As the year commences, people make New Year’s resolutions, which are goals to improve one's lifestyle or mindset for the new year. The idea of setting goals for a prosperous new year goes back thousands of years.
According to History.com, resolution-making goes back to the ancient Babylonians. Their New Year’s celebrations took place in mid-March rather than January, but the concept was similar. Their resolutions looked a little more like praying to the gods for prosperity and forgiveness.
Goals today are a little different than they were back then. Today, they look like exercising more or eating healthier foods. However, many goals can be hard to maintain once the year is in full swing. Schedules get busy, and many people’s goals become the last thing on their minds.
Though resolutions can be difficult to uphold, making attainable goals could help you stick to them. Making goals that can easily be worked into a busy schedule could be the difference between sticking with a resolution and letting it fizzle out.
Here are several realistic resolutions to start the year off right:
Give compliments
Giving out compliments can be a quick way to brighten someone’s day. According to Pennsylvania State University, giving a compliment can be a great way to grow one’s self-esteem and improve communication skills. It is not a goal that requires much thought, and it is easy to keep track of brightening another’s day.
Handing out compliments is also a great way to connect with new people. Complimenting someone is an easy conversation starter and can lead to making a new friend. With this in mind, starting to give compliments is a great resolution for 2024.
Remain organized
Especially after a long year, spaces are often left cluttered and disorganized. When your space is disorganized, it can often lead to a messy mindset. According to Select Health, there are multiple benefits to remaining organized. Some include reduced stress, improved sleep and increased productivity.
Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to remain connected to a community. After volunteering, one can be left with feelings of fulfillment from helping out others. According to Help Guide, volunteering is good for improving one’s mindset and can advance one’s career.
At Ohio University, there are multiple volunteer opportunities. This can make a goal like volunteering easy for students because opportunities are so accessible. GivePulse is a website where OU posts many volunteer opportunities. OU has a list of community partners on the website, as well as an easy search engine.
Begin journaling
For those who practice journaling, they would agree it is a great way to become emotionally in tune. It is a great way to vent thoughts and feelings to avoid bottling them up. There are many places to get journals near campus, such as CVS or Walmart. The price of journals can range anywhere between $7.99 to $20 at these stores.
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling is a healthy coping mechanism that can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. It also provides a way to prioritize concerns and could help one realize ways they can lead a healthier lifestyle.
These resolutions are great examples of goals that can be practiced every day, as they don’t involve a huge chunk of time to be taken out of an already full schedule. Let’s make 2024 the year of sticking with resolutions.
