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The new year means new beginnings — and new resolutions. Whether your students hope to become stronger readers or aim to be more compassionate toward one another, the new year is the perfect time to help them reflect upon what they need to do to achieve their goals.

These 31 new year writing prompts will inspire your students to reflect on the past year, set realistic goals and resolutions, and look ahead to a bright future to make 2024 even more successful!

1. What are your resolutions for this new year?

2. Why is it important to make new year’s resolutions?

3. What was the best thing that happened to you this past year?

4. What are you most looking forward to this new year?

5. This year will be a year of…

6. In what ways were your kind to your friends, family, and teachers this past year?

7. What can you do this new year to be a good friend?

8. What can you do this new year to show gratitude for your friends, family, and teachers?

9. This new year, I’m grateful for…

10. This new year, I can’t wait to…

11. What new adventures would you like to go on this year?

12. Can you describe your most memorable new year?

13. Why is the new year important to you?

14. Have you made a new year’s resolution before? What was it?

15. Does your family have any new year’s traditions? What are they?

16. What can you do to make this new year even more special than last?

17. Before this year ends, I will…

18. The best book I read last year was ________ because…

19. The book I’m most looking forward to reading this year is ________ because…

20. This new year, I can’t wait to learn about…

21. This new year, I hope I’m able to…

22. What will you need to do to achieve your goals and keep your resolutions in the new year?

23. What can we do as a class this new year to be more kind to one another?

24. How can your classmates and teachers help you achieve your goals and resolutions?

25. How can you help your classmates and teachers achieve their goals and resolutions?

26. In what ways can you practice empathy this year?

27. Describe a time when you helped a classmate or teacher. How did you feel afterward?

28. What was the most fun part of the year in class for you?

29. What are you most excited to do in class next year?

30. What can you do next year to be helpful at home and at school?

31. What was the most interesting thing you’ve learned this year?

Combining daily writing exercises with extended class or small-group discussion will help your students set realistic, yet meaningful, goals to make the new year even more successful than the last. By encouraging your students to really reflect on the new year and what it means to make and keep resolutions, they’ll be prepared to overcome any challenge they may encounter along the way — and help their friends and classmates do the same!

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Essay on My New Year Resolution

Students are often asked to write an essay on My New Year Resolution in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My New Year Resolution

Introduction.

Every New Year brings a chance to set new goals. My New Year’s resolution is about improving myself.

Academic Goals

I aim to improve my grades. I’ll study daily, complete homework on time, and participate actively in class.

Health Goals

I plan to keep fit. I’ll play more outdoor games, eat healthy food, and sleep early.

Social Goals

I will help others more. I’ll be kind to everyone and make new friends.

250 Words Essay on My New Year Resolution

The advent of a new year always brings with it a sense of renewal and a chance to better ourselves. As we bid adieu to 2021 and welcome 2022, we inherently seek to improve aspects of our lives. My New Year resolution, therefore, is to cultivate mindfulness, a trait often overlooked in our fast-paced world.

The Importance of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present. It involves acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. The importance of mindfulness cannot be overstated, especially in the context of a world that is increasingly characterized by frenetic activity and stress.

Approach to Achieving Mindfulness

The first step to achieving mindfulness is to set aside a few minutes each day for quiet contemplation. This will involve disconnecting from digital devices and focusing on the present moment. This practice, while seemingly simple, requires a high degree of discipline and consistency, especially in the face of constant distractions.

Expected Outcomes

By practicing mindfulness, I hope to cultivate a more balanced and peaceful state of mind. This resolution will not only help me to manage stress more effectively but also enhance my cognitive abilities, thereby improving my academic performance.

In conclusion, my New Year resolution is a journey towards self-improvement and mental well-being. By cultivating mindfulness, I aim to create a more harmonious relationship with my environment and myself. As we step into 2022, I invite my fellow students to join me in this endeavor, as we strive to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead.

500 Words Essay on My New Year Resolution

Understanding new year resolutions.

New Year resolutions are essentially personal goals or objectives set at the beginning of a year. They serve as a roadmap to guide our actions and decisions throughout the year. The tradition of New Year resolutions dates back to ancient times, with the Romans making promises to the god Janus, after whom the month of January is named. Today, these resolutions have evolved into a self-imposed framework for personal development.

My New Year Resolution

My New Year resolution for the forthcoming year is to enhance my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In an era of rapid technological advancement and unprecedented challenges, these two skills are of paramount importance. They not only help in academic pursuits but are also crucial in navigating the complexities of life.

Why Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving?

Implementing the resolution.

