New Year Resolution Ideas
Every year millions of people make New Year resolutions, and every year around 80% of those people fall off the resolution bandwagon pretty fast. Maybe it is not the lack of conviction that sets people up for failure, maybe it is just the wrong new year resolution ideas.
Money, wellness, losing weight, and finding a partner are the top New Year resolutions. Maybe all of it is obtainable with the right New Year resolution ideas, and baby steps. Let’s take a look at some new, New Year resolution ideas to see if you can stay on track this year.
When Did All The Madness Start?
The tradition of New Year resolution ideas started over 4000 years ago with the ancient Babylonians. You would think it started in a bar somewhere with a couple of people enjoying adult libations one daring another to “lose that weight” or “save that money” this year, but nope there is a whole belief system behind this daunting tradition.
Ancient Babylonians are recognized as the first civilization to celebrate the New Year. Of course, the new year back in those days started in March sometime when the new crops were planted. They had a huge 12-day celebration to ring in the new year, and either asserted their loyalty to the king, or they got rid of the old king and celebrated a new one.
During this festive time, the Babylonians promised to repay their debts and made deals with the Gods, which was the beginning of the New Year resolution ideas. The Babylonians believed if they promised to make certain changes in honor of their favorite God, that God would shine a healthy harvest down on them and bring other gifts there way.
While today the deal is all about making promises to yourself, the idea is pretty much the same. For example, if I lose weight this year, I will feel better about myself or if I get my money right, I will be less stressed. It is pretty much the same concept, just the deal makers are different.
Let’s Address The Elephant in the Room
Remember of the millions of people that make resolutions a big majority of them fail to stick to them. Why do so many people find it hard to make changes? The answer is simple. You have to keep your goals realistic. If you want to lose weight this year set a goal for each month. If you want to stop drinking, don’t invest in rare whiskeys. Some months you may reach the goal, others you may not.
Making changes is tough, especially when you are trying to undo a lifetime of bad habits, but it is not impossible. There are tons of New Year resolution ideas that can help you reach our resolution goals this year, but the real ticket to success is taking baby steps.
Making permanent statements as part of your New Years’ pact-like “I will never ever eat chocolate cake again” or “ I will never ever spend more than $50 on new shoes” is a really bad way to get started. It will set you up for failure and more importantly make you feel bad about yourself if you cannot stick to that forever statement.
There are some New Year resolution ideas that can help you to achieve your goals and really stick to the plan. You can be in the 20% that accomplish their resolutions.
New Year Resolution Ideas for Wellness
Improving your health in the new year is a great idea. This can be the year that you get your health in order and feel better than ever. Wellness is about feeling good overall. A wellness approach can help you to get your mind, body, and spirit in shape.
There are simple changes that you can make to get to a state of wellness like enjoying those rare whiskeys in moderation, getting those braces you need to straighten your smile, using vitamin infusions to give you that boost of energy, and using CBD oil for pain instead of using toxic prescription drugs.
Achieving wellness is all about balance. Some New Year resolution ideas to get on the path to wellness is: Cut some of the stress out of your life Do what makes you feel good Make that doctors appointment you been putting off
If stress is getting you down, and for most of us it is, consider handing off some of your duties. Consider getting a professional cleaning service on board to help out with household chores and keeping your space organized. A maid service may not solve all your problems but it can take some of the load of your shoulders and free you up to pursue the things that make you happy.
Looking Better, Feeling Better
Part of being well is feeling confident in how you look. If your teeth are making you uncomfortable, consider braces. If those wrinkles are bothering you do something about it. Make an appointment with a dermatologist that specializes in anti-aging treatments. Getting on the path to wellness can come from a wide range of activities that you may have never thought of.
Simplifying your New Year resolution will make it easy to achieve your goal. Instead of having one umbrella resolution for wellness make 12 resolutions so you can do one thing a month. It is easier if you break things down into bite-size chunks.
For example, a really good place to start on the path to wellness is to make that doctor’s appointment you have been putting off. Thanks to healthcare seo marketing for doctors, it is easy to look right online to find the doctor that you need.
