The Only Two New Year’s Resolutions You Need

It’s that time of year when we look back on the departing year and make plans for the next. We are filled with hope and anticipation as well as uncertainty about what the future will bring. And in order to pretend that we have it under control, we make all kinds of New Year’s resolutions. Which is great. At least for a month. And then February rolls around and if your resolutions were half-hearted and repeated from previous years, chances are you are no longer in it to win it.

Why is that? I think, it’s because resolutions are just that – a manifesto of what you will do at some point in the future. When it comes to actually putting that manifesto to practice and in the now, that’s when we hit the bumps in the road. At that moment, in order to be successful, our resolutions have to become habits. And habits are not easy to develop, especially when your entire being is screaming against them (even though you know it’s highly recommended to eat well at all times and have a secure account with disposable money).

I am no exception when it comes to these things. In fact, last year I even decided not to make any resolutions because I did not believe in them.

But this year, since I have started writing (and writing is kind of an introspective activity, if you will), I thought long and hard: here it is, the end of the year, and I cannot get rid of the feeling that I am going round and round in circles with no clear accomplishment even though I think I know what I want in general terms. Sound familiar? As in many areas of life, in order for it to stick, it has to be somehow tangible, concrete. Since I have not been this serious about my goals in my life as I am this year, I’ve been scouring the internet for something that clicks and makes me say: “Heck yea, I can do this!” And because I have a feeling I am not the only one that is reflecting a lot these days, I want to share the goodies I find with you:)

And, before I move into that, I want to say: all I (you?) really need is just two things, which are, by the way, the hardest things to implement.

1. Stick to saving money

To have enough money is everyone’s dream, isn’t it? But can anyone tell me what is “enough money”? Taking a hard look at your bank account and your spending habits is not an easy feat. I, personally, prefer to be somewhat in the light but mostly in the dark about money. Because it’s easier, it has an element of surprise and is not boring. It’s like you’re walking a tightrope and wondering if you’re going to fall now or will last a little longer. But it is also tiring to be on constant edge because most of the time what you think you have and what you actually have are two different things. In addition, life happens and that can knock you off your feet pretty quickly.

But how do you save money for emergency, travel, or whatever it is you want to save up for?

Since I’ve tried all kinds of methods, I’ve become very picky because it seems that none of them fit my situation. However, I have come across a couple of really good solutions that are implementable and I would really like to share them with you in hopes that you will find them as useful as I did.

The Savings Challenge

Are you up for a challenge? A real one, I mean.  This article by Tasha from threfrugalfitgirl.com gives you ideas for saving money by the the week, by the month and by the amount. Tasha breaks down the pros and cons of each of the methods AND provides a printable for you to keep track of your good work. How awesome is that?

Money Mindset

If you are not much into regular challenges, you may want to look at saving money a different way.  Talking about positive mindset and intentional living is all the rage now. Well, the money aspect of your life is no different. Why do some people seem good with money and others, who we think should be ok, totally suck at it? It may be your money mindset at work and here is where the coach Brittany Marie from brittanymarie.biz comes in. She provides ideas and short videos as well as asks straightforward questions about how to best save and feel successful.

After I read through these two articles, I believe that saving (some) money is actually possible. Even for me:) Yes, it is a huge undertaking that will require more than one year to master. And since we all have to start somewhere, why not in 2017?

 

2. Take care of yourself

The second very important goal or habit for the coming year is taking care of yourself. I know, I already chimed about it in my post about stress. And I am aware that taking care of yourself means different things to different people. Nevertheless, it is something we know we should do but, especially women, always find excuses not to implement. Again, being specific and intentional are key.

How do you think you will accomplish your goal of taking care of yourself?

If you are a list maker like me, you may find it helpful to have a place to write your self-care activities and when you are going to do them and keep that list in a convenient location. After all, we’re just humans and forget why we started what we started.

The problem with writing things down, though, is that you probably write them on a piece of paper and then put it in a location where you think you’ll find it, but it somehow disappears…

A wonderful blog Hello Peaceful Mind to the rescue! Its author Julie writes about healthy mind and happy life and  shares some really good tips of how to take care of yourself. She even provides printables so you have no excuse of abandoning this awesome idea of taking care of yourself!:)

To get you going, here is a list of things you can do just for you this coming year; and even if you do just two or three of them, consider it an accomplishment:

1. Disconnect from social media at least once a week (yes, I’m talking to you over there!)

2. Take a bath with essential oils  to rejuvenate your body and soul

3. Read a book

4. Go see a concert

5. Watch a movie

6. Say “no” once in a while: to parties you’re not sure you want to attend, to stuff you don’t know where to use right away, to negative comments, you name it

7. Go for a walk

8. Spend time with animals

9. Sign up for a class that you have always wanted to take

10. Get a massage

So what do you think? Can you do this?

Yes, some of the above activities cost money, which may sound counterintuitive after the first goal that I mentioned earlier. But the two goals are not meant to go against each other; rather, they should complement each other.

After all, when you know your finances, you feel empowered to take action. And when you take care of yourself, you are doing a favor not only to yourself but to those around you as well.

Do you agree with the goals that I shared above?

What are your goals for the coming 2017?

Let me know in the comments below!