All-in for the New Year

It’s finally time to usher in the new year! Now that the winter holidays are over, I’m looking forward to having the time to reevaluate myself, my home, my work, and my relationships, and make changes where needed.

How are you planning to make the most of 2019? What will it take to make sure you fulfill your new year resolutions? Think about it! Here are a few tips that will help give you a fresh outlook for the coming year.

Forget About It. Your setbacks and failures do not define your success in the coming year. How you respond to them does. Don’t beat yourself up if you mess up. Don’t let your mishaps and setbacks affect you more than they should. Reflect on the lessons they hold, make adjustments accordingly, and get back in the saddle.

Learn to Let Go. When you give too much credence to other people’s opinions, you end up trying to please everyone with every decision you make. That’s a recipe for discontent. Stop doing it. Learn to let their expectations run off like water off a duck’s back.

Change Your Perspective. Whenever I get stuck in a rut, I change something. I take a different route to work. Or I tweak my hair or nail color. Or I try a new recipe for dinner. Or I reorganize my closet and wear clothes I rarely reach for. I already have exactly what I need, I just need to look at things differently.

Commit to be Fit. And not just physically. Join a class at your fitness club, an exercise group, or a sports team. Not only will you get in shape and lose a little weight, you develop both mental and physical strength. A healthy mind and active body work in unison to make you a happier, healthier person.

Get Out.  Studies show that being outside for even half an hour a day has amazing health benefits—both mentally and physical! Here in New Mexico, we’re lucky to be able to enjoy the outdoors year-round, so I do my best to make the most of it by taking walks and eating outside. 

Help. Volunteer to help others—people, animals, the planet, whatever! Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, walking dogs at the shelter, or building a house for someone in need, there are always nonprofit organizations that want and could really use your help. If your time is in short supply, why not just clean out your clutter? Donate your old furniture, clothing, or other household items you no longer need rather than leaving them in basements and attics to collect dust.

Look Forward. Research tells us that having something to look forward to—a vacation, a sporting event or concert—is as rewarding to us as the actual event. I print out road trip directions, marking places to stop along the way. I get excited about lunch dates with friends and mark them in BIG BLOCK letters on the calendar. But my favorite is to get away for a night or two with my spouse at a great hotel, and have a romantic dinner and a wonderful massage. While we don’t go far or spend much, I come back feeling like I’ve been a world away.

The near year is an opportunity to start fresh, so make the most of it. It’s the perfect time to reevaluate and make improvements. Just sayin’. 

Published: New Mexico Apartment News Magazine – January/February 2019