigger things like people, jobs, hobbies. If a person, place or even a thing is not bringing you joy or making you a better person, it has got to go. Life is too short for mediocre. If you aren’t happy in the environment which you are in, you need to make a change. After all, when a flower doesn’t bloom, you change its environment, you don’t get rid of the flower and people are like that too.
Start small and build your way up. I recommend getting a black bag and going through your room piece by piece, parting with things that are no longer beneficial to you. Then, take to cyberspace and give your friend list a look and clear out. If following certain accounts in Instagram don’t make you feel good about yourself, click the unfollow button. If you find yourself negatively thinking about someone else’s photos or words online, unfollow them. Clear out anything that can bring negativity and your year will start on the most positive note as possible.
It’s nice to have the New Year upon us to remind us that change is good and exciting, but we shouldn’t forget that we don’t need it to be 1 January to make positive changes to our lives. Every day you wake up is another chance to make choices which will allow you to get the best out of this crazy thing called life. You don’t have to rely on the New Year to have a new you, you just need a little inspiration and be willing to be pushed. That being said, maybe the New Year is just the push you need. Here’s to a year of new beginnings, new experience and new and improved versions of ourselves.
-By Ciara O’Neill