The New Year is approaching which creates an excellent chance to instill new habits. Check out some alternative resolutions below that are beyond the usual eat better, lose weight goals of years past.
A Year of Praise
Do you recall the last time you were told good job or thanked for your kindness? Didn’t it just make your day? With this resolution, your goal is to make it a point to genuinely thank people for going above and beyond or for their kindness. You could turn someone’s day around completely with a simple “Thank you so much for making sure I got…” or, “You’re so kind to go out of the way to…”. Leave a positive review for a place, don’t bother with the bad ones. Ask to talk to someone’s boss or manager when they’ve given you excellent customer service. Don’t stop when it comes to strangers. Make it a point at home to tell your significant other thank you for cooking dinner or thank you for folding the laundry. Praise your children, co-workers, and friends. Brag about them and their accomplishments. Too often we expect good behavior and service but that isn’t always the case and instead of admiring those that do give it, we tend to point out those that do not. Make it a year of praise and see how lifting others up will end up lifting you as well!
A Year of Snail Mail
Are you like so many others and avoid the mailbox because it just has bills, statements, and junk? It’s a treat to get a card from someone! Start off your year with going through the calendar and marking everyone you hold near and dear to you and the date of their birthday. Next, mark anniversaries, weddings, graduations, holidays etc. Now, go to the store and walk straight to the card section. Grab some thank you cards, some birthday cards (bonus points if you find a different card for each person), and cards to fit the other occasions that will be celebrated this year. When you’re checking out, ask for a book of stamps. Now, put those cards someplace out in the open with a pen and the stamps right next to them. Make it a point to send out cards throughout the year. True, you will need to go back to the card section throughout the year because not all holiday cards are available year round but, as you get accustomed to sending out cards it may become a habit to swing by the card aisle. You will inevitably put a smile on someone’s face when they open the mailbox and see a handwritten card addressed to them. Who knows, you may get a few cards back in return!
A Moving Year
Whether your challenge is to walk more, exercise more, drink more water, eat better etc. there is a challenge to get involved in that can help keep you inspired and held accountable. If you’re not already registered with Walker Tracker, sign up for a free account at community.walkertracker.com where you can track your steps and walk along virtual routes to keep you motivated. Find some friends to cheer on and invite friends and family to join as well. If you upgrade to PRO you can even create your own challenges that you can invite your friends and family to participate in!
To keep that step count up, check out another great site, the 52 hike challenge. This global challenge asks you to go on one hike each week of the year. Share your pictures on Instagram and tag them with the hashtag #52hikechallenge and see where others who are doing the challenge are.
Have kids that you need to get outside? Check out Hike it Baby. Choose from your location and find a group of parents that get together with their kids and go for walks and hikes. Their motto is “No one is left behind” and you can choose from paved trails to wooded wilderness hikes. It’ll be fun for your kids and you to get out into nature and meet new people.
Picture a day
If you’re the sort of person that says, “Where did the year go?” then this challenge is for you! Try to take a picture every single day of the year. Sure, you will inevitably miss some. Make sure to post the picture somewhere (your Walker Tracker account perhaps?) with the date, why you took that picture, and who is in it, if anyone. At the end of the year, and for years to come, you will be able to look back and see just where that year went and all the wonderful, crazy, lazy, interesting things you did during 2018.
No matter what you choose to focus on in 2018 remember that every day is a new day and keep on trying. Post your goal somewhere where you will see it often to help remind yourself of your intentions for the day.
May you stay inspired and flourish!