The new year is fast approaching, so it’s time to reflect on the changes you need or want to make, and set your new year’s resolutions. We often set New Year’s resolutions that are extreme and beyond our reach, and then say that the year isn’t happy and successful. You can actually do better… and you can feel better in 2015! We all live in a world driven by technology. We can’t spend an hour without our phones, we spend days and nights on social media, and the urge to do something all the time exhausts us and makes us unhappy. Take a look at the list of 5 New Year’s resolutions that will change your life in 2015.
1. Set boundaries
No matter how busy you are, you need a little bit of peace and quiet each day. Stop checking your email each evening, turn off your phone for at least two hours, and spend some quality time with your family or enjoy some me time. Don’t allow your coworkers and boss to reach you during the evening and weekend hours. Many of us have a habit of being always available and it do us more harm than good. Break this habit in the new year. Moreover, you should set social media boundaries. It’s tempting to keep everyone in the loop of your actions, but I believe life offline is much more interesting.
2. Live each day more mindfully
Every day you rush home, thinking about your household chores and other less important things to do. You are constantly moaning about lack of time and you often go to bed worn out and wake up feeling stressed or irritable. It’s not a happy and healthy lifestyle. You might be busy, yes, but it doesn’t mean that you should take more responsibilities than you can tackle. Having too many responsibilities leads to stress, anxiety and even depression. In the new year, learn how to live each day more mindfully. Take short breaks between your work life and home life to feel healthier and happier. Cultivating mindfulness will help you be more productive during the day, reach your goals and enjoy your life to the fullest.
3. Read books
Maybe this resolution sounds crazy, but it will help you to have a happier year. The study shows that reading a good book for at least 6 minutes a day helps reduce stress. The thing is, reading helps to slow down, relax, and lose yourself in your imagination. You forget about your troubles and problems, and you learn something new each day. Reading is good for your brain as well as your overall health. Aim to read a good and useful book for about 20 minutes a day and be sure to avoid using your e-reader. If you have trouble falling asleep, reading your favorite book right before bed may help you to get a better sleep.
4. Smile
There are so many reasons to smile more every minute in your life that you have no excuse not to smile right now. I believe happy people choose happiness and only you decide whether to smile or to cry today. Whenever you are in a bad mood, try to smile and do it sincerely. Smiling releases endorphins that help boost mood and fight stress. Believe it or not, your smile can do wonders, even in the most difficult times, and it can help you stay positive and happy no matter what.
Read also – Happiness Is So Elusive Like a Butterfly
5. Eat healthy and exercise regularly
I’m not telling you to start eating those leafy greens every hour on the hour. And I’m not telling you to spend hours in the gym. I just want you to understand that you should make healthier food choices and move more in order to live a longer life. Everyone wants to live longer, but what we do to make this dream come true? Nothing. Sometimes we are too busy to do morning exercises or simply take the stairs instead of the elevator. We skip meals and make unhealthy snack choices. In 2015, make a habit of eating healthier and exercising regularly. If exercise is not your thing, consider taking a dance class or swimming. This New Year’s resolution will definitely change your life for the better.
Each new year we set grand resolutions, vowing to eat healthy, exercise regularly, get a promotion, buy a house or a car, travel more and work less, but we often fail since we make unrealistic resolutions. Set smaller goals that you can really stick to and you will live a happier and longer life with little effort. What are your New Year’s resolutions?