It’s a tradition that goes back as far as the ancient Babylonians, and it’s something that has become as synonymous with the New Year as the countdown, kissing at midnight and singing Auld Lang Syne with people you don’t know.
The New Year’s Resolution gives you the chance at clean break from your old life and a fresh start for your new life. New Year’s Resolutions are often made and rarely kept, and here are some of the most common ones that people make as the ball drops.
Lose weight/get fit/be healthy
This is probably the most common one of all, especially after the over indulgence of Christmas. Who doesn’t want to lose the beer belly and get that beach body in time for the summer? You can see these poor fools sporting ill-fitting and out of fashion jogging trousers as they grunt and sweat around the park on January 2nd (no Resolution starts on January 1st on account of the severe hangover).
Motivation and willpower are key in keeping this up, and many people begin to flounder after the first week or so. To keep this Resolution, it’s best to have a fitness buddy to train with you so you can motivate one another should one of you lose the will to carry on.
Get out of debt
Another admirable goal, likely borne from the credit card debt that adds up before Christmas Day. This is a very tough one to keep beyond a few weeks since getting out of debt requires you to curb your spending in favour of saving money, which is easier said than done.
The trick to sticking with this one is to make small cuts to your spending habits in order to ease yourself gently into this new lifestyle. Start making your own lunch instead of relying on fast food to get you through the day, and have more of a “make do and mend” attitude to your clothes rather than throwing them away at the first sign of wear and tear. Learning to sew and mend fabric could save you more than a few pounds.
Quit smoking
Probably the most difficult of New Year’s Resolution (and one of the most difficult things to give up at any time of year) but one with the biggest benefits when you succeed. It might be that you’re fed up of the drain on your wallet, or it might be that you’ve looked up life insurance quotes online, only to be told that heavy smokers pay a much higher premium. Whatever the reason, cutting back on the cigarettes can add ten years to your lifespan, so it’s worth having a go.
Willpower is essential to curbing the cravings here, and there are a number of places where you can go for support as well as gizmos and nicotine alternatives to ease you off the cigarettes.
Get a better job
Is your career stuck in a rut? Do you want to go for that dream job that you’ve always wanted? Now’s the time to go for it! Dust off your CV, update your LinkedIn profile and get out there! In this economy, finding a new job can be difficult, so don’t lose hope if it takes a while.
It might be worth updating your skillset to make you better suited to the job you have in mind. You can also look into learning a language or a new subject entirely using the Open University or an evening course at a local college. Thanks to lifelong learning initiatives, you’re never too late to pick up something new.
Use the New Year as the springboard for your new lifestyle, but make sure the changes you make last longer than a few weeks. With enough will power you’ll be able to live longer, healthier, wealthier and happier.
Guest Post Contributor: Jamie Gibbs is the resident blogger for comparison site Confused.com, which provides Confused.com life insurance quotes all year round.
