Positive Lifestyle Adjustments for the New Year
In the blink of an eye, 2020 has arrived! Can you believe it’s the start of a new decade? By now, most of us have our New Year’s resolutions all picked out, and some of us have already started dropping the ball on the follow-through (no shame, we’ve all been there). If you don’t manage to stay true to your big plans for the new year, don’t sweat it. Try holding yourself accountable to these five super manageable lifestyle goals for 2020!
Exercise positivity. We know it’s a common suggestion, but have you ever tried to consciously drive out negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones? Taking bad situations and seeing the good in them can truly impact your lifestyle for the better. For example, picture this: You’re about to drive home after a long day of work, when you realize someone has backed into your car in the parking lot, leaving your bumper partially dented. How can we frame this situation in a positive light? Try to come up with 1-3 positive thoughts in response to the grievance. 1. At least it wasn’t a serious accident that could have injured someone, 2. At least the damage was relatively minor, 3. I might have been due for an upgrade anyway. It may be difficult sometimes, but exercising positivity can be the difference between having a good day or a bad one.
Be more patient and understanding. Let’s face it, people can be frustrating—infuriating, even. It’s so easy to lose our cool in the face of aggravation, but we can really benefit from taking a few deep breaths and learning to be more tolerant of others. Sometimes, putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes can help us to see things from their perspective and ultimately begin to understand their behavior. It’s incredibly important to be patient not only with those around us, but also ourselves. Are you having one of those days when you can’t seem to do anything right? Forgive yourself. You’re only human, just like everyone else!
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Branching off of our last point, it’s important to stop allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by negativity regarding your own self image. When things go wrong in life or we make mistakes, there’s no sense in punishing ourselves for it. Everyone screws up every once in a while! Shrug it off and remind yourself that you’re human. If you ever have a bad day where you feel like you’ve really messed up, try to remind yourself of all of the things you do well and list some reasons that you’re proud of yourself. Everyone deserves a little bit of praise!
Go out of your way to be kind to others. Spreading kindness to those around you is a great way to brighten the days of others and even bring a little bit of joy to your own heart. Doing something as simple as saying “good morning” to a stranger or giving a genuine compliment to someone you don’t know can make a person’s entire day, and you may even find that it makes you feel pretty good too. Don’t forget to perform kind acts not only for those you don’t know, but also for the people you love. Your friends and family deserve to feel the love too!
Remove yourself from detrimental situations. Sometimes we tend to befriend people who aren’t necessarily the best influences or remain in situations that are damaging to our overall happiness and wellbeing. This is your year to kick toxicity to the curb and enjoy a life of healthy living! Whatever’s bringing you down—whether it be a person in your life, a job in which you don’t feel valued, or a negative living situation—you have the power to remove yourself from those conditions. Detoxing the negativity from your life is a fantastic way to feel like a new you in the new year!
Even if you don’t necessarily hold true to your New Year's resolution this year, you can still exercise these simple lifestyle adjustments for a happier you!