The implementation of this resolution involves a multi-pronged approach. Firstly, I plan to engage more actively in debates and discussions, both within and outside the academic sphere. This would expose me to diverse perspectives, thereby enhancing my critical thinking abilities. Secondly, I intend to participate in problem-solving competitions and workshops, which would provide a platform to apply and refine these skills.

Challenges and Overcoming Them

While the path towards achieving this resolution is fraught with challenges, they are not insurmountable. The primary hurdle is the inherent bias and preconceived notions that often cloud our judgement. Overcoming this requires conscious effort and constant self-reflection. Another challenge is the fear of failure, which can deter us from attempting to solve complex problems. This can be overcome by adopting a growth mindset, viewing failures as stepping stones towards success.

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40 New Year’s resolutions you can actually stick to in 2024

It's a new year and—if you so choose—a new you.

However you plan to kick off 2024, you may have a few ideas in mind on how you'd like reinvent yourself in the coming months. Perhaps it's a commitment to being less stressed with your job or deciding to incorporate a new fitness routine into your life.

In fact, there are about as many New Year's Resolutions as you want there to be, including a resolution to not make any new resolutions , and that's perfectly fine.

After all, grandiose plans like a new diet or exercise plan can sometimes be hard to maintain especially once Blue Monday rolls around in January . Which is why setting attainable goal s is especially important when considering New Year's Resolutions.

“Pick something that resonates with you and aligns with your values so that you can stay motivated,” Nathan Brandon, Psy.D , tells TODAY.com. “Research shows that having a plan and setting achievable goals can increase the likelihood of success."

If you've had trouble sticking to resolutions in the past, you're far from alone.

“Even though many set resolutions, some research has suggested that under 10% of those setting resolutions feel they are successful by year’s end,” Dr. Ray W. Christner, Psy.D., licensed psychologist, CEO of Cognitive Health Solutions, LLC and co-host of the “ Psyched to Practice Podcast ," tells TODAY.com.

To help set yourself up for success, Christner says you should opt for "simple goals that can be done easily and that will have quick results."

Need some motivation ? If so, we've got plenty of ideas including expert suggestions from registered dietitians, licensed psychologists and personal trainers to help you create a manageable list of New Year's resolution ideas.

Whether you’re seeking to manage your finances better, change your outlook on life or simply feel better in the new year, we've got the inspiration you need to get started.

Start a photo journal

Keeping a regular journal is one way to manage stress, channel feelings and keep track of life's most memorable moments. However, setting aside time to write or jot down thoughts can be time-consuming and, depending on your commitments, overwhelming.

A much easier way to remember your day is to snap one or more pictures when the mood strikes you or something catches your eye. Add the photos to a designated folder on your phone or device so that at the end of the year, you can reflect on all the moments you captured.

Do one thing each day you don't want to

Everyone procrastinates. Whatever the reason, there's something (or a host of things) that we put off because either they stress us out or, quite simply, we don't want to do them.

Rather than making a pledge to conquer all the have-to's in your life, which, frankly, is almost impossible to maintain, commit instead to doing one small act each day. Whether it's spending 30 seconds responding to emails before moving on to another task or finding time to read even a single page in the book sitting on your nightstand, it's considered progress. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were your goals.

Pause on purpose daily

Each and every day, take a moment to reflect and breathe. “Taking time to engage in small pauses throughout the day can benefit our mental health and wellness, and it can actually help us be productive," Christner says. "Many of us are in the bad habit of working intensely for long periods of time, yet in actuality we will likely perform best and be more relaxed by interspersing periods of intense work with intermittent periods to pause on purpose."

Christner recommends setting aside two or three minutes every couple of hours. “This might involve taking a few deep breaths, standing up and stretching, reading over a favorite quote, or stepping outside,” he says, adding that each person may figure out their own way to reset and recharge.

Focus on why you're eating

This resolution can be helpful for those that are trying to step out of a diet culture mentality, according to Melissa Macher, RD . “We can get caught up in the ‘what’ in nutrition and completely forget about the ‘why’ behind it. For example, why do I feel the need to snack in the middle of the night? Why do I feel out of control with ___ food? Where is this feeling coming from?” she asks.

Choose a “word of the year”

Embrace a word that resonates with you and make it your guiding mantra for the year ahead.

Lynn R. Zakeri, LCSW , tells TODAY.com that she implemented this after her sister-in-law died on New Year’s Day. “That day held more meaning and it struck me that I wanted to commit to something, for my own good, for a theme of the upcoming year. I have continued to do so,” she says.

When coming up with her word, Zakeri asks herself the following questions: "What is in my way and what do I need to continue to do? What do you want to do better for your own best interest?”

