Let’s be real here, there are LOTS of resolutions that sound great at first, but are incredibly difficult to commit to for a whole year. It’s almost impossible to find that perfect resolution that you can stick with. So this year, consider making smaller changes that can easily become thoughtless habits! Here are our Top 5 resolutions that are sure to get you on track to a happier, healthier, life!
1. Read a book a month!
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It’s literally one of the first things we learned to do, and yet not nearly enough of us do it on our spare time. If you’re looking for an easy way to unwind, cut social media, or stimulate your brain, pick up a good book! Whether it’s a romance novel, historical fiction, true crime, or sci-fi fantasy, you support your local bookstore and improve your concentration skills, all by reading an hour a day. Is scrolling mindlessly through instagram making you restless before bed? Read a chapter! It’s quick, simple, and it literally can’t hurt to try. Committing to just one book a month might just be the thing you need to become a better you!
2. Taste the Rainbow!
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And no, we’re not talking skittles here. If you’re someone who thinks they might like to try their hand at cooking, eating vegetables with a variety of color is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it’s a great way to intake essential vitamins without having to buy all those supplements from the drugstore (Unless your Doc told you to, of course). Stew them, stir fry them, or pickle them if you’d like! You won’t regret adding some color to your diet everyone once in a while.
3. Less makeup, more skincare.
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Take it from our very own Victoria Harding in her piece about reducing makeup for a year, by focusing more on your skin and less on covering it up, you’re saving precious time and encouraging your skin to heal itself! We’re not saying you have to cut makeup entirely, but maybe your full face “grwm” doesn’t have to take place every morning before your 8am. And skincare doesn’t always have to be expensive! Brands like Bliss, Neutrogena, and Alba Botanica were created with the average college student in mind, and priced accordingly! Or, you can start to look at makeup brands with built in skincare, like bareMinerals, to keep you confident in your new low coverage look. Either way, your skin will thank you!
4. Tidy Up!
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First off, if you haven’t watched “Tidying-Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix, what exactly are you doing? Just kidding, but in all seriousness, try committing to one day a week where you get all of your cleaning done. Do a load of laundry or dishes, take out the trash, sweep and mop, or reorganize your closet! Do something that will make you feel like an adult, just be sure to spark joy while doing so!
5. Cut the cord on Caffeine…
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I know it feels like a death sentence, but our VP Hannah Lynam suggests that cutting back on caffeine will help kill your addiction, and it’ll definitely save you some serious $$$ at your local Starbucks. Not willing to quit? That’s totally fair! You can tame your addiction by switching to tea, or cutting yourself off at one cup a day! Once your body is over the initial withdrawal, you might notice that you’re able to concentrate more, sleep better, and even decrease anxiety! It’s definitely worth a thought…
In reality, habits are way easier to form than resolutions are to accomplish, so do yourself a favor, and commit to making small changes rather than creating huge responsibilites. Whatever you chose, you do you this year. Be your best self! You’ll never regret making a change for the better.