By Anne-Marie Jones
As the year winds down, who is guilty of making the same tired resolutions you have no intentions of keeping?
I'm not a fan of 'resolutions', and I don't think you need to wait for a new year before changing your behavior either, but since the New Year is less than a week away, it's not a bad time to think about the things in your life you want to improve.
I think we need to re-think what a resolution is - people set the same things that they almost feel like they have to do - go to the gym, lose weight, quit smoking/vaping...
Why don't we focus more on working towards improving different areas of our lives instead of setting an absolute goal? Even if we 'fail', then we've still taken steps in the right direction of self improvement.
I'm going to look at a few things in life we can improve and work on through the year, rather than set a 'resolution'.
Health, Wellbeing and Mental Health
How are you doing? How are you really doing? Is there some way you can improve your mental health, physical health, or wellbeing in the new year?
Are you up to date on mole checks? Cervical smears? (there is a great new self-swab option, and it's also funded for some eligible patients who are overdue for a check, you can ring your medical centre and see if you're eligible. You also don't need a doctors appointment to do this).
Has there been a health concern on the back of your mind you've been pushing aside? Something that's 'not quite right'? Go get it checked out.
Do you need to improve your fitness? Even just a small daily walk around the block is a start. Does a friend or neighbour have a dog you can walk?
Are there negative influences in your life bringing you down? Can you get rid of them, or minimise your contact with them?
What energises you? What drains you? Surround yourself with the things that make YOU happy, and don't worry about other people's judgements.
Relaxation doesn't have to be a day at the spa, find little ways to have a break and make time for yourself.
Self-Confidence and Appearance
Some people struggle with this more than others, where do you stand?
How you feel about your appearance is more important than your actual appearance - do you need to work on improving how you feel about yourself/your looks?
Is there anything you would like to change about your appearance this year?
How can you work towards a better body image and achieve the look you want?
Take care of your health and wellbeing, and that will have a positive impact on your physical appearance too.
Career/Side Hustles
With the economy being pretty tough this year, the side hustle has really taken off!
If you've had a side hustle in mind, why not have a go at it? Be cautious of online scams (and multi-level-marketing!), but there are heaps of good ways of earning extra cash.
Here are a few quick ideas : dog walking, baby sitting, helping elderly with technology, picking up old gadgets for scrap metal, taking people's rubbish to the dump for them, helping people move, running school holiday craft workshops, helping people sell their things online (you take a cut when it sells), being an extra on film sets, or selling at markets.
Maybe another job isn't for you but you want to make more in your current career. Are you in a position to ask for a raise? Can you take some extra hours? Are there better jobs in the same career elsewhere?
Could you upskill then look at promotions?
There are some good free courses on Hubspot too if you want to upskill and increase your employability.
Hobbies
Make this the year you pick up that hobby you've thought of trying. What's stopping you?
If you don't have anything in mind but are looking for something new, here are some ideas of low-cost hobbies that are easy to get started in - raising indoor plants, drawing, diamond art, watercolour painting, writing, card making, digital art, macrame, candle and wax melt making, soap making, colouring, hiking, clay or upcycling old items/furniture.
Lots of libraries and community centres also offer free classes and cheap workshops, Pinterest and Youtube are full of inspiration and shops like Kmart offer lots of basic craft sets to get you started in lots of different hobbies.
Relationships With Others
This is an important part of our lives - what do YOU want from your relationships with others in 2025?
More sex/better sex? Find a partner? Make more friends?
How we relate with others is an important part of who we are, and the key to success with this is communication. What's getting in the way of you reaching your relationship goals? What can you do differently to achieve that?
Is it something you could simply fix with a conversation? Or do you need to do some work and go out and seek what you want?
For me, my big weakness is not keeping in touch with people I don't see in person, I can be really bad at that. I have a lot of friends around the country, some I haven't seen in person for about a decade since I moved, and I've been so busy building a whole new life here, I've neglected the friendships I'd built up in the North Island, I've let some very good friendships go. In 2025, I plan to reach out and reconnect with some of the friends I haven't spoken to in awhile.
Finances
Everyone wants more money, right? Are you a saver or a spender? It's never too late to start saving, and a little is better than nothing at all.
Honestly, even saving literally $1 a week means you'd have $52 at the end of the year for some Christmas expenses. $5/week would be $260. Could you find a spare $12/week? That would get you $624 a year. "Just a few bucks" can add up so quick, and it's so helpful to have some money put aside.
If you're not already a saver, why not start in 2025, even if it's just $1/week.
Are you a bad impulse shopper?
Before you buy yet another must-have limited edition candle, or super-expensive, impractical but gorgeous shoes, ask yourself how long you would have to work to pay for that item, and think about how much use you will get out of it. Maybe wait a day and come back tomorrow if you really want it. If it's online, close the tab! Online shopping has made FOMO a big problem, but you need to re-train your brain to know that it's actually OK to not buy everything you see and want.
You CAN live without Buy Now Pay Later. I know it has some genuine uses but most of the time it's not necessary - if you don't have the money in your account, and it's not a need, don't BNPL it. Yes, it's different if it's a meat pack, or your Christmas shopping, etc, but the habit of buying luxuries on BNPL means our generation is spending so much beyond their means, with no budgeting for our 'discretionary spending'. BNPL means we buy whatever we like, and not think about how much we actually spend on things we don't need. (If you love BNPL, I'm not judging, I know its incredibly popular and you're absolutely entitled to use it however you like, I'm just trying to make you think twice so you can save some money).
Any personal challenges you face
Sometimes these are things we can't fix or change, so we need to accept what they are and make the best of where we are at with them. Maybe this means you should reach out for help to others, if that is an option in your situation.
If all of these things are working well in our lives, I think that's pretty much key to happiness.
Your 2025 will be better if you make an effort to improve these areas, you don't have to achieve a definitive 'goal', just take some small steps towards a better you and a brighter future. And if you really want to, you can still go join that gym!
This article is the opinion of the writer, and does not constitute professional advice.
