A new year, a new you! This is time you should start thinking about your New Year resolution ideas. Whether you want to work on your physical health, boost your mental wellbeing, refine your financial state, or make more meaningful interpersonal connections, you can choose from 20 achievable New Year resolutions 2025 that are all worth trying.
For some inspiration, check out our list of unique New Year resolutions 2025 that will help you make the most of 2025.
Make goals, not resolutions
Research shows that more than 70 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first two months, and you can avoid this trap by setting goals that are SMART; specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound.
Start journaling
Start keeping a record of your daily thoughts, feeling, and perceptions. The benefits of journaling are numerous: It can help create awareness, reduce anxiety, and regulate emotions. Plus, you’ll love looking back on your past later in life. Your future self will thank you!
Here are some other mental benefits of journaling
Exercise your brain
You brain is involved in everything you do and, like any other part of the body, it needs to be cared for too.
Exercising the brain is a top priority for successful people; it allows you to improve your memory, focus, and daily functionality. People of all ages can greatly benefit from incorporating a few simple brain exercises into their daily life.
Here are 13 Brain Exercises to Help Keep You Mentally Sharp.
Start saving
Even if you only have a few dollars to spare every week, putting them aside in a savings plan can benefit you in the long term. What people don’t know is that saving doesn’t have to be complicated. You can set aside small amounts of money that won’t make any huge difference. Before you know it, you’ll have gathered a good amount of money which you can invest or rely on in the future.
Go to bed on time
The amount of sleep you need to feel restored and healthy is between 7-9 hours. Sleep is a necessity for people’s survival and good mental and physical health. Without sleep individuals can’t maintain feelings of alertness and functionality during the day.
If you’re waking up feeling wearied and relying on meds or coffee throughout the day to be in action, you may benefit from going to bed earlier. And over time, being chronically sleep deprived (or having a disrupted sleep schedule) has been linked to plenty of physical and mental diseases. Here is an article I like published on Psychology Today and it suggests 7 tips for getting yourself to to bed on time
Exercise two times a week
Do you want to feel better, energized and live healthier? Just exercise.
The benefits of regular exercise are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise: it can help you lose weight, you enable your body to combat diseases, you improve your mood and boost your sex life. But if you are like many people today, you are busy, you have a desk-bound job, and you haven’t yet adopted any exercise habits. The great news is that it’s never too late to start anything. This New Year is as good as any time to start slowly, and find ways to fit more physical activity into your life.
Read one book a week
One of the shocking habits of highly successful people is reading, did you know that the average CEO in America reads one book a week? That’s more than fifty books a year!
I’m not saying that you, probably as someone who doesn’t read a lot, should do the same. It’s going to be really frustrating. Set a goal to read one book a month then two books a month, over time you’d build the habit of reading books.
I’ve made it a goal for myself to read at least one new book a week as well.
And since I started doing this, people as me how do I manage to read a book a week?
It’s actually quite simple once you learn how. So here are 10 tips I personally use that will help you read more books in 2022. I’m certain that these tips will help you.
Related topic: 5 Books Bill Gates Thinks You Should Read
Wake up early
We all hate waking up early, but many sleep advisors suggests that waking up early is a great way that leads to a healthier, happier life. Apart from that it gives you more time to do plenty of other important things like exercising before work, waking up earlier is approved by science to improve quality of sleep and diet, both of which have a direct impact on mood.
Start doing yoga
It’s time to get yourself a yoga mat and explore the magic of physical and mental exercises that for hundreds of years have captivated yoga practitioners around the world. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have a professional reap the benefits. Whether you are a male or a female, young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to strengthen the body and calm the mind. Don’t be discouraged by yoga complicated poses and their different names. Yoga is for everyone, you included.
Drink water
Staying hydrated is a daily necessity, no matter what the temperature is. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t drinking enough water, especially in the winter. We don’t sense thirst as much as we do in summer. According to a scientific study done by The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, it is stated that an adequate daily fluid intake is:
About 3.7 liters of fluids a day for men and about 2.7 liters of fluids a day for women
These recommendations cover fluids from water, other drinks and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake most of the time comes from food and the rest from beverages.
Learn or hone a new skill
Continuous learning, growth, and self-development are not only intrinsic to us as human beings but it also constitutes a sensible and intelligent life plan. In short, there are plenty of reasons why it’s worth your time and effort to constantly acquire and hone your skills.
Volunteer regularly
Voluntary work is not only important to help nonprofit organizations carry on their life-changing work, it is personally rewarding, too. I got myself immersed in voluntary work since I was a teenager and I’ve never stopped reaping the benefits of feeling worthy and proud of myself. Whether you choose to volunteer your time to an event for kids, beach clean-up, or spend a day with elderly people, you’re never going to regret it.
Explore new hobbies
As children we never stop exploring new things, but as we grow up, we stop trying new things and spend less time on our interests apart from the things related to our careers. Well, It’s not too late though. If you feel like you’re in a bit submerged in your work and you definitely don’t want to spend time just scrolling Facebook feed or watching another TV series, then maybe it’s time to look for a new hobby?
Become a plant owner
Nothing adds more beauty and comfort to our homes and offices than an indoor plant. Bedrooms, bathrooms, balconies… There really isn’t a space an indoor plant can’t vitalize. Just add light and water, and you’ve got a growing cheerful indoor spring. Personally, bringing plants into my home is aesthetically pleasing.
Moreover, plants can offer strong health benefits as well! Several studies have proven that indoor plants keep you mentally and physically healthier and happier.
Practice gratitude everyday
Practicing gratitude can be a game-changer: it has great positive effects, from enhancing our mental health to refining our interpersonal relationships. Living your life with gratitude helps you notice the things you usually take for granted—like waking up healthy, having a roof over your head, or having your family by your side. Each of these considerations thread together to create a netting of well-being that, over time, reinforces your ability to realize the good in everything.
Practice saying ‘no’
If you are the type of a person who always pleases others, then you know how hard it can be some times to say no to others. But learning how to gently set boundaries can actually enhance your relationship with yourself and the people you care about. In addition, setting boundaries will save you so much time and it will free you up to focus on the things that actually matter to you.
Join a gym
One of the common New Year’s resolutions people set is exercising. But many people, me included, quit exercising after quit a short time. I couldn’t find any better commitment device then joining a gym. If you have trouble committing to the habit of exercising, then try joining a gym with friends.
Start walking more
If you’re not into gyms, you’ll be glad to know that simply walking can be beneficial for your well-being. While some experts suggest that walking for 3 miles (about 4 kilometers) a day is a necessity, I would tell you that initially wearing your sneakers and taking a little walk is a victory worth celebrating.
Start investing
From a financial standpoint, it’s never too early to invest; the sooner the better. Even if you don’t think you have enough money to invest. Investing is easy than you might think and you don’t need a lot of money to do it—you just have to start.
Meditate daily
Mental health is—if not more—important than physical health. In the New Year, make an effort to feed your mind positive thoughts as you feed your body healthy meals. When we meditate we introduce wide-ranging and long-lasting benefits to our lives: we think clearly, we lower our stress levels, we connect better with the world, and we enhance our focus.
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