Maybe you don’t need to set big goals and intentions for your new year. Maybe you could focus on a few small changes that could make a big difference to your overall happiness and life satisfaction. Here are some ideas for small changes you can make that could have a big effect on your life (over time).
- Drink more water
- Clean more often (get in the hard-to-reach and less obvious places)
- Journal for 5 mins on an app a day
- Rearrange a room
- Say hello and smile at strangers in the street
- Play music in the mornings as you get ready for work
- List something you’re grateful for at the beginning or end of each day
- Stretch mindfully for 5-10 mins a day
- Call your parents/carers
- Do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return
- Open up a cookbook and make something new
- Put together an outfit you’ve not worn before with items you don’t usually pair together
- Set a “no phone when” rule e.g. no phone when it’s past 8pm; no phone when I am with someone; no phone at dinner time; no phone when I first wake up…
- Wear the nice shoes, or top, or lipgloss
- Breathe in for 5, hold, out for 7; repeat 5 times as needed throughout the day
- Watch less TV, read more
- Drink less caffeine
- Laugh with your siblings or close cousins
- Talk about your feelings, don’t hold a grudge or create a narrative by overthinking (have hard conversations and clear the air)
- Read about important topics like race, LGBTQ+ experiences, cultures other than your own, and world history not skewed by European perspectives
Sincerely, S. xx
S. R. Crawford 