Well, it’s that time of year—again. You can either dread it or embrace it, but either way, it’s gonna happen. When you return to work in early January, you’re going to be bombarded from the north, south, east, and west by the most famous question of all. Be prepared to hear, about a gazillion times, from friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers alike,
“So, what are your New Year’s resolutions for 2019?”
Just so you won’t be caught off guard, here are ten resolutions that are doable, straightforward, and won’t make you groan with dread as you read them. They’re positive, fun, and upbeat. What’s more, you’ll reap enormous benefits the very second you adopt them—no waiting required!
1. Commit to being good to yourself. This first one’s easy to agree with (as in “Duh,” I already know that), and then to summarily dismiss. But instead, it’s important to stop and think about what I’m suggesting here. There’s no one in this world who’s more important to you—than you! So make a commitment to act that way. Become your own best friend, personal advocate, cheerleader, fitness coach, nutrition counselor, and body guard.
2. Sub out positive words for negative ones in your daily interactions. For instance, quit saying, “I’m totally envious,” or “I’m soooo jealous,” when something nice happens to a friend or colleague—even when you’re joking, which I assume you always are. Instead, say, “I’m so happy for you!” or “I’m so excited to hear about your success!” For starters, you’ll sound much more agreeable and supportive, but there’s also a more subtle, psychological reason: your brain is always “listening” to what you’re thinking and saying, and you’ll actually experience more joy and optimism within yourself by speaking to others approvingly and enthusiastically.
3. Any time someone (your doctor’s office, your roommate, or your co-worker) offers you water, say yes and drink it. Chances are, you can probably use it. It’s almost impossible to become over-hydrated.
4. Call your mother. She misses you. And if you don’t have a mother, call someone (or everyone) you love. And then tell them, even if you’re unaccustomed to saying so. Wonderful things can happen when you say, “I love you”—even to your accountant or your dentist (just ask my accountant and my dentist!).
5. Plan tomorrow, today (or tonight). Before you go to bed, spend a little time thinking about tomorrow. What actually needs to be done? What do you want to accomplish? And what will make you feel most satisfied if you tackle it? Make a list, and you’ll be ready to hit the ground running the next morning.
6. When your alarm goes off, get up. Yep. I mean it. Literally stand up as you hit the off button on your smartphone or alarm clock. No snooze buttons, no lying there to “think about something” (what a ruse!), no snuggling back down under the duvet, no excuses. I presume you set your alarm for a good reason, so just get on with it. I’ve been practicing this habit since college, and it’s one of my very favorite personal time management tools. (By the way, I’m no angel. I also “sleep in” on my days off, and it feels like a total luxury!)
7. Go to bed on time. Whatever “on time” is, stick to it. You already know about the importance of sleep (hello, ten thousand articles about sleep in every magazine and newspaper on the planet), but guess what? Your body and brain also prefer consistency in your wakefulness/sleep cycles. The research is extensive on this topic, and it’s indisputable: you must not only have around 8 to 9 hours of sleep for each 24 hours of wakefulness, but it’s essential to schedule your zzz-time as consistently as possible, given our crazy, 21st century schedules. Select whatever time you think is doable, and then aim for it each night.
8. Don’t take it all too seriously. Why? Because really, it’s not. No matter how important you think you are.
9. Develop some empathy and compassion. No, wait. Develop a ton of empathy and compassion. For all others, no matter who they are, what language they speak, what country they come from, what religion they practice, or what ethnicity they represent. And while you’re at it, develop some empathy and compassion for yourself, too. We all need it—now more than ever.
10. 10. Listen more than you speak. Even if you fill the role of parent, teacher, favorite aunt, or CEO, just be quiet for a while (possibly a long while), and let others do the talking. You’ll learn so much about all sorts of things—not only about the thoughts, feelings, wishes, desires, hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the people around you, but about yourself, as well!
May 2019 bring all good things to you and your loved ones. Thanks, from my heart, for being a subscriber and/or follower, and I look forward to hearing from you in this shiny, sparkly new year! Contact me any time at denisemdudley.com.