30 Self-Care Resolutions To Make Before The New Year Starts

1. Challenges are good for you — you learn a lot more about yourself when you overcome them. Accept not everything will be easy or straightforward.

2. Share your happiness with everyone around you. Encourage those you love to do the same with you.

3. Take the time to observe before reacting. It will make a huge difference.

4. Don’t make too many self-regulating goals at once. Take it slow. If you want to be healthier, spend less money, and find a job that will make you happier — prioritize them and then target them one at a time. Once you focus on one thing, everything else will start falling into place.

5. If you feel surrounded by people who pressure you into behaviors you want to cut out of your life in the new year, you need to distance yourself from these people too.

6. Limit your time and energy to only those who will help be a better person.

7. Go outside of your comfort zone. You feel a greater sense of confidence and self-esteem when you accomplish things (even really tiny things) that are outside of your norm.

8. Make goals for the day, for the week, for the whole month, and then for the whole next year. Make them manageable and concise, and don’t look to others to see what they’re trying to accomplish. These are just for you.

9. Change the language you use to talk about yourself. If you find yourself beating yourself up over tiny things, take a step back and reevaluate how you’re treating yourself. Say your thoughts out loud — if you’d never say those words to a loved one, change it into something honest, but still constructive.

10. You will be disappointed. And anyone who isn’t there for you during your wins should be cut out of your life.

11. Feel what you feel. Suppressing your feelings will only cause them to resurface at a more stressful or inconvenient time. Process your feelings whenever you need to.

12. Ask for help AND ask for what you want, always.

13. Spend a couple minutes a day paying mindful attention to your body. Take three deep breaths and breathe into your abdomen.

14. Re-read a book or re-watch a movie you love. Studies have shown that re-experiencing something as simple as a really good book or a funny movie can help soothe nerves and alleviate your anxiety.

15. You don’t have to process everything that’s going on in the world at once. Twitter/the internet makes it very easy to feel overwhelmed and like you’re drowning. You’re allowed to unplug and take your time.

16. Let go of your grudges. They are holding you back, even if you don’t realize it.

17. If you can, forgive the people you’re holding a grudge against. Acknowledge to yourself that you’ve been hurt and that you feel angry. Work through it slowly and methodically. Set yourself free from these feelings of resentment.

18. Take a moment to reevaluate everything that didn’t necessarily go your way this past year. It will be hard, but in order to move on you need to analyze your past productively in order to move forward.

19. Remember: You do not need to go out and drink every night.

20. Remember: You will feel worse if you sit alone at home every night. Find balance in your social life.

21. If you don’t have one already, spend time figuring out a creative outlet for yourself. Whether it’s writing in your free time, filling in those adult coloring books, or learning how to knit. Something to challenge another part of your brain.

22. Keep track of the compliments other people give to you. Write them down, screenshot sweet texts, etc. Re-read them when you’re feeling low.

23. If you have problems with procrastination, start out with writing your to-do list down on paper. Tackle the things that are time sensitive first. After, move on to the ones you really dread taking care of. Finish with simple tasks that aren’t a burden, things like: “Take a shower” or “Eat dinner.”

24. Begin holding yourself more accountable.

25. Start saying “no” to things without feeling compelled to follow up with an excuse or explanation. If you’re serious about wanting to prioritize important things in your life, you need to become comfortable with the idea that “no” is sometimes all that needs to be said.

26. Become more aware of what triggers your stress. When you feel your anxiety coming on, analyze your surroundings. Start recording your environment and state of mind when you feel overwhelmed. Are there any consistencies?

27. Take more control over the direction your life is headed in. If you feel like you’re just floating by, go out of your way to start doing things that matter to you. Start small and then work your way up to bigger goals.

28. Stop spending money on physical items and start spending it on experiences.

29. Understand that if this year has been rough, there’s still a chance to turn it around. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself to change everything at once — start with the most pressing issues you’re dealing with and pick away at them. Soon your current problems won’t seem that daunting.

30. Don’t feel overwhelmed if you feel like you can’t accomplish all of these resolutions in the new year. Take it slow. Pick out which ones matter the most to you. The important thing is to care of yourself first.