Five alternatives to making a New Year's Resolution for 2022

Let’s be honest , we've all had trouble sticking with those New Year's resolutions we set each year, as a recent study found that a staggering 80% of us usually break them within a couple of months. Setting unrealistic expectations can often make us feel a little defeated in our efforts which is why we thought it would be more fun and realistic to share some of our favourite alternatives to making resolutions for 2022.

Start creating a yearly bucket list

You might be surprised to hear that bucket lists aren't just longterm. They can be used to plan what you want to achieve for short term goals too. Whether you’re planning to learn a new language or you hope travel to a new country, the most important thing to consider is that these goals excite you and they are achievable.

We recommend that you plan your bucket list month by month and set realistic dates and timelines for each item. This will help you to complete each item on the list and will ensure nothing gets missed as those months fly by.

Write a list of fun future plans

Making a list of fun plans that you are excited about and then adding them into your calendar can help you frame each month throughout the year. Whether it's a big family gathering in the summer or a meal with some old friends, this list is valuable and will help you appreciate the people around you who you are excited to spend time with.

This list is also a great one to look at if you are having a stressful month at work, school or at home. It will remind you that you have fun plans to look forward to and will help pull you through those tough days.

Make a gratitude list (Be thankful going into the New Year)

There is no better time to create a list of what you are thankful for than at the beginning of a New Year. We can often forget just how lucky we really are over the holiday season which is why it is so important to remind ourselves of all the good things in our lives rather than focusing on what we don't have.

Gratitude lists are proven to make you happier and can make you feel much more optimistic when you might feel a little low and the perfect way to kick off the New Year on a positive note.

Remind yourself of your achievements

January is a great time to remind yourself of how far you have come and how hard you have worked to get to this point in your life. Take a moment to appreciate your progress and allow yourself to be proud of your achievements.

This type of positive thinking can be a great motivator and is an amazing way to promote self-love and wellness. Whether your achievements are big or small, make sure you acknowledge them.

Whether you met your goals to get out for a hike once a month over the past year or maybe you finished an online course to advance your career prospects. It really doesn't matter just as long as they make you feel good about yourself and they help push you to be the best version of you.

Learn something new just for fun/ revisit an old childhood hobby

Learning something new can be a daunting task at first but once you get really into the process it can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable. The best way to find a new hobby is to take a look at what you loved to do as a child. It could have been painting while listening to your favourite band or maybe you loved to dance, either way it is important to do something just for fun with no pressure to succeed or make money etc.

Hobbies have been known to reduce stress and can often help you to think more clearly as they encourage you to take a break from work and maybe a busy home life. Promise yourself that you will do something you love just for fun in the New Year, we are sure you will thank us for it in the future.

Our alternative New Year’s resolutions aim to excite you about making positive changes that add value to your life rather than making you feel like a failure when you don’t meet your own unrealistic expectations like previous years. We hope they help you to focus on the things that really matter and allow you to be a little kinder to yourself this New year.

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