8 New Year Resolutions to Improve Your Life
There are days when we realise that we are not living the way we expected our lifestyles to be, we have multiple flaws to work on but then we do not improve them, rather see a calendar and try to find a day from which we can change our life, our habits, our schedules.
A new year is a perfect day for people like us. The date works as a motivation for a new start and we have a whole new year to look forward to. Just the way we use to cover our notebooks on the first day of school and we promise ourselves that we will keep them new and keep our notes neatly up to date this year.
Now talking of resolutions we always make a long list like I’ll stay fit, eat healthily, walk 3000 steps a day, try to live an Instagram “aesthetics” lifestyle, be more social media active, achieve new targets at work, cut down on my drinks and caffeine and so on. Our main focus is on gaining something which gives us immediate happiness, but we don’t focus on long-term benefits or the things which can bring us healthy changes from within and make us grow from within as better individuals. We never focus on being more happy, on managing our stress, we never focus on picking up an old hobby we left or a hobby that used to make us feel happy.
So this year, let’s focus on some new year resolutions which give you a glow up from within and help to get long-term benefits.
Here is a list of some mental health resolution you can add to your list this year:
- Improve your sleep schedule: We lack sleep as a nation. Poor sleeping habits are a contributing factor to depressive symptoms, but some people view sleep deprivation as a badge of honour. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Try following a sleep hygiene schedule just the way you follow your daily routine. The top method to rest is to have a predictable sleep time and working time.
- Work out more: The majority of studies demonstrate that physical activity is beneficial to mental health. The bad news is that getting active can be difficult for many people, especially those already struggling with depression's common lack of motivation and energy. The answer is to make it easier to exercise more. Instead of joining a gym or purchasing a weight set, simply take more walks. As long as you don't exercise too close to bedtime, exercise can also help you sleep better.
- Find a hobby: There are two kinds of resolutions: the first is to make people feel good, and the second is to make people master something. A great way to do both is to either start a new hobby or pick up an old one. Find a hobby that makes you feel good about yourself. Your self-esteem will also rise as you get better at it.
- Try to meditate: Meditation can assist in a variety of ways. It has been shown to lower stress levels. It enables you to complete tasks with greater efficiency. It helps you to slow down and see what really matters. It only takes 10 minutes a day, and if you keep doing it, it can help your mental health for a long time.
- Keep a diary: Your day planner is not the same thing as this. It is about discharging your worries by writing them down in a personal journal. Anxiety and depression frequently manifest as rumination or obsessive thinking about a negative feeling or emotion. Take a worry journal and just write down your negative thoughts for no more than fifteen minutes.
- Feel thankful: According to studies, practicing gratitude by focusing on the positive aspects of your life is one of the simplest ways to feel happier. At the end of each day, try writing down something you are grateful for in a journal or saying it out loud. They don't have to be monumental. They can be little things like getting on the train on time, having an easy commute, or getting the coffee you want. Although doing this is difficult for many, it greatly contributes to fostering a sense of well-being. If you can look back on two or three positive things at the end of each day, it can help you deal with stress the next day.
- Be kind to yourself more: Take a break for yourself. Your life probably won't improve in a day or two. After all, January 1st isn't all that different from December 31st. Don't try to incorporate everything at once or make them so difficult that they become more trouble than help. Having a long list of things to change can be overwhelming, so start with two or three. Write down concrete plans, keep track of how well or poorly they are working, and then reevaluate after a few weeks. Give yourself enough time to make any necessary adjustments.
- Help others: Helping others is a great way to get out of your head, your troubles, and connect with other people and cultivate relationships. Perhaps the single strongest predictor of happiness, according to social science, is called pro-sociality – connecting with others. Helping is a wonderful connector. It doesn’t mean you have to volunteer at an event you don’t want. Simply helping your friend carry a heavy bag or a co-worker can generate those beneficial feelings of social connection.