Focus on your financial health

“Financial well-being is a key component of overall health and can have a profound effect on our experiences, goals, and relationships,” Brandon tells TODAY.com. “Taking the time to focus on developing good money habits such as creating and sticking to budgets, setting savings goals, or paying off debt can help us achieve greater peace of mind when it comes to our finances."

Maybe 2024 is the year you finally seek the advice of a financial planner. Or perhaps, you build up an emergency fund for extra reassurance.

This isn't just about the money, though. “Studies have shown that having a strong financial foundation can lead to improved mental health, better stress management and increased overall satisfaction," he adds.

Happy african woman with mobile phone and credit card shopping or taking out a loan online. Business and bank concept

Find one thing you like about yourself

For many people, it's hard to not to focus on our perceived personal flaws. Though surmounting self doubt entirely isn't easy, finding something you like about yourself is. Take time to identify the things you feel good about, whether they are part of your physical appearance, like your hair or smile, or your own special skills or talents, remind yourself daily of those positives. Like an affirmation, focusing on the good can go a long way in improving your overall mood and mental health.

Eat mindfully

Yes, your food should be savored and not slurped up in a few seconds. “Mindfulness can be applied to eating and is associated with positive health benefits. When we appreciate our food, eat with enjoyment and tune into our appetites, we tend to feel better, and we often lose weight as a result,” Lisa Young , PhD, RDN, and author of "Finally Full, Finally Slim," tells TODAY.com.

She points to a study by researchers from McGill University , which "found that mindfulness-based interventions helped with weight loss while also limiting emotional eating, binge-eating, and anxiety."

If this is a new practice for you, Young says it's important to make sure you always sit down to eat. "Fill up a plate thoughtfully, sit down to eat, and savor each bite so you can be present and enjoy the experience.”

Forgive yourself

Throughout the year, you extend forgiveness to loved ones and strangers — but what about yourself?

“Nothing good comes from holding onto your regrets. Recognize and accept your past behaviors so that you can move toward a place of healing,” Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD, psychiatrist and founder of Within Health , a virtual eating disorder treatment provider, tells TODAY.com.

Take meaningful risks

Are you risk-averse? That’s totally OK. Though one reason you may be hesitant to take bold moves is because you’re not honing in what would truly make a difference in the quality of your life.

"Taking risks can lead to personal growth and development; it may also open up new opportunities or possibilities that you hadn’t considered before,” Jeanette Lorandini, LCSW, the owner and director of Suffolk DBT , tells TODAY.com. “As daunting as it may be, taking manageable risks can be beneficial in many ways.”

Some examples: Signing up for a leisure sports club that you may be nervous about joining; putting yourself back out there by joining an online dating site or attending an open house for a grad school program.

Rekindle a long-lost hobby

If you once loved collecting stamps, hiking, painting or other hobby, but life somehow managed to get in the way and you stopped, consider taking it up once again. Even if it's just thinking about what it would mean to return to your long-lost activity, that's a solid start.

Make a plan to incorporate your hobby back into your life but with no expectations or repercussions if you don't follow through. Perhaps without any pressure, you'll find it easier to pick it back up.

Let go of the toxic people in your life

If you someone is causing more harm than good, then it's time to cut ties. “Allowing toxic people and their behaviors to remain in your life can prevent you from reaching your full potential, so it is important to let those relationships go in order to create space for healthier ones," Lorandini says.

Plan your meals each week

“Spending 30 minutes planning your meals each week pays dividends toward better health,” Kim Yawitz , RD, a registered dietitian and gym owner in St. Louis, Missouri, tells TODAY.com.

The proof is in the numbers: A 2017 study found that adults who planned their meals had better diet quality and a lower risk of obesity than those who improvised.

“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every week. I always tell my clients to rotate between two to three options at breakfast and lunch and to repeat dinner menus every few weeks,” she adds.

Sign up for workout classes on Sunday

Instead of simply squeezing in workouts when you find some time, make them a part of your weekly schedule. Whitney Berger, owner WhitFit NYC and a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer, likes plotting out her week of workouts on Sunday nights while sipping on a "nice cup of tea."

"Monday is a great day to start something and you’ll already have your schedule in place to motivate you to get going," she says.

Recognize what you can and cannot control

You’ve heard it before but this is a powerful statement to guide your way into the new year. “Let go of things beyond your control and focus on what you can, such as how you react to stressors, negative emotions or relapses,” Oliver-Pyatt says.

Talking to a trusted friend, therapist, or family member may help you decipher what's what.

Create a self-care 'menu'

“When we are in times of stress, we can’t always come up with these ideas, and choosing from a ‘menu’ can help with that,” Macher says.

