Another year has come to an end. With 2020 just beginning, what New Year’s resolutions will you make? Setting some achievable goals and changes for the next year will help give you a head start and a healthier mind too! If your struggling for ideas, here are some of our top choices…
1. Get healthier
Probably one of the most common resolutions out there! But there’s so much more to exercise than looking good. Regular exercise also reduces the risk of many serious diseases, it gives you more energy, improves your sleep, decreases stress levels and the lift goes on! It doesn’t have to be boring, it can be social too by joining a local sports club or if you need help and support on how to get fit you can join a local slimming group where you can get advice and meet others trying to get fit. If you’d prefer to just get fit yourself, how about getting yourself a bike and start cycling on the weekends with your friends and family? There are loads of second hand sports items selling for nearly nothing to help inspire you!
2. Get involved with the community
Just start being more connected to the people within your community. Not only does it allow to to get more knowledge on whats happening around you, it can allow you to share your voice, make a difference and make friends along the way! Being part of a group can allow you to exchange skills and experience that may be of use to you. Building new contacts allows you to have greater access to knowledge you may need. There are plenty of fun groups you can join within the community where you can meet people with a common interest. For example, this might be local book clubs, musical clubs or even just general social groups. Check out your local clubs and societies on Friday-Ad.
Volunteering
One great way of actively involving yourself in the community is to take up volunteering. Set yourself an aim to start doing more good for others within the next year. Research shows that by doing this, you will not only be benefiting those you’re helping out but you’ll also be helping yourself. Volunteering can give you a huge sense of purpose and make your time more meaningful. Giving time to others will also increase your self-esteem, and make you happier on the whole.
Meet your neighbours
Another thing to consider which you may not have at the top of your list is to start getting to know the people around you if you havn’t already (especially if you are fairly new to the area). By living in a home where you know the people around you, you will feel much more settled. Building up relationships with your neighbours and community means you have someone just around the corner if you ever need a help in hand. Plus, its great to have friends just next door. Consider hosting a casual get together or even just spend more time in communal areas where you are more likely to come into contact with them.
3. Focus on your career and self-development
Work and money concerns are probably two of the main triggers that cause stress so it might be time to figure out how best to manage these two things. I think we can all relate to the fact that Christmas has drained the bank account (which can cause a huge amount of financial angst). Or, maybe you are just keen to avoid any money troubles you may have had in the last year. Instead of panicking, there are simple steps you can take to help you get back on track! First of all, are you in the right job or could it be time for a change? Or perhaps if you divide your time right there’s time for a little extra work now and then. There’s plenty of part time work out there as well as temporary jobs available throughout the year to get you over the line. If you’re happy in your career choice but want to tackle your day to day work stress this year, then it might be an idea to work on some self development. Part of this is identifying your weaknesses so that you work out how to improve them. Not only this but it is just as important to recognise your strengths so that you can shout out about these talents and leverage them. Determining both of these will help you to grow in confidence.
4. Learn a new skill
‘Knowledge is power’ as the saying goes…If you want to improve your mindset, then learning a new skill is a great way to stimulate your brain and make it stronger. Challenging yourself is essential in training your brain to help you learn things faster overtime. This in time will improve your self confidence and make you happier. It could be something you’ve never tried like learning a musical instrument, taking up a new craft or learning a new language. There’s plenty of options available, you could either teach yourself something using tutorials online or from a book. Or, to make it more social and interactive you could join a local class. You’d be surprised by the amount of courses available for adults in your local area for all ages and abilities whether that might be a one off workshop, a short course or an evening class. There’s no excuse to finding one that fits into your routine.
5. Get rid of what you no longer need
Say bye to those clothes that no longer fit you or serve a purpose by de-cluttering and ‘re-vamping’ your wardrobe. But instead of chucking them away, either sell them online or give them to charity. Not only will you have a clearer mind, but not wasting them will make you feel happier too.
6. Take time to care for yourself
Self-care is often overlooked by ourselves and happens only after everything else on the weekly checklist is complete. Make it a resolution this year to actually schedule time for yourself, just as you would for work. Take time to relax and de stress by finding a way that’s best suited to you. It could be trying a weekly yoga class or dedicating some time to mindfulness, or maybe just taking time to care for yourself such as a regular massage or beauty treatment. Self-care lifestyle changes can make a significant difference to your mental well being.
Looking to relax?
