Here are 10 ideas to inspire you to become your next best self. New Year New You means taking new action! Creating change in your life is not easy, but these ten tips come from what changed my life for the better.
These come from my experiences in what keeps me sane, moving forward, and most importantly, kept me from giving up. Learn from them, and make your own New Year’s resolutions.
1. Give yourself a little more love.
A quote I read once went something like this:
“Write down a list of 50 things you love…how long would it take for you to write yourself?”
Our society, and most people in it, is very external focused. Very rarely do we take time for our precious selves. We LOVE other people: our friends and family, and we do so much for them. How often do we do things for us?
Do something for yourself at least every week. Whether its having your favorite meal, reading your favorite book, meditating, or simply telling yourself how awesome you are…this stuff is important.
We’re often pulled in many directions by many people, it can drive us crazy. Every now and then, shake off their grip and say: “sure, but first I’m going to do X for me.”
Or, simply say “no” if you want to.
2. Take the first 10 minutes of your morning to do something for your long term health you enjoy.
Following #1, one of the best times to get your self-love in is first thing in the morning. Your brain is still in a less-excited (less stressed) brain wave state, and something like a walk outside or simply giving yourself a great big hug can get your day started in a positive way.
Need some ideas for this one? No worries, I got you:
- Go for a walk or run outside.
- Get in as many sets of pushups, situps, squats, bridges, and pullups as you can.
- Meditate
- Have your favorite tea, smoothie, or coffee.
- Look at yourself in the mirror, seeing and accepting who you are, and acknowldging you’re working to get where you want to be.
3. Stop criticizing and telling others what they “should” or “shouldn’t” do.
Do you like it when rules are enforced upon you? No one does…but many people like to be the ones dictating what the rules are.
To be that person, you have to put a lot of energy knowing and remembering what the rules are, and then even more energy enforcing your made-up rules. Telling other people what they should do, what they shouldn’t do, is basically imposing YOUR rules on THEIR life.
Its not worth your energy.
You know,
Imagine how you would be if this part of you was replaced with someone who simply accepted other people the way they are, realizing that there is no right and wrong way to be…just preferences.
4. Give away some things.
Its amazing the perspective one gains after living out of two backpacks for a year and a half. Everthing I need, I carry. Except for food, all the clothes, electronics, and toiletries I need I carry with me. And I’ll tell you what….its not much.
With no place to store excess stuff, like a car or a house, the excess doesn’t build up. Most people are not this way.
I’m not calling you a hoarder (though I’ve met some people that come close!) all I’m saying is its so easy to unintentionally keep more and more things in our posession. Most of which we don’t use or even appreciate.
Lighten your load. It feels so good to hand off two big duffel bags of clothes, towels, and other unused items to Goodwill. Or get rid of it on Craigslist.
Having less things to have to keep track of and move with you wherever you go is a great load off the mind, trust me 🙂
5. Expand your physical perimeter.
We automatically say “no” and disreguard so many things that might actually benefit us in the long run. Getting past that mental wall is no easy task, but traveling to a distant land unlike yours is a great way to start.
Traveling broke the walls of my physical comfort zone. My first trip (to Bolivia) “opened the floodgates” so-to-speak to me wanting more out of life. No longer will I sit comfortably with what I have knowing I can do so much more.
I never thought I’d go to Bolivia of all places, yet I’m so glad I did. There is so much to see in that beautiful country, and I never would have seen it had I not gone.
6. Expand your mental perimeter.
Read books, go travel and meet others who are way outside your social circle and see how other people live and how they think. You just might be influenced to bring some of their thought habits into your life.
This one gets easier with time. Many of us are “stuck in our ways” for better or worse. You have an infinite list of options for how to respond to any situation, yet don’t you find yourself acting the same way over and over again?
Very often that is because of our beliefs and what we think we and other people are “supposed to do” in life, in work, for fun, etc. If there is any part of you that thinks things could be better, why not try on a new belief for a change?
7. Select your friends and be okay letting people fade away.
Find your true friends. Choose the people who would choose you. Stay with them, and be okay letting the others fade away.
With just a handful of close friends you’ll find its easier to give to them and easier to receive from them. This reciprocal give-and-take is what deepens relationships over time, and its even better when you can look back over the past 5 years and see how far you’ve both come.
Some people say to “live so there’s standing room only at your funeral,” but that doesn’t allow much room for depth. Its like turning your life into one big party where you’re the host. You can’t possibly chat with evryone and get to know the friends they brough over, you’re too busy making sure things stay in line and getting a few words in with the friends you consider close.
Living this way can drain your energy so quickly, its not worth it in the end.
8. Step up.
Your life is up to YOU to make happen. If you don’t navigate yourself where you want to go, someone else will steer you where THEY want you to go.
Realize that anything you want in life, YOU are responsible to go get it. Equally important, anything you DON’T want in life, you’re also responsible for staying away from it.
What in your life would you like to be different? What can you do today to start making that dream a reality? (Pro tip: Googling “How to…” is a great place to start.)
No one is going to hold your hand to get there. No one is going to invite you along a pretty yellow brick road leading to exactly what you want. YOU have to get after it.
I know you want more from life or you wouln’t have read this far.
Where do you start?
- Know what you want.
- Know what you don’t want.
- Look for breadcrumbs left by others before you. (Books, blogs, videos.)
- Take your first step, then repeat #1.
- Repeat all steps until you’ve got what you want.
9. Have a side project
A passion project or side huslte can attract you to the future and is a better way to spend your precious time than sitting on the couch watching TV.
This isn’t “productivity” in the sense of “I’m working on somehting I dont’ really want to be doing.”
No.
This is putting your time and energy into something you enjoy that will bring you even more joy when its done. Trust me its worth it.
Can you delay gratification? Can you work at something you know is going to take a year to complete?
Imagine yourself a year from now having something you built over the past year.It could be anything from a business to a handmade chair. Can you imagine the feeling of accomplishment?
The time is going to pass anyway. Where would you rather be in a year? With the same idea of a better life (or chair!), or actually living that better life?
10. Think about what you think about.
This ia a BIG one.
Self reflection is key to growing into the ideal version of yourself that you envision.
Do you like the way you act? Do you like the way you think?
If you could flip a magic switch, is there something you would change about your mind?
Its so empowering to analyze yourself and say: “You know, I would like me better if I wasn’t so negative” and then actually making that change. Many people never think like this.
Our minds run our behaviors which define our lives. It would be wise to put some time back into your mind to better it as the years go on. Being self-aware is one of the things that make us human after all. Let’s not let that go to waste.
Time to APPLY these.
Go ahead and find the best ways to apply these ideas in making your own New Years Resolutions. A new you is only going to happen this new year if you make it happen.
And you can! All you need is a little determination.