At the start of the year, create a "menu" with different self-care activities for any (and every) stressful situation. For each activity, list out two options so you can tailor it to your mood that day. "Sleep is a good self-care option, but you don’t always have the ability to commit to an afternoon nap. So, your two options could be 1) turn off overhead lights, set a timer and do some deep breathing, and 2) take a 30-minute nap."

Cook more at home

Not only is eating at home a great way to save money, but Young points out that it can "save you lots of calories, sodium, and added sugar."

“Eating at home enables you to use ingredients you want like whole grains or brown rice instead of white rice and white pasta," she adds. Along the way, you'll also "learn about portion sizes" and how much food you can realistically eat in one sitting.

If you are a novice in the kitchen, Young suggests starting with something simple like grilled fish, your favorite vegetable, and a healthy starch like sweet potatoes or quinoa. Aim to cook two or three dinners a week, then go from there.

R espond to hunger and fullness cues

Let your body guide you instead of your plate.

Macher suggests using a hunger fullness scale when you eat: 1 means you're starving, 5 means you're feeling neutral and 10 means you're uncomfortable, unbutton-your-pants full.

“Take note of your rating before and after eating. Focus first on the hunger side of things — don’t let yourself get below a 3 on the scale,” Macher says. “After you feel you are responding to your hunger cues consistently, then move on to focusing on not going beyond a 7."

It works in reverse: "Learning to stop eating when you are comfortably full is 10x easier when you’ve learned how to respond to hunger first."

Happy businesswoman eating salad on sunny day

Write in a daily gratitude journal

Head to Target and buy a gratitude journal, folks. Or use your phone, if you must.

“Rather than trying to accomplish these big resolutions, doing something as simple as ending our days by focusing on the positive can have a great impact on us," Christner says.

Zoom in on three things you are most grateful for at the end of each day. “The goal is not looking at the ‘big events’ but rather to focus on the little things that we sometimes easily miss."

Apologize less (or more)

Some people find themselves chronically apologizing for anything and everything. If you're among them, try to reserve your sorrys for when they are truly warranted. Hard stop. When you catch yourself about to apologize to someone, pause and reflect on whether or not your act of contrition is genuinely necessary in the moment.

On the other hand, if you're a person who struggles to say they're sorry to others, think about doing so more in the new year. Sometimes a simple, "I'm sorry" goes a long way in repairing fractured relationships and creating goodwill among friends, family, coworkers and others.

Do one daily act of kindness

Paying it forward does more than just make someone else happy — it also helps reduce our stress and improve our overall well-being.

"Some of the best acts are those that are simple, such as complimenting someone, holding the door for a stranger, letting someone in line ahead of you, paying for someone’s cup of coffee, smiling, giving a nice greeting, or even just being patient," Christner says.

Commit to the three basics: sleep, nutrition and exercise

Yep, the big three matter. “It is cliché, but truly ... it all comes back to that. Have you ever met someone you didn’t care for who had all three of these in their daily practice," Zakeri asks. Aim for eight hours of sleep, healthy food choices and regular exercise every single day.

"This keeps us focused on what we can control, it is something for ourselves, it gives us confidence in our health and longevity," Zakeri says.

Find a healthy work-life balance

Working from home has made it even more difficult to take a break from the "office." Still, it’s worth committing to as a New Year’s resolution (or any time of year, for that matter): “Balancing our professional and personal life can be difficult, but it’s essential to maintaining our physical, mental and emotional well-being," Brandon says.

In addition to creating boundaries between work and home, Brandon recommends "taking regular breaks throughout the day" to rest and recharge. It'll pay off in the long-run: Brandon adds that studies have shown that a healthy work-life balance can lead to improved job satisfaction, increased productivity and enhanced quality of life.

Cut yourself some slack

Extend the kindness that you show others to yourself in 2024. “Simply put, speak nicely to yourself, treat yourself with respect and don’t be too hard on yourself. Remind yourself every day: ‘I’m a fallible human. I might make mistakes, but if I do, I’ll figure it out and it’ll be OK,’” Christner says.

Christner recommends starting your day with that very reminder — a positive affirmation, if you will. “Using this self-talk as a mantra of sorts is a good way to keep it at the forefront of our thoughts.” If you do mess up, take a deep breath and repeat the quote a few more times," he adds.

Understand the urgency of things

Remember: It's probably not that important.

"Everything is right now, stress is high, and urgency is applied to emails, calls, and texts, and patience is gone," Zakeri says. To combat this sense of urgency, ask yourself, "Is this critical?" If not, "take a breath and pause," and know "it’s OK if it's done tomorrow.”

