Raegan abrams
Every New Year, the pressure of making a New Year's resolution falls upon us, and even though we make these resolutions, very few of us go through with them. There are the common ones like “I’m going to get in shape,” or “I’m going to stop drinking,” but today I am here to provide you with a list of easily achievable, totally realistic New Year’s resolutions.
10. Small diet changes and minimal exercise
This may seem hard, but I promise you that small changes in your diet this new year can make a big difference. This isn’t guaranteed to help you lose weight, nor is it meant to, these are just some tips to improve your diet, and generally help you feel better. For starters, try to drink a glass of water when you wake up. This can boost your metabolism and help you be better prepared for your day. Another tip would be to try and get at least 20 minutes of exercise a few times a week. Nothing too extreme, but a little walking or yoga could do the trick.
9. Self Care!!
Now, this one is probably the easiest on this list, and it involves the simplest of things: a little spare time, and minimal effort. Self care involves a cornucopia of things, but I’m only going to include a few tips. The first being, every week, try to give yourself a spa day! Take a nice hot bath, light some scented candles, exfoliate, throw on a face mask, binge on chocolate, and don’t forget to moisturize! You don’t have to do all of the things listed, you don’t have to do any of them at all, just remember to treat yourself every now and then. You deserve it.
8. Be Nicer
This may be subjective, but I think all of us could start doing things this next year to be a tad bit nicer. God knows that after this nightmare of a year we could all use a little extra kindness. Ways to do this would be volunteering: The Red Cross and the Humane Society are great places to start. Try to do a good deed everyday, and these could be small things like getting a homeless person a coffee, or helping out around your neighborhood. Be wary of the way you speak to others, and always try to think before you speak, especially if the conversation is tense. And lastly, smile at a stranger. You never know how someone else’s day is going, and that smile could give them a little sunshine on a rainy day.
7. Keep Nashville Clean
This is simple: Stop littering, pick up litter when you see it. Also, recycle.
6. Meditation is key!
This is going to sound silly to those who have never tried it, however if you have issues with anxiety, or have trouble falling asleep, boy do I have a remedy for you. Meditate! There is an app that I use called Insight Timer, and there are thousands of guided meditations for various purposes. From loving yourself, to sleep, to living a more fulfilling life, this app has it. I’m telling you, this will change your life. You will sleep better, feel more calm, and overall be more mentally clear.
5. Stop ISIS
Seriously. Let’s get this under control.
4. Clean Out Your Closet
I’m sure that you have plenty of clothes buried in a dresser or hiding in the back of your closet that haven’t seen the light of day in a very long time. This time of the year is a great time to go through old clothes and reintroduce them to your wardrobe or donate them. So go ahead and grab some garbage bags and start sorting!
3. Change your look
Probably the simplest thing on this list. Changing your look doesn’t have to be anything drastic, but getting a few inches cut off or throwing some highlights into you hair isn’t going to hurt anyone. If you can, go buy a few new outfits. Get with some friends and designate an entire day to finding thrift shops and you are guaranteed to come home with some cool vintage clothes.
2. Make a New Friend
Easier said than done, but with some effort, you could come into the new year with some new people. This is beneficial because it’s refreshing to be around new people, and getting to know someone is a great waste of time! Kidding, but this new year we should all try to make a new friend or at the very least have a conversation with someone we’ve never spoken to before.
1. Love Yourself
Like the previous, this is way easier said than done, but it’s the most important thing on this list. If you don’t already, learn to love yourself this year! It’s the best feeling anyone can have (trust me) and if you didn’t notice, all of the things previously listed in some way or another are steps that I took on my journey of self love. So above all other things this new year, if you take a single thing from this list, this is the one that I strongly recommend.