It’s January 2016, which means one thing – it’s time for those dreaded New Year’s resolutions. Every year millions of us will make those same old promises, but most will end in failure before January is out. So when we wish each other a Happy New Year, why don’t we come up with vows that actually help us achieve just that?
And here I take you through some New Year’s resolutions you should be making to make sure you really do have a happy 2016. And not only are they sure to have instant results, they’re so easy, we’ll all be able to stick to them.
Promise to accept who you are
If you joined the gym the last five Januarys and by the middle of the month you’d quit that’s probably likely to happen again. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Acceptance of who you are is a resolution which is bound to make you more content.
Act like a child
Children usually have lots of different hobbies but as adults we tend to stop doing them and not necessarily because we no longer enjoy them. The biggest excuse is that we don’t have time. Make it a priority. It’s never too late to rekindle something we did as a kid and in turn rekindle the happiness we had back then. Most of us can find five minutes to listen to our favourite song or kick a ball about.
Try something new every week
Time moves much more slowly for children because they are constantly having new experiences. We can learn a lot from children in this respect so try something new – anything. It will make you feel happier and that happiness will last longer. Evidence also shows that neophiles – people who like novelty and change – are much happier than neophobes.
Switch off your phone
We’ve all heard of the phrase “fear of missing out.” A study recently found people who go without Facebook for a week are happier than others. Social media and the internet can be a constant distraction for all ages. It doesn’t have to be. But instead of stressing out about what everyone else is doing, concentrate on just enjoying yourself. One way to do this is to switch your phone off 7pm… or at least not respond to it. Try it – it’s actually quite liberating.
Spend more time with nature
Work can give us purpose and play can give us pleasure. Most activities give us one or the other. But some activities combine both, such as being outdoors. We’re a species that has evolved to be around nature so leave your desk – even if it’s for five minutes.
Spring clean your friends
Many people declutter their homes at this time of year and you should do that with your friends too. We tend to spend our valuable time with friends who don’t really matter when we should be spending it with the ones who do. We have all been guilty of trying to maintain friendships which we’ve outgrown. But if we feel under pressure to spend time with people we no longer have much in common with, they probably do too. So let yourself off the hook. And you’ll both be happier.
Change your passwords to affirmations
Decide on an affirmation, such as “Don’t spend so much money”, and change your online banking password to that. We’re consciously deciding on the password but we’re unconsciously being influenced by it. It’s like a placebo effect because we still fall for it.
Think small
The resolutions people make are often quite big things – how you will change your life in a significant or meaningful way but these intentions are very hard for us to implement. The ones that are more likely to stick are on a smaller scale and therefore more achievable – and it’s actually the little things that have longer lasting effects on your happiness. So set yourself smaller goals, like setting aside time to call a friend for a catch up.
Vow to do what makes you happy
Quite often the things people decide to do are based on constructions of what they think should make them happy as opposed to what does day to day. So make a resolution to ask yourself: “Is this going to make me happier?” If going to the pub with your friends makes you happy, there’s no harm in that. You might think getting a promotion will make you happier, but if that means sacrifices and more hours at work, will it really?
These small but noble ideas are the reality behind resolutions we can keep. Don’t plan to fail. Start small and work up. Get to the nature of these promises. Are they ones that I can really keep. If they aren’t then don’t bother. But if you can, do and you the happier for it. After all, it’s all about Keeping Life Current.