Set boundaries

Consider this the corollary of the resolution above. “It’s important to set boundaries for yourself and for others to ensure that your emotional needs are being met,” Lorandini says. Doing so will help prevent relationships in your life from becoming too intense, potentially veering into toxic territory.

“This may include setting limitations on how much you’re willing to give of your time and energy to others, as well as saying ‘no’ when needed," Lorandini says. "Setting boundaries will allow you to be more intentional about how you’re spending your time and energy.”

Create a list of coping statements

This practical piece of advice from Oliver-Pyatt will serve you well in the new year whenever you face a tough experience. “Compile a list of coping statements for radical acceptance that you can turn to whenever you are struggling,” Oliver-Pyatt says. “Having these on hand can help you react to painful situations in a mindful way.”

Eat more plant proteins

It's "Veganuary,” after all.

Even if you don’t go fully plant-based, include more plant-based proteins in your everyday diet. “Replacing meat with plant proteins is a good way to improve health. Research found that eating more plants is associated with a reduced rate of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers," Young says.

It's easier than it sounds: Substitute red meat for chickpeas, lentils, nuts, and seeds a few times a week.

Ease into it and try to eat three plant-based meals each week. Set yourself up for success by stocking your pantry with cans of chickpeas or black beans. Then implement quick fixes like Young's go-to: "Sprinkle nuts and seeds on your salad instead of adding meat or cheese."

Focus more on one-on-one relationships

Make 2024 the year you cultivate deep, trusted friendships. “Sure, a group of friends is fun for memories and events and good times and shared experiences, but on a daily basis, it is the individual relationships that matter more,” Zakeri says.

Be intentional with your time and energy, making sure you invest in people who are also willing — and happy — to invest in you.

Clean up your social media

Now's a good time to evaluate your relationship with social media and how it impacts your mental health — and make changes as needed.

“Stop following people who you don’t know, don’t add anything to your growth and make you feel badly about yourself,” Zakeri says. “And on that note, decide how many minutes per day is too many to be scrolling." Set time limits on your phone to keep you accountable.

Find clothes that fit your current body

While many buy new clothes in a smaller size in an effort to incentivize weight loss, Macher urges people to steer clear of this practice. “Your body now is just as worthy of comfortable clothes as your ‘ideal’ body. Having clothes and even underwear that don’t fit properly can be sabotaging," she says.

Keep learning

Rather than trying to change a bad habit, you can use New Year’s resolutions as a way to feed your need for growth.

“We have many mediums to learn new things from reading a book to subscribing to a learning platform like MasterClass," Christner says. “Learning new skills can motivate us, prevent boredom, boost confidence, keep our minds flexible, and improve our happiness.”

When you're at peace everything falls into place

Have a year of ‘action not reaction’

It's easy to get caught up in reacting to things that happen throughout the day rather than focusing on how you can make a change. “Working to focus on how we act versus react can help us stay focused and keep calm in stressful situations," Christner says.

Trade negative self-talk for action-oriented questions. Christner recommends asking yourself the following questions to be proactive, not reactive:

Is this something that I really need to do something about?
Does this require my action?
Is there anything I could say or do that would make the situation better?
If I wait, will this even still be an issue later?

Eat five or six prunes

Looking for a low-effort healthy eating resolution for 2024? Try this tip from Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, an inclusive plant-based dietitian in Stamford, CT and owner of Plant Based with Amy . “This is one of the easiest ways to benefit your bone health. Research shows that eating this number of prunes daily may help prevent bone loss."

Prunes, which are slightly sweeter than a plum, are incredibly versatile. "You can eat prunes as a snack, blend them into a smoothie , or add them to a salad .”

Stop monitoring your workouts

This might sound like a counterintuitive piece of advice, but it's a necessary one for those who have become a little too obsessed with their fitness trackers.

“In some cases people can become obsessed with counting calories, steps or calories burned,” Berger says. “So many times I see people in my classes checking their Apple Watches or other wrist devices during class. Leave it home and stay present.”

Of course, if you find that your fitness tracker motivates you in a healthy way, then this resolution isn't for you.

Hit the weight room at least twice each week

If you want to feel stronger and healthier in the year ahead, Yawitz emphasizes the many benefits of spending more time in the “weight room,” whether it's at an actual gym or your living room.

“Lifting weights can help strengthen your bones , decrease your risk of injuries , lower your risk of diabetes , and improve your mood . Strength training also increases metabolism, so it’s a great addition to your routine if you hope to shed a few pounds,” she says.

