The New Year is here and for so many people, it’s time to make some New Year’s Resolutions to get your year off on the right foot. But, you don’t want to just make random resolutions that you’ll forget by February. So, here are 5 of our favorite New Years Resolutions.  Feel free to use any of these for yourself!

Get in Shape!

OK, this one is so incredibly obvious, But honestly, if you aren’t getting regular exercise already, there are few other resolutions that can have as positive an impact on your entire life. While we make the headline of this resolution simple, we actually suggest you get a bit more specific when you make your own resolution. What does ‘get in shape’ even mean?

Chances are it has a very different meaning for just about everyone. So, start off by deciding what you really want to accomplish. Are you trying to drop a good amount of weight? Maybe you have always dreamed of running a marathon. Your real goal could be more about improving your stress management and taking on an activity like Yoga could be part of your strategy.

Once you set a goal, consider how you will get there. It’s great to simply state that you want to lose 20 pounds, but if you don’ have an actual plan for how to go about it, you will have about as much success with your resolution as most people (let’s just say that most people don’t make much progress on their New Year’s Resolutions). 

So, set a realistic goal and then come up with a plan to make it happen. Do you need to join a gym? Start taking group fitness classes? Set up (or just start using) that home gym in your basement? Whatever it is, make a plan and then do it! We promise that you will enjoy the effects of adding more physical activity into your routine. 

Read More and Watch Less TV

We live in a world where we are inundated with video information and entertainment. We might have thought that having people cut the cord with cable might lead to less time watching the TV, but we have just shifted our attention to the many streaming channels that have sprung up to grab our attention. And, there is actually a lot of great content on TV these days (and by TV I mean local TV, Cable, Streaming, etc.).

It’s really something of a golden age for the medium. But, simply sitting in front of the TV for hours each day/evening probably isn’t the best way to spend your time. We’ve never heard anyone say they wish they had time to watch more TV. We’re also not saying you should just give up TV entirely. If that’s your jam, go for it! But, as we said previously, there is a ton of great content to watch on TV these days.

The idea is to be picky and watch the shows or movies that you really enjoy or find particularly informative. It’s easy to turn on the TV and just channel surf for hours, never really watching anything or eventually settling on something you don’t even care about. 

Instead, how about picking up a book? We’ll let you read it on a Kindle or iPad if that’s your preference, but actually reading a book can be a fantastic experience. Whether it’s purely for enjoyment (brain candy books are what we call them) or for education or self-improvement if you think there are a lot of shows to watch, wait until you realize how many books there are to read. If it’s been a while since you picked up a book, then what better way to kick off the New Year than to start a new one?

Start Cooking at Home More

Many of us already picked up on this habit over the last two years during the pandemic, but it shouldn’t be only by necessity. Cooking your own food can have a world of benefits, from saving you money (less eating out), to helping you get healthier (if you adopt a more nutritious diet).

But, whether you are cooking vegetarian meals or pure comfort food, the act of making it yourself can be a great experience. There may be some trial and error, but we bet that if you stick with it you might discover you like your own cooking better than a lot of restaurants (especially fast food). 

We’re not saying you shouldn’t ever eat out. But, by doing it a bit less you make the experience that much more special. Take some time in 2022 to become more familiar with your kitchen and get ready for some tasty results.

Save for Retirement

If you already contribute to a 401K or another retirement plan, consider upping your investment if possible, If you aren’t already putting money aside for retirement, then there will never be a better time to start. If you’re young (in your 20s) this is particularly important and honestly easy.

You have a long time to wait for retirement and that time can help multiply your investments by a huge amount, even if you start small. So, if you’re early in your career and haven’t really thought much about retirement, start saving immediately. Take advantage of your company’s 401K if they have one. If not, look into IRAs or other ways to put money aside for retirement. Even if you can only afford a little, do it now.  

If you’re further along toward retirement, don’t get into the mindset that it’s too late. Start saving anyway. What’s the downside? And, you may find it isn’t too late at all. 

Drink More Water

We figured we would end on an extremely easy one. Drink more water and less coffee, soda, tea, lemonade, or whatever else you tend to drink regularly, Increasing your H2O intake has numerous health benefits, like having better skin, recovering from workouts faster, and keeping your kidneys and urinary tract happy.

Now, you can overdo it, so get some idea of the right quantity of water that you should drink each day. But, simply replacing some of those other beverages with water is a great way to start.

Want some other benefits? Water is seriously less expensive than those daily coffees. Think of what you could do with that extra cash? Quick tip - get yourself a few reusable water bottles and a filtered water bottle for your fridge if you don’t have easy access to filtered water. This way, you get great clear water and also don’t add to the world’s pollution with a bunch of plastic bottles.