8 Ways to Start the New Year Off Right

Every year I make resolutions, and I can not name a time where I followed through with them.  But, I think we are all starting with the same intention.  Every year we want to make an effort to fix something about ourselves.  Or, to change something about ourselves that we think should be better.  This year make some changes that you can keep.  Here are some suggestions to start the new year off right.

Declutter

We all have this problem, especially for teachers.  I have dozens and dozens of worksheets that were left in a filing cabinet from a teacher I replaced that I haven’t even looked at.  Yet, I won’t throw them away.  I have worked in my job for three years, if I haven’t used them by now, maybe its time to go through them and recycle the ones that are not useful.

I also have a drawer full of staples, some of which don’t even fit in the staplers that I own.  Why am I keeping them?  If you have office supplies that you are not using, find someone to donate them too.

Don’t forget your house

I also probably have just as much decluttering to do around my house.  I just moved over the summer, and I really thought that I only moved the stuff that I needed.  There is a room full of junk that I can not unpack because I have nowhere to put it and I haven’t touched most of it since I got here.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to go through your junk drawer.  Or in my case a junk room!!  And decide what you really need to save and what you’re holding on to for no reason.

Clutter can be stressful and overwhelming, decluttering your life at the start of a new year is a great way to put yourself in the mindset to make the most of the new year.

Set goals you can achieve

A lot of people don’t like to set resolutions.  They think that they are pointless because they will never meet them.  But what if you do?

Imagine what your life would be like if you get to the end of the year and you actually kept all of your resolutions.  How much better your life would be.  Why not set these goals for yourself and just be reasonable with yourself so they are not out of reach.

Set miniature goals

Do not start the year saying you are going to lose 100 pounds.  One bad month and all of a sudden your goal is unattainable, and you give up.  Set more reasonable goals for the short term.  Say, I want to lose 10 pounds by the beginning of March.  That way if you lose 15, you can look at the goal again in March and decide that you want to lose 20 pounds before June.

Setting smaller shorter goals is easier to obtain.  But also if you get to March and you haven’t lost your 10 pounds, you can reassess.

Reassess your goals throughout the year

When you make mini-goals throughout the year, it gives you more wiggle room.  You won’t give up because you broke your resolution by January 15th.  When you plan your resolution for the year, give yourself miniature deadlines where you make an appointment with yourself to reassess.

Did you do a fantastic job and your goal was to easy?  Pat yourself on the back, get yourself a tread and make it more challenging moving forward.  Or, did you have broader ambitions than were possible?  That’s okay, let yourself be disappointed for a short period, but then set a more manageable goal with the new information that you have.

Making manageable goals is a great way to start the new year off right.

Schedule time for yourself

We spend our entire day catering to the developmental, personal, and academic needs of 30 small dictators.  I am not a mother, but some of you are.  And mothers then have to go home and spend their evening caring for their family.  The nature of our jobs makes it that we are constantly thinking of other people and often putting them before ourselves.

It is important for our well-being that we take time for ourselves, and that we do it on a regular basis.  If you like pedicures, make a commitment to get one once a month, or every other month.  Take a chance to get your hubby to watch your kids, or a babysitter, and just go shopping for the day.  Or to lunch, or for coffee.  Take 30 – 60 minutes per night to read a book for pleasure.  Go for a long hike once a month, or find a fitness class you like.

Whatever it is that you like to do, make time for it, and for yourself.  Start the new year off right by scheduling this into your calendar.  When you put it in your calendar, you are making it a priority.

Create a budget

As a young, single teacher, I spent a lot of my life being able to splurge whenever I want to.  But now I am getting older, and it is time to get serious.  Budgeting is not going to prevent you from spending your money, and it is not going to prevent you from buying that purse that you LOVE.  It is just going to help you plan out buying that purse and be less impulsive about it.

Your budget can be whatever you want it to be!  If you want to spend $500 a month on going out, you can, you just have to plan it and track it.

Budgeting is not scary; it is just about being purposeful with your money.

Drink more water

I know that it is difficult for us to find time throughout the day to get to the restroom.  And often because of this I actually find myself scheduling my water intake around when I have prep.  But this isn’t healthy.

Water is so important for our bodies.  Water is great for your organs, your joints, your skin, and it is a great tool for weight loss.  I find that when I am dehydrated, I just feel like junk.  It even affects my mood!  Find a cute water bottle; I love this one.  When I am looking for a water bottle, my opinion is the bigger, the better.  I hate having to constantly refill it.  Adding your more water to your day is an easy resolution to make to start your new year off right.

Create a morning routine

Like many of you, I am NOT a morning person.  But, the best way to start our day is relaxed and not rushing around forgetting everything.

Creating a morning routine just makes you more planned for your day.  Decide how much time you need in the morning to get moving, what is the latest time that you can get in the shower and still walk out the door on time?  Decide what things you want to do in the morning and what you want to do the night before.  Do you want to add in the extra ten minutes to make your lunch in the morning, or would you rather have it ready in the fridge the night before?  Or maybe you want to carve out 30 minutes for a workout?  Do you like to meditate before you begin your day?

Whatever it is that you like to do, schedule it.  You will begin your day calmer, and more confident.  Creating a schedule and routine for your morning will help you start your new year off right.

Check out my post on having an awesome Monday morning.

Try something new

We are all creatures of habit.  But when is a better time to try something new that you’ve been thinking about than right now?

If there is a new exercise that has been on your mind, try it!  Take a cooking class that has been calling your name.  Join that dating app that has been intimidating you.  Constantly trying new things and bringing ourselves out of our comfort zone helps us to grow.  It may not go well, but at least you can say you did it!

Make a goal to try one new thing a month, or every other month.  Challenge yourself this year!

Do something that makes you uncomfortable

Jumping off of my last tip, do something that makes you uncomfortable.  Have that conversation that has you anxious, and you’ve been avoiding it.  Finally, ask for that raise that you earned and have deserved for the past two years! Have you been thinking of starting a blog? Go for it!  What is the worst thing that can happen?  Every failure that we have is a learning experience that makes us stronger, better people.  You will never know if something is right for you if you do not try it!

Whatever you do, just don’t settle with the status quo.  Make a change in your life for the better, and you won’t regret it!

Also, check out:

How I Am Building My Dream Life

5 Tips for Self Care for Teachers