Be Kind to Yourself to Start the New Year

New Year’s Resolutions are made and broken every year. Rather than setting yourself up with a resolution and potential frustration if you break it, treat yourself to a new way to start off the year. Instead of a New Year’s Resolution, try out one of these options:

Make a bucket list

Fill it with a list of what you want to try or do and work on crossing it off a little at a time.

Establish a new goal each month

Rather than planning for an entire year, create a goal for one month. Then when the next month rolls around, pick a different goal. You may find it’s easier to stay on track 30 days at a time.

Pick a monthly theme

Establish a theme for each month and then do as many things as you can that fit that theme for the month. For example, try a “veggie-a-day” theme and try a new vegetable each day.

Make a commitment to someone else

If making a resolution is a promise to yourself, try making a commitment to someone else like a friend or charity. Maybe it’s becoming a Big Sister or Big Brother. Putting someone else first and committing to them makes it a little easier to hold yourself accountable.

Choose a word of the year

Pick a word that holds meaning and then focus on living up to your word for the remainder of the year. Examples can include: peace, others, freedom, adventure. Select the word that matters most to you.

By following one of these alternatives, you may find it a little easier to be kind to yourself as we start the new year.