Every January first, I tell myself I’m going to be a lean, mean health machine by summertime. And, every January second, I tell myself one more roll of Oreos never hurt anybody.
I’m not alone in my inability to stick to a New Year’s resolution. According to a study by Forbes, just 8 percent of people actually complete their resolutions. At first, I figured 92 percent of people were just like me—kind of lazy and stuck in their ways. But, coming into 2018, I decided to actually set goals for myself. Some of these are more tailored to my personality, but I’m sure that these are goals many people would not only want to achieve but could achieve.
1. Take up a new hobby
I love watching YouTube and listening to music, but my hands get antsy and I just can’t focus. That’s why I want to take up a hobby this year that will compliment my video-obsessed self. I’ve already grabbed some supplies from Michael’s and started learning how to sew, and I have some plans to make simple crafts over the course of this year. The ease of taking up a new hobby is that it could be something simplistic, like crafting, but ultimately a great way to use free time constructively.
2. Think positive
With the constant negative energy on social media (and, at times, in a college setting), it can be hard to lift your mood up. I actually found a few bullet journal ideas that are a great starting point for thinking positive, even if you aren’t a journaling fanatic. One idea is to color in pixels representing your days, with each color serving as a different mood. That way, you can review the year as a big picture. Another idea is to write down one good thing that happens each day. For extra fun, you could put them in a jar and take them out on December 31, remembering all the good times you had!
3. Read more
This isn’t too much of a priority for me, since I already read my fair share. But I’m always excited to recommend Goodreads and its yearly reading challenge. Last year, I surpassed my goal of reading 30 books by reaching 36—a record for me, I’m pretty sure! Sometimes, seeing a progress bar or percentage can really help you understand how much time you have to complete a goal or activity.
4. De-clutter
I have a nasty habit of accumulating… stuff. I’m sure I have old trading cards in some box in my closet, or old books that I read once in middle school during one of those cringy phases that we’ve all been through. So, what better way to live up to the mantra of “New Year, New Me” than to donate or trash the stuff you don’t need? Over a break or during summertime, try going through sections of your room and deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw out. Books like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up are a perfect starting point for some of the more thing-loving people out there. And hey, that counts towards your reading goal! Resolutions are especially easy to achieve if they’re multi-faceted like this.