…time to make resolutions
After a year of uncertainty and loss, it is natural to be hesitant about making New Year’s Resolutions for 2021 but jotting down a few small and attainable goals can help provide a sense of purpose and improve our wellbeing.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that many of us are where we are in our lives because of the choices we made.
Instead of being able to distract ourselves or pursue constant development, self-isolation, social distancing and lockdowns have given most of us a grave reality check.
Maybe you were one of the fortunate ones to embrace the sudden change in the world by implementing positive improvements in your own life and in experiencing personal growth.
But if not, there is still time, as the globe is still in the depths of coping with the pandemic. Furthermore, many believe that some of the changes the world has experienced lately may somewhat remain in place for a while but let us look at this in the best way possible.
Along with the pandemic, we have learned the importance of our own health and mental well-being. We are now much more aware of time and how we spend it and our relationships and who we most value being with. Many of us have learned how to enjoy being alone and have discovered new resources for spending quality time with and without others.
But if you are one of those who feel that they did not experience a spiritual awakening or deep revelations and feel that this past year was a waste of time and opportunities, then, do not fret as we are still experiencing an era of solitude and social distancing, and thus improving our health and increasing our consciousness can continue.
Let us embrace the situations we find ourselves in and be inspired to make meaningful changes in our lives, which do not have to be dictated by the global pandemic, but instead by our own will and intentions.
Every year, people all over the world make New Year’s resolutions, which are promises to themselves which they aim to keep in the days or year to come. The most popular resolutions worldwide and for years have involved walking down the aisle, saving money, quitting a bad habit and gaining a good one, and this year is no different.
Thus, the following are a series of suggested, yet realistic New Year’s Resolutions to make 2021 a great year.
Eat healthier:
Funnily enough, the pandemic has made this resolution much easier for some of us. As eating out became very impossible during the lockdown, many of us, especially me,(who went back to my cooking hobby) will attest to having acquired kitchen skills over the past year.
You can start taking a lot of meals that could boost your immunity, such as vegetables, fruits etc.COVID-19 has made many resort to vitamin boosting foods. If you have not started, simply begin by ensuring you drink the recommended amount of water you need each day.
Exercise more:
Whether you have embraced the virtual workout movement yet or not, most people in the world have begun walking more if not just to avoid crowded public transportation. There are plenty of exercises to do; strengthening the core Parts of the body is believed to reduce stress, yoga is a good practice for both body and mind and dancing is just fun.
You must not necessarily visit the gym daily, you can exercise at the comfort of your homes because, many Apps have been made available online to help you do that. Why not make exercise an important part of your “new normal” this 2021?
Save money:
No doubt, 2020 was a tough financial year for many throughout the globe. However, if there is one positive aspect to social distancing and self-isolation it is that most of us spent less than we ever did on external entertainment. The best way to save money is to be aware of what you are spending by making note of expenditures to analyze in which areas you can cut costs.
Why not gift yourself a journal or install a cost-cutting app as a New Year’s present to your wallet? Invest that money you think you have in the bank into something legit that will fetch you more money. My mentor will always tell me that, ‘Mercy, the amount of money you have in the bank does not make you wealthy. The number of investments is what defines you as being wealthy’.
Learn something new:
Another positive aspect of the pandemic is the present widespread opportunities to embark on virtual learning. Whether you choose to learn a new language or an artistic skill, the means by which to do so are now widely available online. There is nothing you want to learn that is not on YouTube.
We also now have more time to read and this does not necessarily need to mean holding an actual book. Most books are now available in audio versions, and informative podcasts are another entertaining way to learn more. But with all this quiet time on our hands, why not try to find “a reason for being”.
This refers to the concept of combining what you love to do and are good at with what the world needs and what you can get paid for.
If you are not there yet, then consider this as the ultimate time for some soul searching and try to find out what it is you are passionate about to create happiness, longevity and prosperity in your life.
Say goodbye to bad habits and welcome the good:
We all know what our own personal vices are, the bad habits we tolerated in ourselves believing they served as coping mechanisms for a demanding and stressful world. Why not try to put an end to those things that bring us down as the excuse that our normal lives necessitate them no longer works.
Granted your life may be more stressful now than ever, in which case there is no need to add any more to your plate. Or, you may just have that extra alone time in which to deal with your demons in other ways. If smoking is your catalyst to calm, then know that studies show that smokers have higher stress levels than those who do not. There is no better time than now to quit.
If the pandemic has taught us anything it is the importance of being able to breathe deeply. Why not switch even your smoking or negative habits, which could be laziness, gossiping, or obsessing over social media to a more positive practice such as looking for positive alternatives? January 2020 has ended; February could be the best time ever to establish a project to follow rightly this year.
Try your best to get organized, such as setting good goals and habit and then, putting them to practice. You can achieve whatever you want to do in any part of the world you are in, so far you are focused. Do not be distracted with the fact that the pandemic hampered your plans last year, there were many people like you who achieved more than their goals that same year. Make February better, if you have missed January already.
The benefits of actively being grateful for all that you do have in your life could be one of the best life hacks in the world. Take a mental note of or write down all the things you are grateful for right now.
Not only will it make you aware of all the wonderment that do indeed exist around you and thus feel more positive, but it also may encourage others such as paying it forward, which is yet another way to improve your own and others’ entire outlook on life.
