2018 is the year of MORE.
- Do more of what makes me uncomfortable: Why would anyone want to do this? Research has shown that while the act of doing things while feeling uncomfortable may not feel the best in the moment, a little bit of discomfort can go a long way in someone’s personal development.
- Plan more: 2017 was the year of execution and doing; I wanted to think less and do more. To not be bogged down by my overthinking tendencies and learning to embrace the concept of “going with the flow”. Instead of just jumping right into my actions, I want to look towards the future when it comes to everything in the “adult world” like managing my finances and whatnot. Knowing that my actions now will affect my life later is more of the motivation factor here; college doesn’t last forever!
- Drink more water: I’ve found that water is usually the answer to almost everything. Exhaustion? Foggy brain? Dry skin? Better skin? Chapped lips? Flushing out toxins? Water is the cure! Taking care of yourself and your appearance is like taking care of your space. It’s a reflection of your inner state and a form of self-respect.
- Create more, Consume less: This is based on the concept of “knowing what makes you happy and doing more of it”. I had my fair share of moments in 2017 where I mindlessly consumed content which is okay sometimes… but in 2018 I hope to fill the majority of my time creating meaningful things. That means more blog posts, expanding my business ventures, and forming stronger relationships.
- Exercise more gratitude & compassion: A recent NYT article stated that the link between having compassion and gratitude naturally leads to more self-control… in life and in keeping your New Year resolutions. In 2017 when I would dip below baseline contentment and go into stress mode, I most often forgot how fortunate I am to be a functional, living & breathing human being who has the capacity to take full responsibility of my actions. So this year, to minimize my lapses of selfishness and entitlement, I am going to sporadically write down a few things I’m grateful for every month.
- Be more consistent: I want to continue to grow myself, my faith, my career, and my relationships to the best of my ability. I would like to minimize my emotional peaks and my valleys this year. I want to be more consistent in keeping up my physical and emotional health. I know for a fact that doing some form of exercise helps me get out of a slump, even when I just go to the gym for 30 minutes at the end of the day. Consistency is key; after all, it’s not what we do once in awhile that shapes our lives!
- Read more: I used to be such a bookworm, getting lost in the stories and narratives of characters. I used the excuse of being in school as a scapegoat for my lack of picking up a book. This year I want to keep a book by my bedside so that before I go to sleep, I can read a chapter or two. Whether it be self-help, fiction, or non-fiction book this is my year to bring back my bookworm-y self!
- Listen & learn more: My 2017 was all about working on myself and just working in general. This year I want to make it a point to replug myself back into the system as not only a college student but an individual who is lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible resources. I want to meet more like-minded people, more creators, collaborators and act like a sponge absorbing the information around me!
Hopefully some of you took some inspiration from my words… wishing everyone a HAPPY and HEALTHY New Year!
Photo Credits: @dylan.depaul // instagram.com/dylan.depaul
