As 2016 comes to an end, you might find yourself reflecting on the past 12 months. The good, the bad, the in between... yeah, a lot happened. Seriously, where does the time go? With a blink of an eye, you'll be facing yet another set of resolutions. After all, that seems to be thing that people do around this time of the year. But before you start making elaborate lists, keep in mind that the best goals are small and attainable. That might mean making some easy New Years resolutions that you can accomplish in a day. Sometimes, they might even be doable within a couple hours.
It doesn’t mean that these goals are less significant than others, though. And it certainly doesn’t mean you are lazy. These realistic resolutions for 2017 acknowledge the progressive nature of new habits. It embraces the baby steps necessary for self-improvement. Most importantly, the simplistic nature makes it harder to bail on them. You know how it goes.
Whatever you do, be real with yourself. Hold on to those bigger dreams and goals. Everything worth achieving takes time and effort. Until then, start small and check off one of these New Years resolutions in a day. You got this.
1De-Clutter Your Closet
The thought of tackling the almighty closet can be daunting. Yet, it’s totally possible to de-clutter your closet in one day. It all comes down to your game plan. The key to successful purging is to return less items than you take out. Set aside an afternoon to take out everything (literally, everything) from your closet. Create a donation pile or give things to friends and family. It’s simple yet crucial move in a new direction.
2Tidy Up Your Digital Space
In today’s day and age, it is not uncommon to feel bombarded with notifications on the daily. To top it off, people's lives are tucked away in clouds, folders, and flash drives. Take a day to organize your digital world. This can mean organizing your favorite links or unsubscribing from mailing lists. Simply turning off notifications on a few apps can clear your head space. You’ll be glad you did.
3Give Back To The Community
When it comes to helping others, every little bit matters. In just a few hours, you can lend a hand at an animal shelter, soup kitchen, or food drive. Of course, if you have the capacity to volunteer frequently, go for it. But keep in mind that even just a single day of volunteering can mean the world to others. Alternatively, in just a few minutes, you can also set up a recurring donation to an organization of your choice.
4Try A New Creative Hobby
When it comes to creative hobbies, many people think that they need to be a pro in order to do it. This simply isn’t the case, though. Practicing creative tasks is all about trying new things for the sake of exploration and imagination. For example, in a few hours, you can attend a crafty class or follow an online course. Candle making, hand lettering, and pie baking are all awesome ideas. Regardless of what you try, it’s important to ditch the expectation that you have to create a masterpiece. Just have fun with it.
5Change Your Hairstyle
If you’ve been craving a change, here’s your chance to make it happen. A hair cut or dye job might be what you need to feel good as new. The best part is that either one can be done in a few hours or less. And once you’ve decided to take the plunge, all it takes is a single trip to the salon. Let me see that hair flip, lady.
6Pay Bills On Time
It’s no secret that adulting can be hard. And thanks to the normal craziness of everyday life, it can be easy to forget about monthly payments. Take control for your finances by selecting the autopay feature for every single one of your bills. Choose dates that work best with your budget and income. This way, you can be sure that you’ll never miss a deadline. See you never, late fees.
7Make A Budget
Creating a budget can really shift your outlook on money. Take a day to write down all of your essential bills and payments. Compare this to your income and factor in some flexible just-for-fun money. Simply looking at the numbers on paper will provide guidance on handling your hard-earned cash.
8Open Up A Savings Account
Opening up a savings account may be the push you need for positive change. After all, it only takes a few minutes to apply. Once it is set up and ready to go, you can decide how much money you’d like to deposit over time. Set a routine automatic deposit so you don’t even have to think about it. Remember, the sooner you start, the better.
9Explore A New Place
For many, exploration has a solid spot on the list of resolutions. Luckily, this is quite easy to achieve. The key is to think on a smaller scale. Sure, the ideal trip would be a dreamy getaway to a foreign land. Extravagant trips aren't the only things that are fulfilling, though. A day in a new neighborhood, town, or state park can be just as enlightening. It’s also the perfect chance to discover hidden gems not far from home.
