20 Easy New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Self Care | Muse Health

Every year, many of us have the illusion of starting fresh and attempting to make the upcoming year, the best one yet. From making plans to go to the gym more often to reading a book a week, the motivation to continue can be exhausting. When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, it is best to keep things simple. While it would be great to master a million new skills in one year, finding activities that place self care at the forefront is a great place to get started.

The idea of self care is both simple and confusing at the same time. In order to get off on the right foot, below are 20 easy New Year's resolution ideas that will make your upcoming year one to remember.

New Year’s Resolutions to Better Mental Health

Mental health is always something worth investing in. Taking time to understand what makes you tick will help you feel comfortable in your skin and around others. With a myriad of activities and examples out there that encourage mental health and wellness, take a leap of faith and make it a priority to check in with yourself.

Resolution 1: Say Good-bye to Negative Self Talk

Doubt has kept many of us from going after something we truly want and desire. Although it is good to be self-critical, to a certain extent, when all you can focus on is the negative, it becomes hard to progress. As humans, it is much easier to be critical of yourself than of others. You wouldn’t continually nitpick at your best friend because you know how much it could damage their confidence. Accepting that you aren’t perfect and make mistakes takes the pressure off.

Make it a goal to take negative words out of your vocabulary and let things you can’t control go.

Resolution 2: Spend Time Outdoors

Time outdoors is considered to be a great form of therapy. When you remove yourself from the home or office, you can focus on other things. Once outside, it becomes easier to let things go. The relaxation of being in nature can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Even if it’s just a walk to your local park, spending time hearing the birds chirp or walking the dog goes a long way.

Resolution 3: Find a Hobby

One of the best ways to forget about your worries is to find something else to focus your time and energy. Finding a hobby that is stimulating will keep your brain sharp. Many people make the New Year’s resolution of learning a new language but after a few weeks give up. Taking time out your week to dedicate to something challenging will help take your mind off work and bills. If the hobby is physical, like playing a sport, you get the added benefit of keeping your body in shape.  

Resolution 4: Learn to Say “NO”

The need to please people is something that almost everyone suffers from. Although it may be hard at first, make it a priority to learn the value of saying “no”. Only two letters, no is a powerful word that can help you avoid added stress and anxiety in the future. Whenever you’re taking on too much or don’t feel like taking part in an activity, saying no creates boundaries and shows others that you can’t be everything at all times.

Resolution 5: Become One with Your Emotions

When people hear the word “emotion” it often has a negative connotation attached to it. From sayings such as “letting my emotions get the best of you”, there is stigma when it comes to living in your emotions.

Confronting emotions and facing internal issues will help you better understand why you act certain ways. From journaling to speaking with a professional, taking time to understand your emotions will lead to breakthroughs.

Resolution 6: Begin Meditating

Meditation is defined as the act of teaching awareness and attention to achieve an emotionally clear and calm state of mind. Meditation is a powerful tool that anyone can use to center their thoughts. With only 30 minutes at the beginning or end of every day, it can help you find balance by blocking out external distractions.

Resolution 7: Learn to Say “Yes”

In contrast to a previous resolution, there are times when you will want to say yes to an opportunity. Fear is an emotion that drives many people to stay in their shell and never push beyond limits. By figuring out the right times to say “yes”, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities that were never considered. The word “yes” has a lot of power and can lead to valuable lessons.

Resolution 8: Unplug

In a social media world, it may be hard to take time away from your device. Making it a priority to put the phone down makes it possible to live life to the fullest. On social platforms, it becomes easy to compare your life to that of your favorite influencer or celebrity. Those feelings of inadequacy or that “you’re behind” do nothing but result in the creation of unrealistic expectations. When the cellphone is taken away, you have a chance to focus on yourself and future goals.

Simple 2021 resolutions to improve self care

Self care is an activity that doesn’t take much money or effort. By keeping things simple, you can see major changes in your energy levels, appearance, and overall sense of self. Below are a few simple resolutions to keep in mind.

Resolution 9: Drink more water

The human body is composed of over 60% water. Making sure to hydrate will lead to better functioning of your organs as well as the complexion of your skin. Using a reusable bottle at work or on the go makes you accountable and more likely to drink water throughout the day.

