With that in mind, take a look at some of the most popular New Year\u2019s resolutions for inspiration, and learn how to keep your own resolutions specific, measurable, and achievable. With a little planning and support, you can make 2023 a great year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Common New Year\u2019s resolutions for you to consider <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to making positive changes for the New Year, half the battle is just picking an aspect of your daily life to work on. Here are a few popular categories: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Exercising more \u2014 <\/strong>There are so many different ways to fit more exercise into your routine, and it\u2019s important to remember that everybody is on their own fitness journey. For some people, exercising more could mean weightlifting every day before work. For others, it could mean taking the dog for extra long walks on the weekends. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Making new friends \u2014 <\/strong>This is a resolution that you can\u2019t force to happen, but you can put yourself in a good position to meet interesting people. Follow your interests\u2014if you\u2019re a bookworm, try going to a few public readings or joining a book club. Turn things that you could do alone (like trying a new recipe) into a communal activity (like taking a cooking class). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Saving money \u2014 <\/strong>There are two ways to approach this kind of resolution: doing something and not doing something. Doing something could be as simple as collecting your spare change in a jar, or it could mean putting a percentage of your paycheck into a new savings account for your kids\u2019 college fund. Not doing something could look like bringing coffee to work instead of going to the caf\u00e9 on your break, or resolving not to order takeout more than once per week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Lowering stress \u2014 <\/strong>This resolution often goes hand in hand with others, because making positive changes in your physical health, social life, and financial wellbeing are sure to lower your stress. Still, there are lots of active choices you can make to supplement those changes, from improving your sleep schedule and practicing meditation to seeking counseling. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re still searching for a resolution that suits you, some other popular options are quitting smoking, spending more time with family, learning a new skill, making a career move, and reading more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/saving-money_new-year-resolutions-1120x630.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBest methods for sticking to your resolution <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When people struggle with their resolutions, it\u2019s not because they\u2019re weak or lazy. They often unwittingly set themselves up for failure with goals that are too general, hard to quantify, and unrealistic. Here\u2019s how you can avoid that: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Be specific <\/strong>\u2014 Let\u2019s say your resolution is to lose weight. You can break down that larger goal into smaller components, like eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal, or cutting back harmful habits like drinking to only once a week. The more specific, the better. For example, you could resolve to do 30 minutes of yoga at 7:30 a.m. every day before work. This is a more process-oriented approach that\u2019s not as overwhelming as obsessing over a final product. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Be measurable \u2014 <\/strong>If your goal is to read more, that\u2019s great, but how much is more? How will you know when you\u2019ve arrived at more? Incorporating measurable steps into your overall resolution is key. You could make a time-based plan where you start with only 10 minutes of reading per night for a week, then increase that amount by 5 minutes every week until you\u2019re at 30 minutes or an hour. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Be achievable \u2014 <\/strong>It\u2019s important that you have realistic expectations for your resolutions. It\u2019s much harder to feel motivated to work on a challenge that seems insurmountable. For example, your goal shouldn\u2019t be to become fluent in another language by next year. Simply turning your focus from \u201cbecoming fluent\u201d to \u201cpracticing Spanish on Duolingo<\/a> for 15 minutes per night\u201d will do wonders for your motivation. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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- Be accountable \u2014 <\/strong>Having a mutual support system with a community of people who share your goals is the best way to stay on track and keep progressing. Meetup can help you find a group of like-minded folks to support your resolutions, whether you want to get out and walk more in Central Park<\/a>, learn how to knit at the best coffee shops in Denver<\/a>, or simply connect with fun people your age and explore Chicago<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be achievable \u2014 <\/strong>It\u2019s important that you have realistic expectations for your resolutions. It\u2019s much harder to feel motivated to work on a challenge that seems insurmountable. For example, your goal shouldn\u2019t be to become fluent in another language by next year. Simply turning your focus from \u201cbecoming fluent\u201d to \u201cpracticing Spanish on Duolingo<\/a> for 15 minutes per night\u201d will do wonders for your motivation. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be measurable \u2014 <\/strong>If your goal is to read more, that\u2019s great, but how much is more? How will you know when you\u2019ve arrived at more? Incorporating measurable steps into your overall resolution is key. You could make a time-based plan where you start with only 10 minutes of reading per night for a week, then increase that amount by 5 minutes every week until you\u2019re at 30 minutes or an hour. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be specific <\/strong>\u2014 Let\u2019s say your resolution is to lose weight. You can break down that larger goal into smaller components, like eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal, or cutting back harmful habits like drinking to only once a week. The more specific, the better. For example, you could resolve to do 30 minutes of yoga at 7:30 a.m. every day before work. This is a more process-oriented approach that\u2019s not as overwhelming as obsessing over a final product. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Lowering stress \u2014 <\/strong>This resolution often goes hand in hand with others, because making positive changes in your physical health, social life, and financial wellbeing are sure to lower your stress. Still, there are lots of active choices you can make to supplement those changes, from improving your sleep schedule and practicing meditation to seeking counseling. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Saving money \u2014 <\/strong>There are two ways to approach this kind of resolution: doing something and not doing something. Doing something could be as simple as collecting your spare change in a jar, or it could mean putting a percentage of your paycheck into a new savings account for your kids\u2019 college fund. Not doing something could look like bringing coffee to work instead of going to the caf\u00e9 on your break, or resolving not to order takeout more than once per week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Making new friends \u2014 <\/strong>This is a resolution that you can\u2019t force to happen, but you can put yourself in a good position to meet interesting people. Follow your interests\u2014if you\u2019re a bookworm, try going to a few public readings or joining a book club. Turn things that you could do alone (like trying a new recipe) into a communal activity (like taking a cooking class). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n