As the new year approaches, many choose to make resolutions in order to start off on the right foot with a plan to better themselves and accomplish goals.
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Fireworks explode in Times Square on New Year’s Eve on January 1,2018.
As the new year approaches, many choose to make resolutions in order to start off on the right foot with a plan to better themselves and accomplish goals. Resolutions vary from person to person, and year to year; some decide they are going to lose a certain amount of weight in the new year, or visit a new country (or several), or quit an addiction. No matter what resolution you choose to set, not only does it help you let go of any mistakes or disappointments from the previous year, they allow you to look forward to the future with a clearer view of what you hope to happen.
Unfortunately, studies have been conducted that show that it’s hard for people to stick to the resolutions they set in the new year. According to US News, about 80% of resolutions are abandoned by the second week in February, which they blame on the fact that often, “other than your well-intentioned resolve to change, you’ve done nothing to enhance your capacity to either sustain motivation or handle the inevitable stress and discomfort involved in change.” When you set a goal that has negative consequences if left unfulfilled, it adds pressure that makes getting excited about working to accomplish it a challenge. Instead, consider setting a resolution that you know will be financially, physically, and emotionally actionable in the new year, so that you can delight in the positive feelings of achieving it (rather than beating yourself up over the negative feelings of not being able to).
While by no means an exhaustive list, here are 5 popular New Year’s Resolutions that you can set and stick to for all of 2019 (and beyond!):
As social media apps become increasingly popular ( The Verge reported in June of this year that Instagram had 1 billion users worldwide), it is easy to get caught up in what everyone’s lives look like online. While these apps are a great way to connect with people you don’t see often and expand your social network, getting too attached to them can make you feel like your value is determined by likes and followers.
While quitting entirely may seem impossible to do in the digital age, if you find yourself spending a lot of time scrolling and posting on your feeds, or stressing about whether or not that person has watched your story, you may want to make spending less time on social media your goal for 2019.
