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A Different Kind of New Year's Resolution

Some people love making New Year’s resolutions. But for others, the process can lead to a cycle of setting a high bar goal, and if this goal isn’t met, they are left feeling like they failed. If setting resolutions and aiming to meet them is your thing, great! But for those who may not enjoy the traditional resolution-setting process as much, it might help to frame it as making lasting changes that are investments in your overall well-being, rather than setting a specific goal. The following are just a couple of ideas of different kinds of “resolutions” you can set for yourself as we enter the new year. Each one can have positive effects on your mental and physical health, ultimately impacting your overall well-being.

Set Healthy Boundaries

Being more intentional about how you spend your time and who you spend it with can be a healthy resolution to work on in the coming year. Being able to say no to doing things that do not feed your soul can open more time for you to be around people and do things that leave you feeling energized and inspired. Setting boundaries can also look like limiting the time spent on your phone or social media each week, giving you an opportunity to be more present in the moment.

Exercise Your Creative Brain More Often

For many of us, as we get busy with our everyday lives, we may not get the opportunity to engage in creative activities as much as we would like. Using the parts of our brains that light up when we do something creative can have many positive effects on our overall well-being. Whether it’s painting, writing, or crocheting, finding ways to incorporate more creativity into your life may be something to aim for in the coming year if it’s something you feel like has been missing.

Be Kinder to Yourself

Finally, we’ve probably all heard some variation of the phrase “If you wouldn’t say it to someone else, don’t say it to yourself”. Pay attention to the things you say to yourself, and see if there are times you can be nicer to yourself. Offering yourself some of the same compassion you give to others can have important impacts on many areas of your life, including your health and relationships. This can include doing things such as saying one nice thing to yourself a day, journaling, or keeping a gratitude list. Taking care of yourself also falls under this category, including working some self-care time into your routine and making it a priority.

Best wishes on any positive changes you may choose to make in the coming year!

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