Following yesterday’s New Year’s Beauty and Fashion Resolutions, I thought I’d share with you my Lifestyle Resolutions for this year. As I said yesterday, I’d rather make small resolutions every day of the year than huge ones at the start of the year that are overly-optimistic. It’s always good to keep in mind, though, things you want to achieve because it helps to keep you motivated and inspired. What better way to inspire me and to motivate me to carry out my New Year’s Resolutions than posting them online for the world to see?! These are things that I like to think of each day, and maybe they’ll inspire some of you to do the same. I hope you enjoy reading! 🙂
1. Take each day as it comes : I think a lot of people are guilty of this – always thinking of tomorrow, next week, yesterday, last week instead of just living in the present. I’m always thinking of what I have to do next, places I’ve to go, something that I didn’t get done and something I want to do, it’s easy to forget sometimes that we’re living for today. Ultimately, the only day we are sure that we will have is today, we might as well make the most of it.
2. Try one new recipe a week : There must be about fifteen cookbooks sitting neat and tidy on my book shelf untouched. When I first get them, I love reading them and trying out new things, but after a few weeks I’ve slipped back into making my usual breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I picked up Honestly Healthy on Amazon during the week and the recipes look delicious. I resolve to try at least one new recipe a week, whether it be a lentil stew or chocolate cupcakes.
3. Say yes : A generic New Year’s Resolution, I’d love to say ‘yes’ to more things. I always slip into the same old routine and hate stepping out of my comfort zone, but I believe that you regret the things you don’t do more than the things you do do.
4. Say no : As much as I want to say ‘yes’ to new opportunities and experiences, sometimes I take on more than I have time for and end up burned out as a result. Saying ‘no’ isn’t always a bad thing, I suppose.
5. Get outside : My house is warm, it has tea, it has internet, why would I ever go outside?! I’m not sure if I’m joking or being serious by saying that :’) In 2014 I want to actually use my gym membership, and go running once or twice a week. I always dread going, but when I come back I feel great and am glad I went. Exercising is one of the best mood-lifters – what more of a reason do I need?! I might just have to pick up some nice running gear though, it’s an essential, right?
6. Take time for myself : Sometimes it feels like I just have to blink and another week, or month, has passed. Taking a bit of time out once a week or once every two weeks to have a bath, light some candles, read a magazine and relax is something I never seem to make time for, although I don’t think it will be that hard of a resolution to stick to 😉
7. Do what makes me happy : I read the quote, ‘Find what makes you happy – and do more of it’, a while ago and it really had an impact on me. Sometimes happiness is as simple as having a cup of tea with a friend, or we all know the feeling that a new pair of shoes brings. If something doesn’t make me happy, I’m simply not going to do it. Unfortunately studying doesn’t make me happy, but I have to do it. When it comes to other things though, I’m just going to do what I enjoy and be with people that make me happy – life’s too short to spend it being unhappy, after all.
8. Blog every day : Blogging is my favourite thing to do – I’m addicted. Please tell me that I’m not the only one who feels this way? Is there a ‘Blog-aholics Anonymous’? I love blogging every day and am always thinking of new things to post and write about, so tying in with ‘do what makes me happy’, I am looking forward to 2014 being my first blogging year, and hopefully not the last.
9. Do something for someone else every day : Whether it be making a cup of tea, sending a nice text or just giving someone who needs it a hug, there’s no better feeling than doing something to make someone else feel happy.
10. Turn ‘I wish’ into ‘I will’ : There may be 100 reasons why something won’t work, but you only need 1 reason for it to work. You never know unless you try, I don’t want to spend my life saying ‘I wish’ and looking back in fifty years wondering ‘What could have happened if I tried?’ I’d rather live knowing that I tried and I failed, instead of not trying at all.
Apologies if this was extremely cheesy, I can’t help it sometimes :’) If you have any New Years Resolutions, please post them below! I’d love to hear them.
*Not until we are lost do we begin to find ourselves*