by: Danielle Ternyila

If you’re doing things right, you’re starting the new year off with a resolution and the decision to stay determined towards your goals for the next 365 days. A resolution can be a lot of things, whether it’s a very specific goal, picking up a new habit or kicking an old one. However, you need to enter the year prepared to achieve all of these goals you’re setting for yourself.

We have compiled some of the most unique and challenging New Year’s resolutions to improve your self-care and create balance in your life and home. To stay on track throughout the year, we also have a Facebook empowerment group to inspire and motivate each other in our community of positive, encouraging, and supportive online friends. It’s meant to help us lift each other up on all of our own journeys towards happiness, health and success.

Over the years I’ve heard some really awesome New Year Resolutions, tried some myself, and have some tips to share on getting through them. Remember, it only takes 21 days to make a habit, so the first month is going to be the hardest. Knowing that, prepare yourself for success and don’t be the one who gives up a few weeks in.

#1 – Make the Bed Every Morning

Learn discipline and it pays off. By making your bed each morning, you are doing several things to positively impact your mental health. As soon as you wake up in the morning and make that bed, you’ve accomplished your first goal or task for the day! That rewarding feeling will set the tone for your whole day, making you more productive, and by the time you’re home and getting ready to rest, you’ll enjoy a better and deeper sleep. Talk about waking in on the RIGHT side of the bed!

This is a really easy resolution for the new year, and it is primarily focused on discipline and consistency. At first the hardest part will be making a habit out of it, so prepare yourself by hanging a reminder next to your bed or setting one on your phone just after your alarm.

#2 – Never Go To Bed With A Messy Kitchen

Similar to making your bed every morning, this is something you will learn to appreciate quickly if you aren’t one who does this already. Be your most prepared for the next day, starting with a clean sink to fill up your coffee pot in the morning and a tidy counter for prepping your breakfast. It will give you a sense of accomplishment before heading off to bed and reduce your stress levels throughout the day, knowing you are not behind and have a clean kitchen to work with from the get-go.

Make it a point every night this year to clean out the sink, whether you do your dishes all together to get it done or you toss them in the dishwasher overnight. Wipe down the counters and put away all the stuff that piled up throughout the day on your counters. Don’t forget to set reminders for yourself in the beginning, but as time goes on, it will become habit, and you’ll feel better for it.

#3 – Say YES to New Opportunities

With your best judgement, make it a point to say yes to every new opportunity that comes your way. Mind you, keep your health and happiness priority and do not make any reckless or dangerous situations with this “Yes” mentality. However, when someone invites you to dinner, go for it. If your colleague invites you to lunch, join them. If a recruiter reaches out and asks for a few minutes of your time, say yes, even if just to hear about something new you might not have ever heard of.

Prepare for this by being flexible and opening up your schedule, as well as your mind. You just may be invited to a restaurant you’ve never tried with an unfamiliar menu or to partake in a volleyball game you’ve never practiced for in your life. If you tend to be on a tight schedule, stick to the same old habits, or don’t socialize much, this is a great and challenging resolution for your new year. It will be hard sometimes, and you might notice your default to most invitations and opportunities is rather negative. So start answering more phone calls, responding to texts, and putting yourself out there.

#4 – Try a New Recipe Every Week

It’s great to have a solid routine, but you also don’t want to eat the same thing over and over again. Pick a foodie-friendly New Year’s Resolution by making it a point to try 1 new recipe every week. You’ll hopefully pick up a few new favorites as you go that will give you even more meals to plan for in the future when you’re tired of the same old thing.

When you do your grocery shopping, be sure to plan for the new recipes in advance. This will help prepare you so it is not such a big hassle in the week to gather ingredients. If there are ways you can prep the meal in advance too, especially if you aren’t a big cook, that will help you keep on track. One new recipe a week is pretty doable, but be sure not to set yourself up for failure by thinking you can cook something new every night, or waiting around until the weekend!

#5 – Get In Shape/Lose Weight

This weight-loss resolution can be tricky, so it is especially important to plan ahead for this one and be careful how you set your goals. This is an incredible resolution to plan for, and I’m so excited for you if this is the journey you are finally choosing to take, or at least to finally make it a priority. It can be a challenging and daunting task, which requires endless discipline all year-round.

Joining a gym is a simple first step, but make sure you’re joining one you will like, based on the available equipment, hours, location, and community. Visit it a few times, scope out the drive and see what times of day will be best for you. Also, don’t be intimidated by how busy it might be at first. Sadly, many of those will drop out over the first few weeks, which should serve as more purpose for you. You aren’t going to quit this time. You’ve got this!

Weight-loss isn’t just about the gym though; a major part is diet and nutrition, so prepare for that too. Make realistic changes, don’t change a lot immediately, and forgive yourself on the days it doesn’t go right to plan. There’s a lot more tips on how to prepare yourself for your weightloss journey on the blog, too.

#6 – Do Not Apologize

We spend more time than we should apologizing when we should be thanking people instead, accepting feedback, or appreciating something new. Take the time next year with this resolution to take note of this in yourself. Whenever you find yourself saying sorry, ask yourself what else you could say instead, then do that. If an apology slips out, just reflect on how you could have handled it differently.

We are all all imperfect people, but the important thing is to learn from our mistakes. Accept that you can make mistakes and keep moving forward. Be more thoughtful in these moments when you feel an apology is due. Use more words than “sorry” to demonstrate your growth and self-confidence in any situation where you may feel feel blame.

#7 – Daily Acts of Kindness

I’m a strong believer in what goes around comes around, and so a year of kindness is never a bad idea; it would be especially fun to do with the kids and challenge them to find a random act every day. Of course, it also will positively impact your view of the world around you, your mental health, and your community. We can only hope that every day this act of kindness is paid forward.

This resolution can be accomplished by donating your change in the tin at the register, holding the door for someone a bit further behind on a rainy day, or even complimenting someone on social media. An Act of Kindness a day will make you feel greater than any other resolution could. It is easy to accomplish when you set your mind to it, and you’ll never regret any of these acts.