Resolutions for 2017

Posted on by Michael Parker, LCSW

We may be halfway through the first month of 2017, but it’s not too late to make that New Year’s Resolution. ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ you might be saying. ‘Every year I promise to eat fewer carbs and go to the gym, and I’m always back to my old habits by March.’ Well, the problem just might be that you’ve been focusing on the wrong goals. This year try a simple, but impactful resolution. And make sure it’s something you’re motivated to work on. Chances are the thing you want to change has been swimming around in your mind for a while, and you’ve just been waiting for the right moment to commit. Here are some ideas for New Year’s Resolutions to get you going in the right direction:

  • Spend more quality time with my partner/spouse: If you’ve got kids, it’s time to find that babysitter and make those date nights happen (at least one night a month, but the more the merrier). If you don’t have kids, this should be even easier.
  • Reconnect with my friends: Make this the year you call more often and make more plans.
  • Set aside more alone time: Just as important as time with others.
  • Yell less at my kids
  • Spend more quality time with my kids
  • Spend less time staring at my phone: Keep in mind, you may have to create a more specific resolution to succeed at this. Give one of these a try:
    • Spend less time reading the news/thinking about politics
    • Limit checking email to 2 or 3 times/day
    • Spend less time on social media
    • Spend less time shopping online
  • Save more money
  • Spend more time doing a favorite hobby/pastime: Read. Hike. Ski. Journal. Cook. Do more yoga.
  • Pick up a new hobby: It’s never too late to learn something new. Try an instrument or start painting.
  • Go to bed earlier
  • Drink more water
  • Attend church more regularly
  • Make new friends: Easier said than done, but there are things you can do to make this happen. Try connecting with others on meetup.com or join an activity or group in your local community.
  • Travel more
  • Listen to others more: It’s easy to fall into the trap of becoming consumed with our own daily dramas, but living for others is essential to a happy life.

That’s all for now. Good luck with those New Year’s Resolutions and Happy 2017!