New year resolutions you can ACTUALLY uphold

Welcome 2025! Just like anytime a new year rolls around, this is the perfect moment to look back at what we did and what we want to do differently this year. I suppose many of you already set New Year's resolutions, fully expecting to see them fade as months go by. I can‘t blame you: changing habits can be hard. Let‘s change that shall we? I want us to work together to make improvements stick in your life. In that way, we best start with some small, realistic but also fruitful resolutions. I am positively sure you can uphold all of those without even thinking about it. If any of those inspire you, I guarantee that you will see great progress in your personal life. Now, time to make it happen.

Take care

Predictably, most New Year resolutions focus on our health. Whether it's starting yoga, exercising more or changing your health routine, they all express the same need - taking better care of yourself. Well, you can take better care of yourself without any bothersome commitment. In my mind, your resolution should drill down to this: every day, take a minute to listen to your body. This simple and practical step brings invaluable insight into your physical, emotional and mental health. As you learn to better listen, proactive steps for your well-being will become apparent, but also concrete. Feeling tired? Consider a quick nap. Going for a workout and feeling some physical discomfort? Try a lighter regimen this time. Don‘t feel great after a meal? Reconsider what you eat next time. There‘s no one-size-fits-all rule for well-being. By learning to answer your body‘s needs, you can prevent injuries, promote healthier habits and just flat-out feel better. What‘s more, this could be the first step to actually committing to more typical New Year resolutions. By better understanding your needs, you‘ll know from the get-go if that yoga class is for you. In that way, you maximize your chances of getting through what you decide to do. Just a minute well-spent can make the difference.

Be curious

Here‘s another proposition for those who want to take up cooking, photography or a new language. Ask more questions. Every question you ask will inevitably push you to find an answer to it. With just 5 questions each day, curiosity can become a habit opening new opportunities for growth and discovery. When your curiosity is peeked, you will naturally reach for ways to satisfy it. Suddenly, books become more than one more check on your reading list, little details around you deserve your attention and people become even more interesting. What‘s more, to be willing to ask questions leads us to challenge our assumptions. Not accepting things at face value will bring deeper meaning to what you see. Yet again, those questions and answers are also a great boon to motivate you to try new things. Who knows, you may just find your next passion or memorable experience. Not bad for just a few questions.

Keep track

This one is particularly important to me. Learn to keep track of things. This is generally done by journaling. My recommendation would be to choose a matter that interests you and to work on consistently tracking it every week (if not every day). This could be daily reflections, a gratitude journal, a dream tracker but also a weekly sketchbook, a budget or a meal plan. The important thing is to pen (or type) your self-reflections. Writting things down is not only the best way to gain insight into your habits and patterns but also to focus on your priorities. By decluttering your mind, organizing your ideas and decision-making become second nature. Depending on the type of journaling you do, this can also help to reduce stress, foster creativity and finetune your writing/communication skills. Frankly, any journaling habit is great, I encourage you to adopt as many as you want or can. Do remember to start small. Limit yourself to integrating them into your life one at a time.

Understand time

One last alarmingly simple but potent routine to adopt. Learn to understand how you spend your time. To me, this began by noting what I am doing, for how long I have been doing it and whether I‘d rather do something else instead. To start, you should ask those three questions, say after each meal. As you might guess from my previous tips, this is a great first step to deep self-reflection, making each day more suited to your needs. As you can expect, by eliminating meaningless errands from your schedule you can focus more on what‘s close to you. Whether it is for your family, your friends or your personal goals, prioritizing is paramount. What‘s more, a decluttered agenda promotes punctuality and reduces stress.

Happy new you!

In the end, remember that even small consistent steps can bring great benefits. Progress is what matters, not perfection. Challenges are expected but, hopefully, these simple steps will help you muster the persistence to turn your next goals into lasting habits. This is a great foundation for not only personal growth but what will be a fulfilling year. Now, you just need to shape 2025 into a year to remember. I‘ll do the same.

See you tomorrow.

Resolutions:

Take a minute everyday to listen to your body.
Ask 5 more questions everyday.
Journal every day.
Consider what you are doing 3 times everyday.