New Year's Resolutions to Take Into 2022

The last two years have been a lot, for many people.  Between illness and loss of jobs, you may be looking for something more than a new diet or fitness routine.  As we get ready to ring in another new year, we wanted to share some simple resolutions that you can make in 2022 to start a better-for-you lifestyle! 

Build An Attainable Budget 

If there is one resolution that can set you up for success in 2022, it is building an attainable budget.  Saving money is going to help you the most with any long-term goals…down payment on a house or car, vacation, or even next year’s Holiday spending!  The most important thing to remember is to make a budget that you can stick to and outline how you’ll stick to it.  There are a ton of apps out there that will help you do this as painlessly as possible. 

Try A New Recipe Once A Week

Want to expand your culinary library?  Cook something new each week.  There are a ton of easy dinner recipes on the internet for you to choose from!  Everyone vows to eat healthier in the new year but this will also add some diversity to your palette! 

Create A Cleaning Schedule That You Will Stick To

Keeping your home clean throughout the week can seem impossible…especially when you have kids or pets! Keeping your house neat and clean doesn’t need to take up endless hours of time or our weekends anymore!  Checkout these printable checklists from mom4real.com HERE! 

Exercise Your Brain

Want to hold off cognitive decline this year?  Playing games can help curb the decline and negative feelings! Playing games such as sudoku, crosswords, puzzles and more can help manage stress and anxiety, as well as boost happiness endorphins at the same time.  Take a look at 9 Brain and Brain Training websites HERE. 

Take The Stairs

A recent study that was published in Physiology & Behavior found that those who climbed the stairs, in their office or home, for 10 minutes got a bigger energy boost than those who had the caffeine equivalent of a can of soda or half a cup of coffee (and burned calories too!)

Listen to Audiobooks While Working Out

Instead of listening to the same workout playlist over and over, find an audiobook to listen to.  Those that worked out while listening to an audiobook hit the gym 51% more often than those who didn’t, per a study in Management Science.  

Plan A Vacation

Researchers have found that even thinking about an upcoming vaca with family or friends can boost your happiness for weeks!  When you feel like it’s safe to do so book a weekend away or a weeklong getaway!

Drink Your Water

We all know we need to drink more H2O — but it's especially important when you get only six hours of sleep (or less!). You’re more likely to be dehydrated the day after a disrupted night of sleep.  So down some extra water on those days if you can — and remember that too much water can be tricky for your gut, too.

Explore New Hobbies

Don’t sleep in on the weekends!  Get out and find a new hobby - whatever feels fun and exciting!   That may be tapping into painting classes, a cooking class, dancing classes…the possibilities are endless. 

Do One Thing At A Time

Mindfulness expert Pedram Shojai says “If your focus is fragmented, you’ll likely find yourself getting anxious as new items come up when old ones aren’t complete.”  He suggests organizing your activities into chunks of time, such as kid time, work time, and then commit to being focused in those allocated minutes and see what happens! This method will help you stop overthinking everything.

Volunteer Regularly

Giving back on the regular helps jumpstart a long-term personal commitment.  Research also shows that volunteering regularly can lead to less stress and lower blood pressure.  Find somewhere that has a mission that fuels a passion for your giveback.  It doesn’t have to be every week, it could be once a month or quarter but you will feel your health and happiness improve instantly! 

Give Yourself More Compliments

Positive self-talk can help all of us focus on what’s good in our life at that moment.  Research shows that a little vitamin G can make you feel happier, more satisfied and even improve your sleep.  Find an affirmation related to your gratitude and repeat it in the morning, you are more likely to feel happier and grateful throughout the day.  Need help finding an affirmation?  Look HERE. 

Source ::: www.goodhousekeeping.com