Do you believe in New Year’s Resolutions?  Have you made any this year?  Although September has always felt more like the beginning of the year to me, each January I, like many, am energized by the allure of a fresh start and attempt to set two goals for the coming year.  This year I’m trying to cut artificial sugar and read a book every month.  I feel better when I eat healthier (I know, what a shocker!) and I often find myself forgetting just how much I truly love reading – plus, I find my writing flows more naturally after I’ve been reading.

 

However, I know many friends and family aren’t big on the concept of making resolutions so when I came across a post by London-based writer Dolly Alderton suggesting nine simple changes – life hacks, if you will – I was instantly inspired.  I loved many of them so much I felt compelled to share.  My favorites are:

* Always carry a book in your bag. Trains will be delayed, post office queues will be long; you’ll be able to rattle through a book a week if you fill dead time with reading rather than scrolling through Instagram.

 

* Ask what a word means if you don’t understand it – no one will think you’re stupid, they’ll think you’re curious. Write it down and use it three times in one week – then it’s officially yours. Here are some really tasty ones I’ve learnt this year: capricious, crepuscular, venery, verdant, anathema, rodomontade.

 

* Use bath oil. And a nice, proper one too. Spend money on it. We always spend money on the things we never use, like those killer heels we can’t walk in or that be-jewelled, be-feathered party dress. It’s so much more indulgent to spend money on every day, boring things, because then you’ll get a big, delicious bite of self-care every single day. So, yes, buy a good bin. And light a beautiful candle before bed. Screw the satin stilettos, spend money on a radio that never crackles. Go full Marie Antoinette and refuse to get in a bath unless it’s got silky streaks of golden Morrocan Rose oil floating on its surface. THAT’S money well spent.

I was also simultaneously soothed and inspired by a comment left by Ashlee on this blog post by A Cup Of Jo (the post through which I discovered the nine everyday changes link above):

Be Mindful //Be mindful of what goes in and on my body. Use natural products when possible. Eat healthy more often. Be mindful of digital media consumption (social, news, platforms, negativity). Disengage and disconnect. Be mindful of where money goes. Be mindful of different views and lifestyles/opinions.

Give More, More Often //Donate clothes. Donate to the animal shelter. Tip more generously. Give more time to great causes and passions and less on things that don’t matter. Give more effort at work. Give more hugs to family. Give more time to self care. Just give more…

Be Positive and Solution Oriented //Nag less. Cry less. Complain less. Fight less. Solve more. Do more. Let go more often. Find the silver linings.

Be Student Loan & Debt Free by 2018 //Continue down the road to financial freedom through hard work, a solid budget, and mindful spending/saving.

Get to the Gym //No pressure to lose X pounds. No pressure to run X miles for X minutes. Just get to gym and start. Do what feels right for your body. Fight the mental battles. Just get there.

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Beautiful wisdom, don’t you think?  

 

Finally, no matter if you believe in New Year’s Resolutions or not, you can always support your friends and family in theirs: