New Year’s Resolutions You Won’t Regret

The earliest recorded traditions of New Year’s celebrations date to the ancient Babylonians around 400 BC. According to historical records, the Babylonians would set positive goals in order to please the gods. Today, over 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions nearly every year on everything from spending more time with family and friends to making better financial decisions to getting in shape. A resolution can have a profound impact on your life, but only if you stick to it. Here are some New Year’s resolutions that you won’t regret, and some tips about how to stay on track with your new goals.

Find A New Hobby
Discovering something new that you enjoy can expand your personal horizons. A new hobby can exercise your brain and keep you personally engaged. So whether it’s taking up photography, writing down your life story or learning Mahjong, start the new year off by exploring a new hobby. If you’re unsure what you’d like to do, the journey to discover a new hobby can be an adventure in itself.

Call A Friend
Is there someone out there whom you haven’t spoken to in awhile? Perhaps there is a distant relative or forgotten friend who is lonely and could use a conversation with a willing listener. Reconnecting with someone from the past is a resolution that that can have a positive impact on your life as well as someone else’s. This year, make a resolution to reach out to someone. All it takes is one phone call or email to start.

Connect With Nature
The world is a beautiful place, and taking some time to simply stop and connect with nature can boost your emotional well-being and positively impact your health. It can be as simple as taking a short walk around the block and enjoying the sunshine, or sitting on a bench and watching the birds flit from tree to tree. Nature can be enjoyed indoors as well, by tending to plants or bird watching at a window birdfeeder.  Finding joy in the beauty and simplicity of nature can bring more calm, peace and happiness to your life.

Pay It Forward
Aesop said, “No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” In today’s often harsh world, kindness cannot be overrated. And it doesn’t take much to do something small for someone else. Perhaps it’s as small as lending a book to an acquaintance or making a point to acknowledge and thank someone you often take for granted. No matter the size of the gesture, an act of kindness can make someone else’s day and may be remembered for years to come. So this year, consider making a resolution to pay it forward with a random act of kindness every week.

Read For Happiness
Studies have shown that reading a book can actually make you happier. A book can broaden your mental, emotional and spiritual horizons, and a good story is something that will stay with you for a lifetime. From a captivating autobiography to a collection of silly jokes, reading is the gift to yourself that can keep on giving. Books can also present an opportunity to connect with friends to get (or give) reading recommendations and to review and discuss the story.

Practice Forgiveness
Anger and bitterness are emotions that affect most people at some point in their lives, but these feelings can often leave people struggling to live a joyful life. Try to resist getting drawn into petty debates, and stay focused on what is truly most important to you. By working on being more self-aware, you may find you are less likely to sweat the small stuff.

Keep Your Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions can be tough to keep, which is why many people start with new ones every year. But, by being diligent and self-aware, you’ll find it easier to stay on track. Here are some helpful tips:

Make very small goals.

Focus on changing only one behavior at a time.

Write down your resolutions and stick them somewhere you’ll see them frequently, like your bathroom mirror.

If you get off track, accept the setback and recommit to your goal.

Don’t stop trying.

One of the best ways to maintain resolutions is get support from friends. Sharing your progress (and setbacks) and discussing your feelings can help you meet your goals. Plush Mills Senior Living offers a supportive community lifestyle that is designed to enhance your creativity, intellect and health with opportunities to build new and positive relationships. Let us help you maintain your 2018 resolutions! Contact us to schedule a tour and learn more about the benefits of community living at Plush Mills.