New to weightlifting? “A few sessions with a personal trainer can help you make the most of your time in the gym and ensure you’re moving with proper form. Bodyweight exercises like push-ups and lunges are great alternatives if you prefer to work out at home.”

Power down at least an hour before bedtime

A good night's rest is key. “If you often struggle with falling or staying asleep, powering down your devices in the evening is a great place to start,” Yawitz says.

Phones, tablets, TVs and other devices emit blue light, which suppresses the production of melatonin and makes it more difficult to fall asleep. That’s why Yawitz suggests setting a timer to turn off devices and dim your lights at least one hour before bedtime. “You can read during that time, do a craft, stretch, take a bath or visit with family — as long as you keep the lights low.”

Have a plank competition with yourself

Looking for a New Year’s resolution you can do in a few minutes a day? “Every day or each week, add on 10 to 30 more seconds to holding your plank. This is so good for physical strength but also mental strength," Berger says.

To add some more structure to this goal, consider doing a plank in the morning when you wake up and right before bed. "Even if it’s just for a minute, this is a great routine to get into,” Berger says. “Planks are a full-body exercise, great for building core strength but they’re also amazing for focusing and centering.”

Slow it down with a restorative yoga class

Ready to say “om”? Take a restorative yoga class every week. “While we think of fitness as going hard, or challenging workouts, it’s also about maximizing our workouts and focusing on overall goals,” Berger says. “We forget to slow it down and allow our bodies to recover, which is important for muscle building.”

Make balance a priority

We’re saving this succinct New Year’s resolution for last: “Balance. Do what you need to do, then do what you want to do, and then, and only then, do what you should do,” Zakeri says. Easier said than done, but a valuable principle to hold close as we enter 2024.

Start the year off right

Happy New Year's wishes to send to family and friends once the clock strikes midnight
New Year's Instagram captions that are sure to make your grid sparkle
Foods to eat on New Year's for good luck
New Year's movies to ring in 2024

Perri is a New York City-born-and-based writer. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute. She's probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she'll never turn down a bloody mary. Follow her on Twitter @66PerriStreet or learn more at VeganWhenSober.com

Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between.

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Self-Improvement

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2022 (and How to Follow Through)

Making a new year's resolution is quite popular, and very simple. what's not so easy is keeping them. here's how to follow through on 10 common promises..

Whether it’s eating better, cutting down credit card debt, or finally learning a new language, New Year’s resolutions abound.

And, like watching the ball drop in Times Square, lighting fireworks, and other New Year’s traditions, making a New Year’s resolution is a quintessential part of the holiday.

Though it’s great to make a resolution for the new year, it doesn’t matter unless you follow through. Studies show that only around 8% of people making New Year’s resolutions actually accomplish what they set out to do.

So, in this post, we’ll go over 10 of the best New Year’s resolutions for 2022, as well as the most important New Year’s resolution of all—to keep the promises you made to yourself about what changes you’ll make this upcoming year.

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Here are the most popular 2022 New Year resolutions:

1. Lose Weight

Losing weight is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions for many people. But, almost as common is the failure to stick with the original plan.

As such a daunting task, break this goal down into easily-achievable milestones. Rather than say “lose 20 lbs. by December 31st,” make a more-specific plan, like this:

Lose 1 lb. in January.
Lose 1 lb. in February.
Lose 2 lbs. in March.
Lose 2 lbs. in April.

And so on. When you break this goal down, you’ll have more of a chance at sticking with the program as you won’t procrastinate (“Well, January is almost over, but there are still 11 more months left in the year”).

Also, in the example above, you’ll see that the first months had lower targets than the following months. With this strategy, you’ll give yourself time to ease into your weight-loss routine with less chance of abandonment at the beginning.

Once you start to notice your success in January and February, you’ll be better prepared to step it up a notch for the seasonal shift.

2. Save More Money

We’d all like to end the year with more money than when we started, and it’s easy to see why saving money, or spending less money, is a popular New Year’s goal.

To allow yourself a reasonable chance at following through, first acknowledge what the money will be for. You can save for the down payment on your first home, put money away for a gap year abroad, or start a savings account for a master’s degree program, but you need a reason to inspire the urgency needed to stick with it.

Once you know the purpose of these funds, decide how much you’d like to have saved by the end of the year. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, however; you want to as much money as you can without making the journey miserable for yourself in the process.

3. Get Healthier

Getting healthier is another common New Year’s resolution, but also a common failure. While almost anyone could find a thing or two to change for a healthier life, this one is bound to fall by the wayside by Week 3.

