Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year! A long and challenging year is finally behind us, and you’re ready to take on new challenges. People say the way you start your year will determine its course, so it’s better to kick-start your New Year in the best way possible. We can show you some exciting ways if you’re unsure how to do that.
Kick-start your New Year by making someone happy each day
Okay, New Year’s resolutions often start with plans about making personal desires come true. But, as you know, those don’t work out quite often. So, maybe it’s time to approach the whole thing differently. Instead of bringing focus to what the world can give you and making your desires come true, shift your focus on what you can give to the world and how you can make other people happy.
As you know, happiness is the thing that multiplies when shared with others. That is scientifically true because the center for reward in your brain is deeply connected with the centers important for social interaction. So, as an exercise, promise yourself you’ll try to make at least one person smile each day, and you’ll do a great favor to the world (and yourself). That can be a great and healthy habit to take to yourself and teach your children one day.
Compassion doesn’t cost a thing – but it will boost your dopamine levels
The great thing about this is that you don’t have to spend much money. But you will get a lot if you count dopamine levels as a currency. You can volunteer to help some charity for a couple of hours a week or offer help to the people closest to you. Even if you ”just” start practicing listening to other people and their struggles, it can be a massive step in the right direction and an excellent way to start your year.
You will feel much happier knowing you made a difference to at least one person. Who knows, maybe you inspire someone to follow in your footsteps. If we all started being just a bit kinder to one another, we would all be little fountains of happiness hormones, and the world would be much better.
Kick-start your new year with a dance
Yes, we all exercise, and getting in shape is a must on our New Year’s resolution list. Unfortunately, that rarely works out. One of the major setbacks is that regularly going to the gym requires some kind of sacrifice; frankly, exercise can be quite hard physically for beginners. So, instead of torturing yourself and being disappointed after you realize that you only went to the gym twice in January and never again, you can take a different and fun approach to exercise and join a dance class. Dancing is an excellent way of staying physically active and releasing all that stress and excessive energy.
Let go of the things that hold you back
Just as much as letting go of stress is essential physically, it’s also important to maintain your mental hygiene. The most important thing when entering a New Year is to let go of as much weight from the previous one as possible. Your mental health can suffer a lot if you don’t deal with the problems immediately and bring them into the new year of your life. If you have some weight you drag on your shoulders, it can keep you from making the kick start you want this year.
Don’t let the past block your path
That is even more important if you’re making significant changes, like starting a new job or moving to a new apartment. For example, you’ll put some things out of the way when moving into your new apartment. Pro movers say it’s best to read your lease agreement, set up your utilities, and file for the change of address before the move, so you can have a fresh start without having any weight on your shoulder.
Make a contract with yourself and put it in a plain sight
You might have noticed that mental health professionals love writing things down, which is not a coincidence. By writing things down, you’re focusing your brain power on finding solutions and ways to make the things you wrote come true. So, the best way to ensure you fulfill everything you want is to make all your wishes on paper. Then, put a list of your New Year’s plans and aspirations on:
- your fridge (this is especially useful if one of your resolutions was to eat more healthily)
- bathroom mirror
- dashboard
- or anywhere you find a fitting that is in your plain site
That will constantly remind you of your goals as the new year begins. Putting your aspirations in writing can help you see them and keep you accountable. It will be like you’ve made an imaginary contract with yourself, and it will oblige you to stick to it. A good rule of thumb is to make it in the form of a checklist on your phone or laptop. It will make things more exciting. Each time you check some things off, you’ll be more motivated for the next thing.
Use this momentum to take steps toward a healthier life
The period around the New Year is excellent for making some core changes in your life. The euphoria that can be felt all around can be a great motivation to take the step in the right direction. If you give in to all the excitement and kick-start your new year with healthier choices, you’ll do your body and mind a favor. So, don’t be afraid to become a better person. We mentioned some excellent ways to stay on a good path, but you can always find a new way that will suit you better. Good luck and happy New Year!
Meta: January is here, which means now is the right time to go over some exciting ways to kick-start your new year.
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