It’s that time of year again when we start thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions. We’re nearly at the end of 2018 and a New Year beckons with all our hopes and aspirations for a New Year with a difference.
Year after year we say ‘this year it’s going to be different’ and then after a while we just fall back into our old ways. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
A New Year’s resolution can make all the difference to your life, whatever that resolution will be. You can have just one resolution or a few but don’t make the mistake of making too many because the more New Year’s resolutions you make the harder it will be to keep them. Small and subtle changes can make all the difference.
So this year we thought we’d put a few ideas together for you for your New Year’s resolutions and let’s hope they can help you make a difference to your life and those around you.
Get in Shape
Just look around you and you will see so many opportunities to get out and walk and walking a half an hour 3 times a week can make all the difference to you whether it’s on a beach or a park or hiking you can make a walk be very pleasurable.
Start eating healthier
The simple solution here is to cut out junk food. Ditch all those ready made things you can buy in the freezer section of the supermarket and try fresh veg! Stop with the fizzy drinks and cut back on your sugar. Remember low fat doesn’t always mean that it’s healthy. Ditch the breakfast rolls for something more nutritious like good old porridge for breakfast.
Stop procrastinating
Make that decision to do things straight away. Stop putting things on the long finger. Let’s be honest whatever you are watching on TV can be paused!
Improve your concentration and mental skills
Believe it or not getting out for exercise and eating better will really help to improve your concentration and mental health. You will have more energy and you will want to do more. Test yourself. Do crosswords or quizzes or Sudoku.
Meet new people
Where ever you live you can get out and meet new people. If you have a hobby or interest then there is always a group with the same interested close by. Meeting new people is a great stimulant and let’s face, it there is nothing like a social gathering
Become more active
Be proactive rather than reactive. By becoming more active you can really help your community and where you live. Get involved in activities and events. There is always something that you can do. You just have to get out of that mindset where you think there is nothing going on or ‘I’m bored’.
Be more polite
Believe it or not when you feel yourself getting healthier from exercise and eating well you will be happier with yourself and that means you will be happier with others! Politeness and manners are the two things that are free in life so remember your ‘thank yous’ and ‘hellos’ along with holding a door open for people. It’s always nice to be nice and it is the simple things that make a difference in life!
Reduce your stress
This is always the biggie but let’s be honest there are so many things in life that you have no control over but then there are the things that you do. Again if you are exercising and eating properly you will have more energy and you will be able to think straighter and in so doing you are already relieving your stress. Work out what your biggest stressors are and see if there is anything YOU can do to reduce it.
Learn to be happier with your life
Remember even though so many people post about all the good things in their lives on social media, the grass seems to be always greener on the other side! Think of what you have and what you have achieved, think about what you are thankful for and what you would like to achieve in the future! Believe in yourself.
Get more quality sleep
This is simple enough if you put away your mobile phones, tablets and other electronics and get yourself into a routine. You don’t have to stay awake and watch another episode of your favourite box set. The light from your devices can have a negative effect on your sleep patterns so leave them down stairs! Remember to stretch before you get out of bed each morning. If nature has thought us anything animals always stretch before the start moving and so should we.
Give up smoking
This is a bit of a now brainer but alas I know how hard it can be. Nicotine is an addictive drug and can be very hard to give up but there is help out there and take every day one day at a time! Check out the the Quit website for great tips on giving up smoking.
Watch less TV
Ask yourself if you have to watch so much TV? TV is great to wind down and watch a good movie but many of us now watch TV and have our phones and tablets in hand at the same time. Is there something else you could be doing?
Read more
This is never a bad idea and there is so many books to choose from and don’t forget that we have some amazing libraries too. Here is a link to the Libraries in Waterford
Spend more time with people that matter.
Family and friends are so important if you spend more time with them you will surely have better relationships with them
Start drinking in moderation or quit drinking altogether
Healthy eating means that alcohol should be avoided but if you have a glass of wine every night just to ‘relax’ you will agree that it’s not such a great idea.
Start saving money
Set yourself a goal! Why do you want to save money? Is there a reason? There are so many ways to save money either through saving stamps, credit union, post office or savings accounts. You just have to decide on your goal. Mind you if you are following the above steps you will be already saving money on day to day items.
Learn a new language
YouTube has lots of videos and tutorials that you could use and there are lots of apps out there. Check out this LINK
Volunteer and give more to charity and your community
There are always organisations that are looking for help in our community and they would be delighted with your help. As we said be proactive and not reactive. Your help could make a difference.
Stop being late for things
It’s a trait that many of us have unfortunately, but if you plan ahead this should be something that will be in the past
Learn more about art, music and culture.
It’s all around us! Culture, art, music, theatre and heritage all you have to do is go look! You will be amazed at what’s out there.
Stick to the healthy habits you’ve developed. Don’t expect it to be easy but if you stick with your New Year’s resolutions you will reap the rewards. Ask yourself what your short term goals are and set yourself your goal and be honest to yourself. Don’t plan for something that is totally out of reach
For example, if you want to exercise regularly and love spending time with your friends, getting the group together to walk regularly could give you a short-term payoff and help you meet the long-term goal. Don’t be dramatic and drastic be daring and determined
Our top 5 goal-setting tips for you New Year’s Resolutions
- Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to think about your resolution and instead start thinking a few days before and reflect upon what you really want to achieve.
- Don’t try to rehash your previous resolutions. Deciding to revisit a past resolution sets you up for frustration and disappointment.
- Don’t g with the crowd and go with the usual resolutions. Instead think about what you really want out of life.
- Break your goal into a series of steps, focusing on creating small goals that are concrete and achievable. You have got to be realistic.
- Regularly remind yourself of the benefits associated with achieving your goals. Just remember how far you have come.
Life is there to be enjoyed so let’s make the most of it. Best of luck with your New Year’s Resolutions.