“In the upcoming year, I resolve to become healthier.” As such a vague statement, the problem here is that it’s too broad. There are dozens of ways to improve your health, and many healths to improve (e.g., mental health, physical health, sexual health).

To succeed, be specific. Narrow your statement down to a particular issue you want to solve, like “I will quit smoking” or “This year, I’ll stop eating foods with added sugars.” And, if those are too specific and not what you had in mind for getting healthier in the new year, add a second health-related New Year’s resolution!

4. Fight Climate Change

Climate change is unfortunately not slowing down.

Australia just had its hottest day in history , we’re down to around half the trees we had on the planet since human civilization began, and we have only about 10 more years to prevent a global climate catastrophe. To take on this crisis, we need to make the entire decade of the 2020s full of meaningful change.

But, just as with the other New Year’s resolutions, don’t be vague. Promise to do something in particular, such as planting 50 trees, attending 5 climate strikes, or sharing ideas to take climate action. Make them ambitious—the Earth needs massive change if we’re going to allow our future a fighting chance.

5. Start a Business

Have you had a business idea in the back of your mind for some time now? Make this upcoming year the one where you finally realize your dreams!

Starting your own business is no easy task, as you can imagine. Not only will you have to deal with the struggles of launching and building momentum, but you have to stay focused, maintain positivity, and keep yourself motivated.

For a bit of a helping hand, bookmark our list of the best entrepreneurship quotes to keep discouragement at bay and give you some inspiration!

6. Learn Something New

Ever wanted to become fluent in Arabic, develop skills in Python, or learn how to drive? There’s no better time than the coming year!

No matter which type of skill you’re keen on developing, make sure to track your progress. This means first having a clearly defined destination as to what constitutes success in your chosen topic, as well as being able to take measurements throughout the year to assess your understanding and see how far you’ve come and how much closer you are to your goal.

7. Land a New Job

Perhaps you’ve been flirting with the idea of finally leaving your job for a while now. Well, a New Year’s resolution may be just the impetus needed to get you to finally take that leap.

For this resolution, however, it’s important not to settle. Make the goal not just that you’ll get a new job, but that you’ll land a gig that you love. That could mean getting into your career rather than another “just-a-job,” or it could mean leaving a toxic workplace in favor of one where you’ll be appreciated and enjoy a healthy work-life balance.

An added bonus: exiting a poor working environment is a win for the “get healthier” New Year’s resolution as well!

If this is your first job, we’ve got a great guide on options for you. Ditto if you’re looking to get an internship .

8. Read Books

One of the annual favorites for New Year’s resolutions is to read a certain number of books per year, say 52 books in 52 weeks, for example. As you do so, you’ll not only learn new things and hear exciting stories, but you’ll improve your reading comprehension , as well.

To succeed at this task, I find it helpful to give yourself a variety of books throughout the year. Not just nonfiction and fiction, but several different genres in each. And, while fiction books I like to read all the way through in one period of time, I break up my nonfiction books into chapters, sprinkling a chapter in here and there in between other books and during short commutes to make for a nice one-two punch.

Here are some book ideas to get your 2022 resolutions going:

25+ Best History Books of All Time for a Solid Understanding of Our World
15 Books to Read Before College for High School Students and Graduates
25+ Books for College Students to Read in University (2022 Edition)
10+ Best Business Books to Read for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in 2022

9. Travel More

As a frequent traveler myself, as well as a culture and travel blogger, I find the value from each trip I take to far exceed almost anything else I could do during the same amount of time. From learning about other cultures to making lifelong friends around the world, adding travels to your New Year’s resolutions is a worthwhile—and fun!— goal.

Lately, there’s been increasing attention on the heavy carbon footprint air travel has on the environment. If you’re concerned about this, go another route, such as by public transportation, train, or boat.

10. Share Your Ideas

Last but not least, one great New Year’s goal for 2022 is to resolve to share your ideas with the world. There are many reasons to share ideas, from helping to find answers to pressing matters to searching for solutions that could increase convenience for others.

When you share your ideas with others, you ensure they don’t die in the shower but rather get the visibility, traction, and support they need to potentially become actionable solutions.

And, there’s no better place to share your idea, large or small, than on Goodwall. With over 1 million members in 150+ countries, your idea will be given the platform it deserves. Try our new “ virtual elevator pitch ” format for a compelling way to share your message with the community. If you’re wondering, here’s how to pitch ideas on Goodwall and all the reasons why sharing ideas on Goodwall is a great idea.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?

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I hope all our members they are alright

I agree, Abdul, and I hope the same for you! Happy New Year to you!

Nice idea And concept… I think it is one of the best in the world… I always support you… Keep going oneday you will on the Top of the world..

