Seven New Year’s Resolutions That You Will Actually Stick To

Seven New Year’s Resolutions That You Will Actually Stick To

By Lilly Croucher

What was your New Year’s Resolution for 2023? Was it joining a fancy gym? Starting that detox? Or was it to travel more?

Each year we make resolutions just like these, only to fail by the third week of January.

A study by YouGov found that 72 per cent of people didn’t keep their New Year’s resolutions in 2021.

So, what alternative resolutions can you make that are affordable and you will actually stick to?

The easiest way to keep doing something is by making it a habit, so by scheduling the task into your routine, you’ll more easily stick to it.

Here we have compiled a list of ideas that are healthy, cost-effective and most importantly – motivating!

1.    Drop the Gym

Exercise is great for you, but gym memberships can be expensive, especially if you don’t use them.

Try running. There are loads of free training apps, such as Strava, that can help track your progress or you can join a community running group.

Maybe try a team sport that meets weekly like Sunday league or Tennis.

Put walking into your daily routine, walk to the shops, to your appointments or on your lunch break.

2.    Eat healthily

Having a healthy diet doesn’t mean juice cleanses or food subscription services but can be as simple as being conscious of what you are eating.

There are free meal planners like eatthismuch.com which generates free meal plans for you every day depending on how many calories you eat.

3.    Make time for hobbies

In between doing everything else in life, hobbies don’t usually make it into our busy routines.

Find regular time in your week for a short activity, maybe it’s learning to cook or reading that book you keep putting off.

Whatever it is, reconnecting with our passions is great for alleviate stress and protects our cognitive function.

4.    Get the life admin done

We know, it’s boring but completing life tasks like washing the car, repainting the house, selling old clothes you don’t need or filing paperwork can clear away the mental clutter and can give you a great sense of fulfilment.

Keep organised by using an electronic calendar through emails or using and diary.

5.    Travel on a budget

Holidays and trips can be expensive but if you are flexible and can do without the luxuries, you can grab some great deals

• Check last-minute flight sites (in the off-season) like SkyScanner and Google Flights.
• Booking.com sometimes gives discounts to loyal customers and those booking on a mobile.
• Hopper app checks if a flight is expected to increase or decrease in price.
• If you are feeling adventurous, sites like Wowcher and Journee do mystery holidays for as little as £99.
• Find credit cards that have air miles as rewards to book cheap or upgraded flights. Look at Virgin or Avois cards

6.    Learn a language

You may be someone that dreams of moving abroad, travelling the world or wants to progress their career.

This is not an easy resolution but will take hard work, commitment and probably longer than a year to achieve, but you will have a valuable new skill at the end.

Free apps like Duolingo and Babbel are a great place to start. Watching films and TV in the target language and meeting up with native speakers can help develop fluency.

7.    Cut the habits

Bad habits like smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol and caffeine are probably one of the hardest to cut out.

If you can and you’re willing to try, attempting to quit habits like these will be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your health and can save you thousands in the long run.

Try dry January, a popular campaign that sees thousands of people cut the booze for 30 days after Christmas or try low alcohol substitutes, some taste exactly the same!

Keep at it and remember – The smallest changes make the biggest impact.