Resolution Revolution: How to Make 2016 the Year of YOU!

As the first month of the new year comes to a close, you’re either high-fiving yourself for upholding your New Year’s resolutions or giving yourself a heartfelt pat on the back for not doing so. Either way, you still made it this far into 2016 and deserve a round of applause. However, regardless of whether or not your resolutions have been successful, there is one thing you should absolutely vow to do: make 2016 the year of you. This does not entail the pursuit of selfish efforts, but the strive for working on yourself, for yourself.  It is the bettering of your own individual, something we should already endeavor to do. Each one of us will undoubtedly have a different approach to this, but if you need a little push or tidbit of advice on how to begin, keep reading. Here are a few tips on making this year the year of you.

Focus on the Present but Visualize Your Future

Whatever happened in the past has already happened. New concept? I didn’t think so. Then why fret over every little detail and everything you could’ve done differently? Embrace the past as lessons instead of mistakes. In regards to the future, don’t worry too much. A little bit of worry is good, it means you care about where your life is headed, but worrying too much will kill you. Instead, opt to visualize your future: see that A+ in the top corner of your paper in red ink, that diploma in your hand, your desk at your future job. Visualize these images in your mind and use it to inspire you instead of blindly worrying about what you’re doing with your life.

Do One Thing That Scares You Everyday

I don’t mean run through the library naked or commit a federal crime, but take time to step outside of your comfort zone. You have so much potential for many things, but how will you reach it if you remain in your comfort zone? The zone you, yourself created in the first place. Take baby steps outside of that circle drawn around you. Start with something small like changing up your drink order in the morning or maybe try a new machine at the gym which, to be completely honest, looks like a medieval torture device. By attempting to do one thing a day, outside of your comfort zone, you’ll slowly expand your horizons and see that the little circle drawn around you has grown incredibly. And who knows? You might learn a little about yourself in the process. 

Stay Curious and Keep Learning

There’s so much more to the world than home, school, work, and the drive in between. Stay curious to it all and explore. Go to the café that just opened down the street or take a daytrip somewhere new, maybe a nearby town or even the city. You’ll encounter new places, faces, and experiences by doing so and that is priceless. Also, keep your mind open and keep learning. Keep your mind open to different perspectives and opinions and learn from them. Ask why? How? Never be satisfied with what you know now. We’re alive for a finite amount of time, so never stop learning while you still can.

Find a Creative Outlet and Passion

I didn’t know how important this was until I met someone whose passion was painting. His eyes lit up while mentioning how he preferred watercolors over acrylic, the detailed process of paining a mural, the art of graffiti drawings, and more. His passion was greatly intimidating and inspiring at the same time. It was at that moment that I realized how integral having a creative outlet and passion was. Have a creative outlet to do just that, have an outlet in which you can express yourself and your identity. Take classes at your local art store, pick up an instrument, begin writing, do something. It might help clear your mind or relieve stress. Whatever it may be, find a creative outlet so you can find out for yourself. Additionally, find your passion or build upon an already existing one. Find something that makes your eyes light up and something that becomes a part of your identity.

Understand Your Strengths and Weaknesses

No one is a master of everything and no one ever will be. Instead of getting down on yourself for not being able to do more, or simply comparing your abilities to others, look at your own strengths and weaknesses. Grab a piece of paper if you need to, but make a list of them. Do not be ashamed of any weakness you recall nor be too prideful, and almost vain, when looking at your strengths. Find ways to work on these weaknesses or how to accommodate for them. You can’t help the abilities you were gifted with, but you sure can find ways to work with them. As for your strengths, do not regard them in vain because much like your weaknesses, they can be improved on as well. Nobody’s perfect, but you can most certainly strive to be the best version of yourself you can be.

Embrace Failure

I said it before and I’ll say it again, embrace your failures as lessons. That’s all they are: occurrences allowing you to learn and refrain from making the same mistake again. We were meant to make mistakes and grow from them, so don’t fret too much when you make them. I don’t mean go out in the world unprepared thinking “I’ll get ‘em next time”, but don’t collapse into a ball of worry when you mess up every once in a while. For every one mistake you make you should, or at least make it a point to, learn 3 things for the future. In doing this, you’re that much smarter and stronger. I’m mentally giving you a high-five right now.

Surround Yourself with Good People

You really are the people you surround yourself with, so choose wisely. You feed off of them, their personalities, character, accomplishments, failures, and more. They should inspire or make you better in some way or form, and you should do the same. You deserve to be surrounded by people that lift you up and tell you like it is, rather than those who keep their mouth shut and take every opportunity to put you down. Life is too short to allow the wrong people into your life and you truly deserve better.