10 New Year’s resolutions worth making

Year in and year out and New Year’s promises always seem to be the same, don’t they? Have you noticed this? One of the ways to change that pattern a little bit and really try to follow through on these life-changing promises or decisions is to look for ideas that really have personal meaning and aren’t based on expectations from society or your social circle.

It’s much harder to fulfill decisions that aren’t things our hearts really want. But when we make decisions on our own and really dedicate ourselves, anything becomes possible. So why not change your New Year’s resolutions a little bit this time? Here are suggestions for things worth promising:

1. Stop doing something next year

Instead of adding one more activity to do next year, how about removing one and focusing more on the others? Perhaps this is exactly what you need to kick-start your activities.

2. Give people a truce

We often want to help and we end up being very “tough” with the people we care about, but sometimes it’s good to give a truce, criticize less and let the person do what they think is best. This also goes for enmities and grudges. It’s time to put that aside and focus on good things.

3. Recognize the things people do in their daily lives

Thank you for the lunch your mother made, for the ride your brother gave you, for that huge favor your friend did and didn’t ask for anything in return, thank the market cashier for the service, thank whoever gives you passage in traffic. These small attitudes will give even more energy to your New Year.

4. Inform yourself better before sharing news on networks

In times of crisis, informing yourself correctly is a duty of every citizen. Don’t spread fake news. Check your sources in large-scale newspapers and make sure the source is not dubious.

5. Improve on something you already know how to do

If you already know how to play an instrument, how about investing in raising your level of knowledge on it? Practice more, study more? The idea is valid for any activity. Swimming, makeup, a language, in short, invest in something you already know, but have the possibility to improve even more.

6. Not being “smart” and going over laws and people

This is a very important promise that can change the lives of many people. It often seems like the only way to get things done is to be the smart one, that person full of tricks to get to anything first, but is that really a noble attitude? Wouldn’t it be better to be truthful, honest and follow the laws and rules like everyone else? For example, do not use the preferred cashier if you are not really part of the group that is entitled to use it. Reflect on it.

7. Listen to understand and not just respond

Usually we listen to what the other has to say just to be able to answer it, even having the answer even before hearing what the person is going to say. But what if instead we actually listen to what the person is saying and try to understand and not just react?

8. Don’t be irresponsible with your spending

Want to start the year off right? So start being more responsible with the way you spend your money. Don’t spend more than you have, save at least a part of what you earn and avoid making purchases in installments – especially items that are not of great need, such as fashionable clothes of the moment.

9. Stop caring so much about appearance and material possessions

What if you let yourself let go of status a little and enjoy life without worrying so much about looks, cars, clothes, etc? When you focus on that, nothing seems to be enough. There will always be someone who has more, who shows more. It’s not worth investing only in status. Enjoy your life and let yourself go.

10. Promise less, do more

While this is a bit of an ironic idea for a pledge suggestion list, it actually makes sense and is important. Instead of saying “I will do this”, which is a phrase that generates a lot of anxiety and expectations, just go and do it. Don’t tell anyone, you don’t have to promise even to yourself. Just do it.

Promising and being able to deliver is not so easy, but if those decisions really make sense to you, it won’t be so difficult. It’s more difficult when we promise something thinking about the expectations of others, but when the dreams and promises are ours, the tendency is for things to happen more naturally.