Resolution 10: Get better sleep

While the concept of staying up all night may work for college students, eventually a lackluster sleep schedule will catch up with you. Making sure to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night allows your mind to reset and get ready for the next day. Just like a cellphone, the body needs time to recharge its batteries before it can work at full capacity.

Resolution 11: Make time to Exercise

One common excuse that is made when it comes to working out is the idea that there are not enough hours in the day. Working out is not only something that makes your body look good but it is also essential in the maintenance of strong bones and muscles. Exercise helps to keep your organs functioning and rids the body of toxins. With YouTube videos providing free workouts, all you need is an internet connection and some imagination. Start with 30 minutes a day and if you feel better, continue increasing your time commitment.

Resolution 12: Make short term goals

Goal making is an excellent way to ensure that you keep up with your schedule. Whether on an application or Easel paper, drawing out weekly goals for yourself establishes a precedent by making you accountable. These goals can be self care motivated and be as specific or vague as you want them to be.

Resolution 13: Find healthy alternatives to your favorite snacks

The snack section at grocery stores are hard to avoid and seem to follow you. While it is easy to go to the potato chip section and grab sour cream and onion Pringles, look for alternative snacks that are tasty yet nutritious. If you don’t know where to start, the article 10 cheap and healthy items to add to your grocery cart will give you a good base for how to approach your future grocery store trips.

Resolution 14: Reward Yourself for a job well done

Taking time to gift yourself something special every once in a while is a great way to look after yourself. Whether the gift is a spa day or a dinner at a nice restaurant, self care in terms of rewards should not be overlooked. Sometimes it's hard to gift yourself something nice because it seems selfish. If you learn to flip the script and think of these gifts as a job well done for hard work, you’ll begin realizing that it's okay to spoil yourself in moderation.

Resolution 15: Catch Up with Friends and Family

Life has a way of distracting us. From bills to work deadlines, it seems like days run together. Taking time to catch up with friends or family in your neighborhood is a perfect way to amp up your spirits. Because everyone is on differing schedules, taking time to plan out events ahead of time will make gatherings simpler and stress free. When you’re around friends and family, make an effort to check in on everyone to see if they need help with anything.

New Years Resolutions Ideas for Glowing Skin

The quest for perfect skin is an ongoing struggle. With the concept of “new year, new me” always present, making goals for your skin will help your confidence in and out of the office. Below are some ideas for how to get glowing skin this coming year.

Resolution 16: Schedule an Appointment with a Dermatologist

A question you should ask yourself is when is the last time you went to see a dermatologist. Setting up an appointment to learn more about your specific skin type and its needs is crucial to obtaining a glow. In one appointment, your dermatologist can provide key insights and suggestions that will go a long way in clearing up any problem areas. If you’re really serious, schedule regular appointments every 4-6 months.

Resolution 17: Get to Know Your Skin

Along the same lines as the previous resolution, taking time to get to know your skin is important. While one product may work well for a friend, it doesn’t mean that it will work well on you. If you have no idea where to start, you can click here, to learn about the 16 Baumman skin types. Once you find out what your skin type is, you can use that knowledge to find products that accomplish what you’re currently looking for.

Resolution 18: Wear SPF Sunblock Everyday

The winter months trick people into believing that their skin is safe from the sun’s wrath. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Even when temperatures are low, you should always wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Sunscreen helps to block damaging rays from the sun by creating a protective layer that keeps skin safe. If you’re someone that already has sun damage, make it a priority to find a suitable sunscreen.

Resolution 19: Follow a Regimen

Once you go to a dermatologist and learn about your skin type, creating a regimen is the next major step. Finding a cleanser, exfoliator, and moisturizer combination that works for you will take experimentation. Before using any products, make sure to read customer reviews to see how others feel. You can also use your dermatologist as a resource and ask them for recommendations. They will have a vast amount of information regarding the best products.

Resolution 20: Find ways to relieve stress

Stress can have major impacts on the quality of your skin. From producing acne to a duller appearance, stress has several unwanted effects. In order to fight against the effects of stress, find things in your life that make you happy. These could be activities like sowing or taking hikes. Aromatherapy candles are another way to relieve stress and can be used in tandem with skin care products to create at home spa days.

Make this New Year Count

As you wait for the ball to drop this New Year’s Eve, go into the upcoming year with a game plan. By placing self care at the center, your new year will be filled with improvements from the inside out.