12 Ways To Make The Second Half Of 2017 Better Than The First

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We’re officially in July and 2017 is halfway over. What now? Summer is in full swing and we’re trying to soak it all in. But before we know it, it’ll be the holidays and we’ll be scrambling to do everything we hoped to do this year. So why not start early?

Let’s do it:

1. Find your list of New Year’s resolutions. Find the list, check some things off, and then make a new one. Maybe some things aren’t as important to you as they were in December and maybe there are new things that have taken priority.

2. Start a blog or personal portfolio. Many of us are looking for ways to express ourselves or showcase our work. There are plenty of tips out there on how to do it as well as free photos to make it look professional and appealing.

3. Keep working on your summer bod even after summer. Sure, we usually hit the gym right in the beginning of the year, trail off, and then pick it up again before summer. The key is to stay consistent (it takes 21 days to form a habit). Keep up those squats and you’ll be ~feeling yourself~ all year round.

4. Take an unplanned vacation. All year we carefully plan our vacations, allocate our vacation days, and leave some open for weddings/bachelorette parties. Rarely do we look up a flight on Wednesday and take it on Thursday to somewhere we didn’t do research on before. Just this once, be more adventurous than usual.

5. Evaluate the first half of the year. Take a step back and see how far you’ve come. Give yourself credit for your accomplishments and think on the next obstacle, challenge, or goal. You’ve had six months to kick ass, so what’s next?

6. Ask for feedback from your peers. It helps to reach out to your boss or to your peers and ask for some genuine feedback. What could you be doing better for the rest of the year? And what have you been doing well? Getting this other perspective will open your eyes up to new opportunities.

7. Get Clarity on your finances. Make a plan to pay off your debts. Get on the right travel rewards card. Find unique ways to save money. Take a look at where you’re spending and where you can save. Do you really need that streaming membership if you’re already using your roommates?

8. Update your planner (or get one). Missed your friend’s birthday because you didn’t check Facebook? Go old school and pick up a planner and fill in the things that you already know. This view will help you keep organized and get a better idea of bandwidth throughout the rest of the year.

9. Pick up more books. One of the best things you can do for yourself each year is learn more. Open your mind, take in new vocabulary, learn about history, and give into your imagination. Not a reader? Opt for a podcast instead.

10. Say yes to spontaneous opportunities. Occasionally, forget your to-do list and say “yes” just for the hell of it. Next year it’ll probably be something you remember more than running errands or doing the laundry.

11. Update your resume and LinkedIn. You update your dating profile when you get a new picture so why not update your LinkedIn when you reach a new milestone? You’re always picking up new skills and accomplishments and they deserve to be on your resume because you never know when you’ll be ready for a new opportunity.

You’ll probably get to the end of this list, like with most lists, and feel a little overwhelmed about how much you can or can’t accomplish. Well, that’s why the next one is the most important of all.

12. Give yourself a break. Seriously. We try harder, year after year. We’re frequently deprived of sleep, of exercise and badly need a pedicure. So once in a while, just give yourself the relaxation you desperately need and deserve. This will give you more energy to do all of the things that you want to do and put you in the right headspace. This is YOUR year, after all.