Collaborative post
2020 has gone. It was a terrible year for many, and we can now put it behind us. We are now in the first few weeks of the new year, and there are hopes that it will be a better year. It surely can’t be any worse, though even if there are problems ahead, we can still start the new year on the right footing. By doing so, we can lift our spirits now, pre-empt any potential disasters, and improve our chances of a happy and healthy 2021.
So, let’s make this year the best year ever. Here are just a few of the things that you might want to focus on over the next few days and weeks.
#1: Decide to live healthier
Have you written your new year resolutions yet? If not, crack on with it now, and concentrate on some of those things that will improve your health. However, when writing your health resolutions, include a few actionable steps. These will help you achieve your goals, so think about the things you will need to do to see your health goals to fruition.
So, if your aim is to lose weight, for example, consider what you might need to do to achieve this goal. What exercises will you need to do? Where will you fit exercise into your schedule? And if your aim is to give up a bad habit, consider how you will achieve this. Who can you ask for help? What can you do to distract yourself from the bad habit? Think about such questions for all of your health goals, and make an action plan. Do this now, and you will get yourself off to a good start.
#2: Declutter your home
The new year is always a good time for a decluttering session, as many of us will invariably have more possessions than we did before the festive season. From presents that have been gifted to us to items that have been bought specifically for Christmas, it might be that your living space now looks a lot smaller.
So, give your home a fresh start by creating a tidier living space. As the saying goes, out with the old and in with the new! Sell, recycle, or donate any items you don’t need anymore, and perhaps use a house clearance service to make life easier for yourself. Add more storage too, be that through storage furniture or by adding more shelving and cupboards to your home, as this is another way to deal with your clutter.
#3: Consider how you might reach your financial goals
To meet your financial goals, you might have to make a few changes. You might need to do more to save money each month, for example, and you might need to find ways to make more money. So, think about your financial future, and consider those steps you can take now to reach your financial goals.
You might want to switch utility and insurance providers and look into other ways in which you can save money on your monthly bills. You might want to give up your bad spending habits too, perhaps by cutting up one or more of your credit cards. This might also be the year in which you find ways to dig yourself out of debt, with or without the help of a debt relief charity. And if you are looking to increase your income, you might want to research ways to make extra cash.
So, think about your financial goals, and then create an action plan of things you need to do now to attain them.
#4: Consider what you want to achieve this year
What would you like to do this year? Think about all of those things that will make you happier and bring you greater fulfilment, list them, and create an action plan to ensure your plans can become a reality.
So, you might want to learn a new skill, for example. Or you might want to travel somewhere new, especially if 2020 curtailed your travel plans. There might be home improvements you want to make too, or college courses that you want to take to further your career. These are just a few ideas, but you will probably have a few of their own. If you’re going to achieve them, you will need to spend time considering how to move forward with your plans, so dream dreams and then plan to turn them into a reality.
#5: Reconnect with people you haven’t spoken to in a while
We meet all kinds of people in life, and some of them drift away, despite the potential for stronger friendships. So, think about the people you haven’t connected to in a while and get in touch with them. This is better than waiting for them to get in touch first, as it will mitigate the chances of you growing more and more distant.
So, it might be that you get in touch with old school and college friends. Or it might be that you get in touch with family members that you haven’t spoken to in an age. By getting in touch with them now, whoever it is, you will restore relationships, and build those bonds that may have been broken in years past.
#6: Forgive and ask for forgiveness
If you know you have hurt somebody, now might be the time to make amends with them. By doing so, you will start the year with a better conscience, and you might do much to improve the life of the person you have wounded. So, ask for forgiveness, and be sincere, as this will benefit both of you. And then forgive those who have hurt you. This isn’t always easy, we know, but even if you don’t intend to see them again, you might still feel at peace if you can resolve your hurts internally.
By taking both of these steps, you will start the year with a better mindset, one that isn’t riddled with guilt, and one that isn’t taken up with thoughts of anger, hate, and revenge.
#7: Focus on the things you are grateful for
At the start of the new year, it is easy to dwell on the things that get us down. We need only switch on the news to get a handle on the doom and gloom that exists globally, and we need only consider the ways in which our lives haven’t gone according to plan. When we consume ourselves with these things, we can start to feel depressed and anxious, and this is no way to start the new year.
Life isn’t perfect, but there are bound to be things in your life that are good. Think on such things, and start the new year with feelings of gladness and optimism. Focus on all of the things that you are grateful for, as these will fuel a positive mindset for the start of the new year. And for those aspects of your life that you might negatively dwell on? Turn your thoughts around, and consider where improvements can be made. By acting upon them instead of dwelling upon them, you will improve your mindset and increase your chances of a happier year.
We don’t know what the new year will hold, but if you start it on the right footing, you might find greater degrees of health and happiness. So, follow our suggestions, and with hope and optimism, begin the new year the right way.