Although it’s not exactly the New Year, it’s still January and that means there’s still plenty of time to set goals that will help you make this year a good year. In fact, it’s better when you don’t start from the 1st Jan the same way that starting on a Monday usually causes you to lose motivation by the end of the week. If you start whenever, you just keep talking it day by day.
New Year's resolutions are personal to you so that’s not what this post is about. This post is about what habits you can start (if you’re not already doing them) to have a happier and healthier year.
1. Socialise - As we get older, we tend to make less time for our friends as we get into a mundane routine. Only when you reach emotional turmoil, do you remember how much you need your friends. Equally, we are social creatures, so it helps to have people around you that you can talk to.
Make time for you and your friends every week if you can. This could be a phone call, a game night, going to the pub, going for a meal, etc. whatever you and your friends enjoy. You don’t need to see all of them every week but try to have one social date once a week.
If you don’t have people you can go out with, it’s worth taking to social media (often Facebook) and searching for groups in your local area. There may be events at a local church or community centre. You could even post a question asking what social clubs are happening in your area. It’s difficult to meet new people as you get older but where there’s a will, there’s a way.
2. Exercise - Regular exercise not only keeps your body in good shape but also your mind. I couldn’t believe how much my anxiety improved when I started doing fifteen minutes of exercise a day. We all have time for it; it’s mostly the motivation that’s lacking. Set yourself a really achievable goal. If you don’t do any exercise, then start with five minutes a day, perhaps just a series of stretches.
Personally, I find it helpful to write down the goals or exercise along with a game that will be an indicator of achieving something. Just remembering to do the exercise usually isn’t enough for me to actually do it. I’m someone who’s motivated by achieving something or ticking it off a list, which is why I prefer Ring Fit. It is responsive and encourages you to carry on with reps and different exercises. It’s great, but we all have different ways we like to achieve exercise goals.
3. Cook freshly - This one can be tricky as it needs careful planning in order not to be too expensive. The idea behind this is to make sure you have enough variety in your diet and that you aren’t eating too much processed food. The busier life gets, and the more expensive it gets, we look for the quickest and cheapest options for food. The issue with that, is that we usually end up feeling worse.
There are different meal planning apps and cookbooks that offer quick/easy/affordable meals but they are only affordable if you plan to use up the ingredients in different portions. You can save money and waste by buying food from the frozen section such as meats and vegetables. That way they can last a long time and you can cook smaller portions freshly. Equally, if you want to cook a big portion (say of a sauce), you can freeze them in smaller portions which means you have quick options of ready made food that is healthy.
4. Make Time for a Hobby - Hobbies are important for our mental health. We get a chance to do something we love, periodically. We get to meet people who have the same interests and we get to enjoy a part of life doing the things we love, not thinking about financial freedom. Some hobbies can be expensive (like horse riding) but others can be free (like hiking). Make a list of the different things you like to do and dedicate some time every week to do them.
5. Goal Set - One of the best ways to make sure you have a great year is to keep setting yourself goals (achievable ones). Seeing them everyday will encourage you to take the steps you need to reach them. If you want to save up £5000, you’ll calculate how much you need to put aside each month so that by the end of the year you can do it. You may even start a side hustle to reach that goal quicker. Goals give you something to work towards and they help you stay motivated. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you achieved one of your dreams.