The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.
Looking to actually complete New Year’s Resolutions this year? This guide goes beyond checking boxes off a list, but is rather about bettering yourself. Rebrand yourself– whether that means challenging yourself academically, changing up your personal style, or managing your relationships.
Prioritizing Relationships
If you are feeling in a bit of a slump with yourself, your life, and you can’t exactly pinpoint it, maybe taking a look at your relationships might help. The people you surround yourself with can impact every aspect in your life. Every relationship you have, whether that be a significant other, your best friend, or even family, can set the tone for the current season of your life. Because of that, filtering through your relationships is so important for your mental health. Deciding which relationships are fruitful in your life and which ones need energy and effort put into them can truly reboot your outlook on life. Take a look at the most important people in your life and if you are struggling with a relationship, put forth effort towards the relationships that are bountiful, and remove yourself from the ones that are hindering your complete happiness. I’ve had my fair share of best friend and boyfriend breakups, and I can say even though it hurts in the moment, shedding people who are bringing you down in life can make a world of a difference. You want to have the best people in your corner to not only support you, but make life fun!
Creating Habits
When I say “creating habits” there’s probably a few things that come to mind: work out everyday, eat healthy, drink water, etc. These are the typical habits that have been shoved down our throats forever and usually they’re too rigid to even last long term. Reframing the way you think of habits and choosing specific ones can elicit long term results and reframe your mindset. Here’s a few starter habits that I would like to start before Winter quarter, so you can draw some inspiration. I want to move my body at least once every day. I don’t mean extreme cardio workout or going to the Rec every day, but I mean somehow getting my body in motion, whether that be a pilates class or stretching before I go to class and then going on a nice walk. I’ve found that intentional movement clears my mind and takes away a lot of brain fog that comes with rigorous schoolwork. Another would be to read at least an hour of literature that is non-school related. I absolutely love to read, but don’t manage my time correctly to read as much as I would like to. My last habit is to do something that scares or challenges you every day. I’ve had this habit in place for a while and it has developed me significantly as a person. I walk up to strangers and start conversations now, I dance without fear of judgment, and most importantly I add variety to my life. With that being said, implementing new habits can go a long way towards rebranding yourself, and implementing habits curated to your lifestyle is the fun part.
Creative Activities
Most of the time when people are referring to a creative person they’re possibly referencing someone who is gifted at drawing or knows how to paint really well. But, creativity is so much more than that and channeling whatever creativity means to you is beneficial in changing up your day to day routine. First of all, I have to preface that I have never been skilled in artwork or any sort of drawing, so you can trust my creative suggestions are coming from the opposite of an “artsy” person. With that being said, I absolutely love to scrapbook and I have made endless gifts that mean so much to make and give. They’re fairly easy to make and a super fun rainy-day activity. If you have paper and Pinterest you can print backgrounds, photos, or text off of Pinterest and glue or tape anything you wish. It can be themed or if in full scrapbook form it can be chronological. However you decide to be creative can help bring out skills that haven’t been used.
Journaling
This is another form of a habit, but I needed to mention this separately and elaborate because it has done WONDERS for my life, mental health, and overall it’s interesting to look back at old journal entries and see where life took you. There are a variety of ways to journal and finding one that works for you can help add productivity and stability to your life. Let’s get started with types of journaling (at least the ones I have seen most advertised). Firstly, there is mindful journaling, which is most advertised in self-improvement videos/articles. This usually involves writing about things you’re grateful for, what you want to improve on, and helps put your day in retrospect to see your life from another perspective. Another kind of journaling is diary writing which is my personal favorite. It takes little to no structure and you can write about whatever you want. I’m a painfully melancholic and nostalgic person so a lot of my entries are just my emotions being spilled out onto paper. For me journaling helps to remember ideas, feelings, and times in my life. It also helps me put things into perspective, and I can’t deny that it’s so fun to forget about your previous entries and then flip back to read about your ex-boyfriend and your thoughts on the breakup. Overall I recommend any type of journaling that works for you (or you could even make your own variety!). It’s all about being intentional and finding a balance and where it fits in your life.
Creating “I am” Goals
Creating goals any way is productive, however “I am” goals channels the person you want to become and not necessarily the measurable specifics you want to achieve. While those are also important, you can become easily caught up in the specifics and obsess over them. For example, if you want to lose weight as a goal don’t create a goal to lose 15 pounds because it can create a mindset that won’t produce positive effects. Instead, create a goal to fit into your favorite shirt that doesn’t fit as well anymore, or to be a healthy person who fuels their body. So when you create these goals “I am” goals you would say “I am someone who fits into my favorite shirt” or “I am a considerate and thoughtful friend”, it helps visualize your best self and also help you take steps towards your goal. My “I am” goals are going to be “I am an attentive and thoughtful friend” and “I am healthy and energized”. The second part of writing these goals requires a plan on how you want to achieve it. This is where you write down the measurable specifics; they’re in place to reach your goals, but not replace them. You have to remember that.
I hope these tips help you on becoming the absolute best you! Remember that no matter what stage or season of life you’re in, you are worthy of love and respect, not just from others, but from yourself. Keep yourself accountable, but also embrace every bump in the road and celebrate every victory.