One of the top resolutions is to lose weight. This is a biggie and can be one of the hardest resolutions to stick to, but if you break this up into easy to accomplish bits, you can succeed.
An easier way to keep your resolution to lose weight this year is to follow these New Year resolution ideas:
- Make 12 resolutions one for each month
- Set up a reward system when you meet your 12 smaller goals
Instead of saying I will lose 50 pounds this year, you could say in January I will join a gym and commit to working out three times a week. In February, I will eat 10 vegetarian meals. In March, I will eliminate X from my diet. In April I will take the car service less and walk more to enjoy the spring weather. You get the idea. You do not have to project the results after 12 months of lifestyle changes, you can just plan for each month and you will get the results.
Reward Yourself
Achieving goals is great but a great way to make sure you stay motivated is by setting up a reward system. Whether you are working on getting fit, want to improve your financial picture, or are committed to making some serious lifestyle changes, set up a reward system for meeting those little goals along the way.
For example, maybe weight loss is your goal, don’t make food the reward. Instead of undoing what you have done with an ice cream sundae, consider getting that new upgrade you wanted for your home theater system, or that new hairstyle, or treat yourself to maid service or a clothing item that you have had your eye on.
The very reason New Year resolution ideas started was to get something out of making and keeping those promises. Unfortunately, the ancient Babylonian gods have been on hiatus for a while, so you will have to create your own reward system. Make the deal with yourself to get or do something that feels like a reward once you meet each goal and you will stay on track.
Not everyone you know is going to be on board with you reaching your goal, and that is okay. Pick and choose the people that you share your New Year resolution ideas with. You do not need anyone negative in your camp bringing you down.
You know who will be on board with your resolution and who will support you to promote success. You also know that negative Nelly or Ned will have nothing nice to say. Just don’t tell those negative people what your plans are.
New Year Resolution Ideas to Fix Up Finances
After health, wellness, and weight loss, getting finances in order is one of the biggest New Year resolution ideas out there. Of course, 80% of the people that resolve to make it a better financial year, fail.
Rome was not built in a day and neither will your finances improve in a day, but they can dramatically improve in just one year if you are committed. The best way to fix your finances is to tighten your belt and strictly adhere to your budget.
Here are some New Year resolution ideas that can help you end next year in better financial shape:
- Cut the fat in more ways than one
- Get honest about your spending
- Generate more income
Building a better financial future is a lot like dieting, except the opposite. You have to spend less than you are taking in. Sounds simple and it can be. First things first, you have to figure out what is draining your income. Cut some fat. Get rid of that extra over the top cable package that you are paying for and switch to a streaming service. Stop buying expensive coffees and get a good travel mug and take your coffee from home. All the little things really add up.
Get Honest
Most people are pretty surprised by what they spend on the little things every day. Start keeping a spreadsheet and input your daily expenses every day. Then you can really start cutting back on spending. Make that your January resolution. In February you can start cutting things out that are a money suck for no reason.
Getting your finances right is like any other change. Take baby steps. Make one goal per month instead of a giant goal for the year. It will be easier to achieve what you want if you do it all a little at a time.
Up Your Income
Spending less and generating more income will help you reach your financial goals faster. For example, selling life insurance policy for cash (which is only recommended if you are young enough to reboot) can generate a windfall that can help you to pay down your debt.
Other New Year resolution ideas to help shore up your finances include getting a part-time job and just stashing all that extra cash to build a nice nest egg. Sell off the things that you are not using anymore and turn them into cold hard cash.
Freelance your talent. People are always willing to pay for web designers, tech people, writers, baby sitters, even dog walkers. Making that extra money can be just what you need to get out of debt and to get on solid financial ground.
Make this Year The Best Yet
No matter what you have planned for this year, you have the power to make this the best year yet. A new year is an awesome opportunity to start fresh and get your life on track. Take this opportunity to improve your life and set your goals. Everything from getting your finances in order to finally doing something about those wrinkles is possible.
You have the power to live your life by design and the new year is the perfect time to get started designing the life you have always seen yourself living. Happy New Year!