I hope everyone is doing well as we finally pass the first month of the new year. I know many individuals who were only excited for January because it meant that 2020 ended, but January is an important month. The second half of Capricorns (like myself) get to celebrate their birthday, we are finally feeling the real effects of winter weather, and of course the exciting tradition of New Years’ Day. While that day and all of it’s festivities have passed, there is one ancient Babylonian tradition that many still practice: a New Years’ resolution.

Resolutions come in many forms and categories, with most of them focusing on improving ourselves throughout the year. If you do not know about this tradition or just haven’t picked a resolution, here are a few common ideas:

Improving your health:

  • This can include eating healthier, working out more, practicing mental wellness, or self care.
  • The key to keeping up with this resolution is consistency. Habit is a strong motivator.
  • One of my favorite resources for healthy recipes is Pinterest. They have an unimaginable amount of ideas and you can easily save and organize them under boards.
  • One great way to force yourself into getting in the habit of working out is to spend money on it. It doesn’t have to be as extensive as a year worth of gym memberships. It can be as simple as a new workout outfit, a resistance band, or a yoga mat. By spending that $20 you can hold yourself responsible to get up and get active.
  • Mental wellness is probably the most important resolution on this list. Your mental health is top priority. 
  • Self care is one of my favorite things to do to pass time. It has numerous benefits and can be as easy as creating a skincare routine.  Here is a link to my last article revolving around self care!

Improving your social or romantic life:

  • While this can be difficult with social distancing, the social aspects of the virtual world are constantly improving and innovating. Keep an eye out for virtual events, social apps, and make an effort to keep in contact periodically with loved ones and friends.
  • One resolution I had going into my freshman spring semester was to talk with at least one new person everyday. This may be too big of a step for some, I totally understand. For me, being social is hard, there is not a single “one-size-fits-all” tip that I can tell you. My advice is to take chances, but don’t affect your mental health by trying to follow social standards that aren’t fit for everyone.

Improve your financial situation:

  • Being a college student is turbulent, but I can say from experience that many of my hardships come from my financial choices. Now is a great time to start tracking your spending (my favorite app for this is simply called Spending on the IOS store. You can add income and expenses instantly and even connect your bank account. If you wouldn’t like to do this, a simple Excel sheet can do the trick. Any kind of monitoring and awareness of your spending will help)
  • Even if you don’t have many financial hardships at the moment, maybe you would like to expand some of the money you currently have. Now may be the year to safely invest your money.
  • One piece of advice my dad always told me was to get my credit history started early. Now may be the time to consider getting a credit card (I use the chase credit card specifically for students and just adding it onto my account increased my score significantly)

I hope these ideas helped you either choose a resolution or develop your own. If you see you are having trouble keeping up with your resolution here Is a link to a great list of tips on how to keep up with your resolution throughout the rest of the year. I hope your year started great and you continue to see personal growth and prosperity through all of 2021.