New Year – New You!

• new years
• resolutions

Forget those cliché New Year’s resolutions that usually leave you feeling guilty you didn’t even make it to February – it’s time to focus on big, exciting changes that you can make happen in 2019.

There is certainly something to be said about starting afresh at the beginning of the year, and perhaps that’s why it is the best time to sit down with a pen and paper to start planning what you might like to see unfold over the next 12 months.

Thinking about a house refresh?

If you’re perfect just the way you are, what about changing up your surrounds to make sure it is working as well as it can for the lifestyle you enjoy most.

We spend a significant amount of time at home, and have any number of things we like to do – entertain, read books, spend time as a family, exercise, indulge in hobbies etc. – so why wouldn’t we want our house to best reflect these activities?

It could be as big as moving to a new house, or simply refreshing and reworking what you have already. Understand what it is that you would change about your home if you had the opportunity, and make steps to achieve that.

Would you love a vegetable garden to grow your own produce, more artwork on the walls, or a kitchen that is more organised, so dinner time isn’t so hectic? There are plenty of possibilities for change, but sometimes the pure act of writing them down and seeing them visually can prompt us to take the next step.

What’s ultimately being said here is does your home help or hinder the way you would like to live?

Time for a career change?

If there was the opportunity to chat to 10-year-old you, what do you think they would say about the job you are doing right now? Do you think they’d be impressed, or not so much?

Of course interests change as we get older, and the reality of life can certainly get in the way of childhood dreams, but the question is – is there a career or job that you think you might like to do? And if so, is there any way at all you can make progress towards it becoming a reality?

From part-time study, to working from home in the weekends, and on-the-job training, there are plenty of ways to work your way into a role that you would ideally like to do full time. And don’t be put off by big goals that you don’t think you can achieve. For example, if you wouldn’t realistically be able to be a doctor, what about getting into the field of health in another way, like nursing, or phlebotomy.

What’s important is thinking outside the square, and doing your best to evaluate what kind of role you would be interested in pursuing, then understanding the steps towards it.

Make a difference in lives of others

Instead of your New Year’s resolutions being about how you can better yourself, why not consider change that impacts on others in a positive way? There are any number of charities, causes and people in need, and you might find that doing a good deed actually has the power to change who you are.

No matter your situation, there are always ways you can help – from something as simple as doing a beach collection picking up rubbish, to regularly donating to a small charity that really makes a difference to the everyday lives of those less fortunate.