New Year Resolution Ideas

Here are some New Year Resolution ideas and their results!

In 2019 we resolved to exercise every day. We exercised every day through January 14. That’s the day we developed blisters on our toes. We retired to the couch.

We resolved in 2020 to lose weight. We started the year at “x.” By February 1, we were “x minus 4.” The day after Super Bowl Sunday we were “x plus 2.” We consoled ourselves with pineapple upside-down cake.

In 2021, we resolved to be more considerate. The afternoon of January 1, we raced an SUV to the parking spot nearest Best Buy, winning the battle…and losing the considerate war.

More New Year Resolution Ideas

Some Travel Resolutions

We are going to travel smarter, better, and more economically. We further resolve to come home with more memories than credit card debt. And here is how we’re going to do it:

Set money aside in advance, in order to reduce the post-vacation debt load. You probably already know where you’re going this summer. Maybe you’re taking a weekend cruise. Perhaps you’re checking a box next to your Bucket List. Maybe a California or Florida theme park is on tap. Whatever you choose, make sure there is a special line in your January budget with a vacation destination on it. And a slightly larger envelope each month until you go. It will be a blessing when you come home.

Spend at least one “vacation” weekend as a tourist in our own city. There are many native San Franciscans who have never been to Alcatraz. Thousands of New Yorkers, born and raised in one of the boroughs, have never been to the top of the Empire State Building. Too often, we gaze to a faraway city, ignoring the bounty all around us.

We will save up our vacation days. Sure, it’s tempting to grab a day here or there or take a full day off for a doctor’s appointment that will only take two hours. But, will your best “day-off” memory at the end of 2017 be your big trip…or the Friday you slept in’

Avoid “Baggage Claim” at almost any price. Shop around for the best carry-on bag you can find. Pack fewer clothes for your trip. You know you’ll buy new clothes while you’re gone. Wear two pairs of underwear. Whatever it takes. The prices they are charging for checked luggage will buy dinner at a revolving restaurant. With the amount of time wasted waiting for the baggage carousel, we could have written a novel. “Do you have any luggage to check, sir?” “No, thank you.”

And More Travel Resolutions

Take a trip outside our comfort zone. Maybe it will be the bacchanalia that is Mardi Gras. Maybe it will be a foreign and non-English-speaking land. Maybe it will be a camping trip when we haven’t done that in 30 years. For some, it may just be staying at a hotel that isn’t their tried and true lodging spot. But step away from the familiar and into the unfamiliar.

Embrace the idea of a solo trip. Unattached individuals often postpone travel until they are with someone special. It’s great to travel as a family, or as a couple. But solo travel can be refreshing! Start with a weekend, but allow yourself to graduate on longer, more extensive trips. In a few years, you may go to Bangkok, all on your own.

Do you have trouble sticking to your New Year’s resolution? Most of us have previous experience with a New Year’s resolution and how we tend to forget about them by the end of January (at its best). Still, there is a way to stick to your New Year’s resolution and to have a great year ahead.

Another New Year Resolution

Why Do We Fail?

The number one reason we give up on our New Year’s resolutions by the end of January is that our resolutions are not clear or realistic. If you want to fall in love in 2022, you need to be more specific with your resolution. Maybe you want to go out more? Or maybe you want to consider a dating app? Have more concrete and realistic small goals that will take you to your final goal of falling in love.

Another broad and typical New Year’s resolution is losing weight. Again, this is not precise. Therefore, it’s not realistic. If you don’t have a plan, you won’t reach your goal. Going to a gym two times a week is more specific and probably a more realistic resolution. Fitness centers offer discounts at the beginning of every year and signing up is easy. Now, you need to find those two days in a week, hit the gym, without waiting for summertime.

There is nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions because people who make New Year’s resolutions are ten times more likely to achieve their dreams than people who don’t make resolutions.

There Are No Quick Resolutions

The recipe for success is specific and realistic goals, plans and the most important part is the willpower to achieve something we want. If you feel disappointed from all the previous fails, you should try with small goals: signing up for a course, learning a new skill, reading more or small weekend trips. New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be that scary, life-changing, and disappointing at the same time. There are no quick resolutions, but with small steps, you could go a long way.

We Worry More About Our Parents’ Health Than Our Own

When it’s New Year’s resolutions time we tend to think about our health. We want to eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more, and stress less. Moreover, we tend to think about the health of our loved ones. Approximately, two-thirds of people think about the health of their loved ones, especially of their parents.

Dr. Petra Simic, the clinical director at Bupa Health Clinics in the UK, said: “The research shows that people put more focus on their loved one’s health at the cost of their own. It’s wonderful to see what a caring nation we are, but it’s important to understand that looking after ourselves actually gives us the ability to look after others, and is just as important. Regardless of the time of year, couples can work together on setting goals and helping each other to achieve them.”

What do we tend to worry about the most? According to the recent research from the Bupa Health Clinics, when it comes to the health of our loved ones we worry about: the level of stress (30%), sleep (29%), niggling ailments for example persistent cough or back pain (26%), exercising (24%), working too hard (22%), being overweight (22%), eating too much junk food (17%), drinking alcohol excessively (15%), not walking enough and high blood pressure (14%).

Mental Health New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year when we make New Year’s resolutions. Although these resolutions seem ridiculous to many of us, they can work if we commit to them. I have a friend who decided that she will learn a new skill each year. So far she learned web design and the German language. What’s next? Also, you can make a New Year’s resolution about a certain virtue, for example, this year will be the year when I will become more patient than I was last year. When we master one virtue each year, who knows where we will be in ten years. Ask yourself: how do you interact with loved ones? How productive are you at work? What would you like to improve?

Instead of dieting for one week or two because you decided to lose weight this year, try having a better body image be your New Year’s resolution. This year I will love myself more than I did in 2021.

Furthermore, join a group of interesting people instead of joining a gym. Meet a new group of people who love hiking just like you. With this decision you will interact with people more, you will be physically active, and most definitely you will feel better mentally once you connect with nature more profoundly. Join dancing classes! Follow your intuition and passion! Make a decision that you will take care of yourself in a great way in 2022, not just physically, but mentally as well.

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