I’m sure by now you’ve seen countless posts through various social media sites about New Year’s resolutions that will make 2016 the best year yet. From first hand experience, I can tell you that I’ve never actually followed through with any of the New Year’s resolutions I’ve set for myself throughout the years. One of the main reasons I’ve never achieved these resolutions is because I set unrealistic goals and become too harsh on myself for not following through. Almost every year, I tell myself I’ll lose ten pounds by March and go to the gym six days a week or that I’ll read three books a month. This year, I’m setting realsitic goals for myself that revolve around making 2016 the year of doing things that make me happy and improving myself from the inside out.
1. Vocalizing all compliments I think in my head.
Everyone loves to hear a compliment about themselves. Personally, I remember almost all of the compliments I have received from complete strangers. That being said, whenever I see a random guy at Starbucks who is wearing a cool outfit or I like a pair of shoes a girl in my class is wearing, I’m going to try my best to let them know that.
2. Listen to a new album each month.
I love discovering new music, but I find myself resorting back to the bands and artists that I am familiar with and not branching out as much as I’d like to. This resolution is one of the easiest and most exciting because it’s a realistic goal that I know I’ll be excited to accomplish throughout the year. This month, I’ve been listening to the album “American Candy” by The Maine and loving it.
3. Don’t be so hard on myself for not going to the gym.
Being a college student, life can get crazy. Three papers due one week, a test the next and all of the extracurriculars on top of classwork. If I don’t go to the gym one week, I’m not going to be so hard on myself like past years. Giving myself a break will help clear my mental sanity this year.
4. Try and go to sleep at a regular hour each night.
There’s no justifiable reason for me to be staying up until 1 a.m. looking through Instagram or watching TV. Making sure I clock out at a regular hour will give me more time throughout the day to be present and well-rested.
5. Stop worrying about how many likes I get on Instagram.
One of the biggest concerns I see my friends bring up is their standing on social media sites. I’m going to stop caring how many likes I get on Instagram and start posting for myself, regardless what other people think about it.
6. Be selfish about the things that make me happy.
If I like a particular band that others may not, or I want to spend a Friday night at home curled up with a blanket instead of going out, then I’m going to do that. I’m not going to let others’ perceptions of the things that make me happy hide who I truly am.
7. Try and step out of my comfort zone.
Doing new things can be scary. Although, sometimes the scariest things turn out to be the greatest. I’m going to branch out and meet new people, join an organization and do things that will take me outside my comfort zone.
8. Drinking more water wouldn’t be the worst thing.
This is the most generic New Years resolution on this list. But it does hold some relevance in my life. Drinking more water will help my skin and overall health. So, I’m planning on drinking way more water in 2016.
9. Work on being generous.
Do nice things for people when they least expect it. Pay for someones coffee in life, donate more clothes to Goodwill, or offer to give someone a ride home. Life is too short to be selfish.
10. Log off more.
Being present and in the moment are the most important resolutions I have this year. There’s no reason for me to always be on my phone, especially if I’m with my friends or family. Putting it down and truly experiencing life around me is one resolution I am looking forward to accomplishing this year.