It’s that time of year when we all sit down and look back at the previous year, at what we’ve accomplished, what we hoped to accomplish, and all the surprises along the way.
And with that reflection often comes the setting of new resolutions for the year ahead.
New Year’s resolutions are a time for new beginnings. You can use this opportunity to plan out your goals and aspirations for the year ahead of you, and make plans to move towards them.
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For some people, this includes setting minimalist New Years resolutions – a way to live more simply by letting go of superfluous items in one’s life. This article will help you set up your own minimalist New Years resolutions with the use of these 9 helpful tips!
What is the point of setting New Year’s resolutions
Everyone is different, but for some people, New Year’s resolutions are a chance to assess how you’ve been living your life and make changes accordingly. It can be difficult to change an unhealthy habit on your own. Setting goals to try new things or rid of bad habits is often motivating enough to try them on your own.
For some people, the word “resolution” conjures up images of giving up or imposing strict rules on themselves that they can’t maintain for very long. For others, it’s about setting specific goals to make life more fulfilling, whether that means making new friends, moving to a new city, or trying something you’ve never done before.
Read also: 30 Day Personal Growth Challenge Ideas
Minimalist New Year’s resolutions
Many people resolve to bring more simplicity into their lives in the New Year, which can mean many different things for different people. For some, it could mean decluttering their physical space, making an effort to work with less material goods in order to have a healthier relationship with money. Other definitions of minimalism can include a more frugal lifestyle or committing to less waste and more sustainable items around the home.
Read also: 9 Types of Minimalists: Which One Are You?
Either way, it’s a great opportunity to look at the things you have and see if any unnecessary items are taking up space in your home. If so, this is a good time to declutter those items and make room for the things you truly need, like family, health, and a stress-free life.
Read also: How To Declutter Your House In One Day: Room To Room
9 tips for setting your minimalist New Year’s resolutions
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1. Set goals you can control
New Year resolutions can be a great opportunity to change your life for the better, but it’s important that you set goals that are within reach. You want to feel like you can realistically succeed in achieving what you’re setting out to do.
For example, if every year you resolve to lose weight but you set an unrealistic goal, this might not be very motivating if you know it’s outside of your control. Making lifestyle changes over a long period of time takes hard work and determination, so think about what you can control and set goals accordingly.
Read also: An Effective Guide To Setting Intentions
2. Make a decision
Intentions, good ones at least, don’t mean much without the follow through of making a concrete plan and taking action towards it. If you write down that you’re going to go back to school, this isn’t very helpful unless you do the work necessary to get accepted into a school, sign up for classes and make sure you’ve got enough money for tuition.
The same rule applies if your New Year resolution is about getting organised or decluttering. You’ll need to make a plan to get this done. For example, if you want to declutter your closet, give yourself smaller time frames for each section of the closet so it doesn’t feel too daunting.
3. Keep it simple
Don’t try to change too many things at once. Gradual change towards a goal is more likely to be successful than going all in and taking on everything at once. Keep it simple by focusing on one or two changes. If you can make those changes stick, it’s much easier to continue having success with the same goals next year.
If your New Year resolutions are about simplifying your life, keep it simple by focusing on one or two changes instead of trying to change too much at once.
4. Envision new habits
The mind is very powerful. Often times all we need to do to start something new is think about how great it’ll be once we get there. If you have a New Year resolution to start flossing, try picturing how much better your teeth will feel if you get in the habit of flossing regularly.
This can also help you progress towards making other changes in your life. If you want a simplified home and life, think about what you can do to make this happen. It’s not helpful to ignore it or sweep the idea under the rug. Instead, come up with a plan for how you can move towards your goal and take action on it!
5. Focus on doing instead of being
Changing your mindset to focus on how you’re going to interact with the things around you is a more positive thought process. So let’s say one of your goals is to spend less money. Instead of focusing on not spending your money, focus on how you’re going to better manage the things that you do buy.
6. Make your resolution visible
Put up a weekly calendar on your fridge, or on the wall above your desk if you work from home. This is an easy way to keep track of your progress and see how much closer you get each day towards reaching your goals.
7. Acknowledge the changes you’re making
New Years resolutions are meant to be positive, so it’s important that you acknowledge the good work you’re doing in the process of achieving what you’ve set out to do. Instead of focusing on what you haven’t done or how far from your goal you might be, find something to celebrate every day along the way.
8. Keep track of what works
Setting aside time to see what’s working and what’s not will help keep you accountable for making changes in the right direction. If you’re trying to revamp your career, make sure to track how much time you spend every week on improving yourself and learning new things.
9. Don’t be afraid of failure
If you get off track, don’t get discouraged and give up. Learn from your mistakes and start fresh the next day with a positive attitude that’s eager to hit the ground running.
Especially if you’re going to start a new journey with minimalism, it’s important that you don’t give up too easily. It takes time to rework your habits and learn how to live life in an uncluttered way. Everyone will fall off track sometimes. Keep at it! Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from trying again.
Bonus Tip: Have fun!
This one is kind of a bonus tip but stay motivated by enjoying the process! Setting and achieving these goals should be exciting, not daunting. If it’s not becoming something that brings positive energy into your life, reevaluate what you’re doing and make the necessary changes.
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Final thoughts on setting your minimalist New Year’s Resolutions
I hope this article has given you a few ideas to help you set some New Year’s resolutions that will work for your lifestyle.
The key is finding the right balance between what feels realistic and achievable, as well as aspirational but not unattainable. When it comes down to it though, make sure they are all things that matter to you personally.
Simplifying your life can be such a rewarding process. It’s important to remember that it takes time, and you should focus on what you’ve achieved so far instead of how far away from your goal you might still be.
Are you setting New Year’s Resolutions this year? Are you considering incorporating minimalist New Year’s Resolutions? Let me know in the comments below!
