It is that time of the year again where the year is about to end and everyone is thinking of ways that they can improve their lives in the coming year. For most people, these resolutions end at just the thinking stage – they never actually commit to anything and the new year is no different than the year that just passed.
Other people take their resolutions seriously and put together serious plans to improve their lifestyles in the new year and end up either trying and failing to follow those plans or succeeding in implementing those plans and actually getting their lives together. And then there are other people who just can’t really think of things they can do to make their lives better in the new year.
This article is for those people, as well as the people who end their resolutions at the thinking stage. I want you guys to actually commit to these 2017 healthy New Year's resolutions so that you can live a happier, healthier, and overall better life. Let’s get started!
#1 – Go Around the World
I don’t know about you guys, but I have always wanted to travel the world. And a few years ago I made it my New Year’s resolution to do just that, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much about other cultures and just the beautiful sights that I got to see would have been enough for me. It was truly a life-changing experience that changed my thinking about life and I really think you guys ought to do it as well.
If you don’t have the means to go around the world, you can at least travel to different parts of the country that you live in. Just do not let yourself be cooped up in your house when you have some vacation time.
#2 – Find a Better Source of Employment or Ask For a Promotion
This is the year that you start making more money. Let your newfound desire to travel around the world be the catalyst of you taking the necessary steps to grow your paycheck and bank account. Do you hate your current job? Leave it! Find a job that better suits your interests and one that you would actually enjoy. Make sure the pay is better and that it offers plenty of advancement opportunities.
Let it be your New Year’s resolution each year to make more money than you made in the previous year. Do you like your current job? Ask for a promotion! Or take the steps to make yourself a better worker and make your managers notice your hard work so that you won’t even need to ask for a promotion – they will ask YOU if you want one!
#3 – Pay Off Any Money That You Owe
A big reason that people are not able to do the things that they want to make themselves happier is because they cannot afford to. And the biggest reason that they cannot afford to is that they already owe a large sum of money. If you are one of those people, this is the year that you dig yourself out of debt so that you can acquire the financial means to travel the world or do other things to make your life more fulfilling.
This resolution can even apply to those without debt, as you can make a resolution instead to be better at saving your money and not making stupid impulse buys whenever you are out at a store.
#4 – Throw Out the Smokes
If you are a cigarette smoker, make this year the year that you quit. I understand that people have a lot of different reasons for smoking. Perhaps it is because they are really stressed out (which I will get to) and smoking help relieves it. Perhaps the addiction is just too strong to break.
Don’t let thoughts like those keep you coming back for more cigarettes. It is an unhealthy habit that drains your spending money, thus preventing you from saving up for that vacation around the world.
Quitting smoking is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions out there and it is also the one that people are most likely to fail at because they lack the drive to go through with it. They don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel because the withdrawal process is just awful. Let the thoughts about being healthier and having more money be your light at the end of the tunnel to make the suffering worth it.
#5 – Start Hitting the Weights
Much like quitting smoking, this is another popular resolution that people often do for a few days then go back to their old tendencies. Make 2017 the year that you actually commit to getting your body in shape. With all of your new spending money from the better job and not having to pay for smokes, purchase a gym membership. Or hire a personal trainer.
Anything to keep yourself focused on taking the necessary steps to get your body in shape and keep it in shape. The grind is not fun and it will be very tiring – but it is worth it in the long run when you have a nice, fit, and attractive body. One thing I advise is that you do not overwhelm yourself at first. Get yourself adjusted to the inclusion of exercise in your daily routine.
Don’t start pushing the peddle to the medal right away or else you are more likely to get tired of it and drop it from your routine. Phase it in slowly and start upping the intensity as the weeks pass. Soon it will become second nature to you.
#6 – Do Some Community Service
I can already hear the collective groaning from you guys reading this one. Trust me, doing community service is not as bad as you think. It can actually be a really rewarding task. It keeps you up and moving around, instead of sitting on your butt and gaining weight. Not to mention, you get to meet a lot of new people – one of those people could end up becoming a really good friend if not more. You can also feel better about yourself after doing some good things for your community.
#7 – Reduce Your Stress
Stress makes you age faster, and also makes you more vulnerable to a wide range of illnesses and negative health conditions. You definitely want to make 2017 the year that you don’t stress yourself out over minor things. This can tie into the new job resolution as it might be your current job that is really stressing you out. Getting a new job could relieve a lot of stress, or it could stress you out even more. It is all about how you handle certain situations.
Anyways, taking the steps to help your body manage stress better, such as doing yoga or karate, will improve your outlook on life and make you happier in the process. And don’t hold grudges.
#8 – Pick Up a Book
I hear that collective groaning from you guys again. It is safe to say that reading is not a very popular resolution to make. It is not particularly exciting and a lot of people can’t see how their life can be enriched by reading more often. And this is the wrong kind of thought to have. Reading can have a profound effect on your life. Perhaps you read a book that you enjoy so much that inspires you to write a book. That is a huge life change that could really improve your life. Even if your experience does not play out like that, reading is how we get smarter and it is a much more productive use of your free time than binge watching your favorite Netflix show or playing a video game. To actually make this resolution work, you should set realistic goals instead of trying to challenge yourself. Make your goal to read one book a month until you think you handle reading more. You will be surprised how much smarter you will get!
#9 – Get Off of Facebook
People spend way too much of their time browsing social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. And it is really taking away from their lives. I get it – you have to keep up with what your friends and favorite celebrities are doing. But you don’t have to make it your life to keep up with their lives. You have a life to live as well. Start living it! Check your social media sites for only a few minutes a day. Update your friends about what you are up to, briefly check what they are doing, and then sign off for the day and live your life. Social media often depresses people anyways. Do something that won’t depress you and 2017 will be a happier year for you than 2016 was.
#10 – Subscribe to a Healthy Diet
Perhaps the only resolution that is more popular than quitting smoking and going to the gym. I think almost everyone makes a New Year’s resolution to improve their diet and start eating healthy foods. And a good portion of those people end up failing because they simply cannot give up the unhealthy foods that they love so much.
Guess what? You can still improve your diet and eat some of those unhealthy foods that you love. You just have to eat them in moderation and you will be just fine. And you should probably make an effort to slowly phase those foods out of your diet completely and make them a treat for a special occasion. It will make you appreciate them more.
There are plenty of good diets out there that won’t be hard to transition to. You just have to WANT to make a change.
2017 Healthy New Year's Resolutions Conclusion
There are good reasons for why people don’t go through with their New Year’s resolutions. It is not easy to go through with them and takes a certain level of motivation and commitment. Like I said in #10, you really have to WANT it to GET it. When you approach your New Year’s resolutions, the question should not be “Can I do it?”, it should be “Do I want it bad enough?”. And after reading 2017 healthy New Year's resolutions, the answer to that should be yes.