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45 New Year’s Resolution Ideas That Will Make 2022 Your Best Year Yet

Baby steps, people.

preview for Top New Year’s Health Resolutions That Really Matter

You know the cliché: January 1 comes in strong, and you’re s0 ready to embody that "New Year, New You" feeling with—what else?—your New Year's resolutions. Then, by the time February rolls around, "old you" has fully moved back in and is binge-watching TV on the couch. That is, until this year.

When it comes to resolutions for the roaring 2020s, instead of thinking about things you need or think you need to change in an effort to make yourself "better," focus on resolving to do more of the things that make you feel good.

.css-1cugboc{margin:0rem;font-size:2.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-family:Domaine,Domaine-roboto,Domaine-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;color:#f7623b;font-weight:bold;}.css-1cugboc em,.css-1cugboc i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;}.css-1cugboc b,.css-1cugboc strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;} "Resolutions rooted in self-criticism or a desire to 'fix' oneself that really come out of a toxic culture tend not to work."

So, what do those kinds of New Year's resolutions look like? Nicole Nenninger , a life coach based in New York, suggests starting by thinking about what the best version of yourself (not the "fixed" version, but simply the "enhanced" version) would look and feel like. Then, create intentions for 2020 based on that image.

"Throughout the year, we’re given holidays and their meanings as reminders to live our best lives," Nenninger says. "New Year’s is a chance for new beginnings, new intentions—a time to redefine our lives and for not taking our lives for granted."

So, without further ado—you've got your best life to start living, after all!—here are 45 New Year's resolutions that will help you kick even more ass in 2020, starting out with a resolution about your resolutions.

1. Create a checklist for each resolution.

Nenninger recommends thinking through the steps that you need to take in order to accomplish each of your overall goals for 2020. Finally ready to open up that Etsy store? You'll need more than raw materials and a working internet connection, but that's a good place to start. Check off each step as you complete it and revel in that little surge of dopamine you get from making progress. Writing down your long-term resolutions will also help free up your brain space to think about the tasks at hand, Nenninger says.

12 Best Planners, According To Real Women Who Actually Use Them

2. Learn more about intuitive eating.

Forget counting calories and dieting fads. This year, pledge to get more in touch with what your body actually wants and how it feels in the moment. Intuitive eating, which Cole calls the antidote to dieting and diet trauma, is all about listening to your body’s cues. That's it.

3. Cut back your coffee intake.

Don’t come at me—or at least, not until I’ve had my first cup of coffee. While it can seem like America runs on caffeine, too much coffee can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and, in general, overrides your body’s signals about when you need to rest, not stay up late watching one more episode. Try to limit yourself to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, which, tbh, should still be plenty of coffee to get you up and motivated in the morning.

4. Stop complaining for a whole week.

Sometimes, you just need to get things off your chest, but negative energy has a way of building itself back up again if you let it. "Unless you’re stating it aloud to come up with solutions, complaining doesn’t help," Nenninger says. "It’s not productive, and it’s not helpful." Instead, use that time you would have spent airing your grievances figuring out what you can do to make things better. (The more complaints you cut now, the bigger bennies you'll reap in 2021, trust.)

5. Clean up your social media.

Ever look at your Instagram feed and end up feeling worse about yourself—and not just because you wasted too much time scrolling? It only takes two seconds to change that. How? "Unfollow anyone who supports the idea that you are a 'before' picture or a 'project,'" Cole suggests. Instead, fill your feed with supportive and motivational posts. Or delete social media altogether. There’s no reason you should keep an app that makes you feel worse about yourself on your phone.

6. Give morning sex a try.

Forget the breakfast of champions. Starting your day with some nookie has numerous benefits, according to experts. Not only does it increase intimacy and helps to keep your relationship fresh, but morning sex will also help boost your mood and give you a nice, natural glow to start your day (and decade) off in the best way.

7. Find the work/life balance that works for you.

The ironic thing about trying to find wellness in your life is that people will often beat themselves up because what feels right for them isn’t what wellness culture tells them their work/life balance should look like, Nenninger explains. Instead, she recommends figuring out what wellness practices fit into your real-life routine and schedule. If you’re not a yogi or can’t get into meditation, don’t sweat it. Whatever brings you Marie Kondo–level joy, make sure you give yourself time to do that.

8. Spend five minutes each day cleaning and tidying up.

Many of the things in your apartment are a lot—and I mean a lot —dirtier than you think. (Looking at you, kitchen sponge , bed sheets , and Beautyblender . ) Taking just five minutes each day to wipe down the front of your coffee pot, or changing your sheets once a week (yes, the expert-recommended timeframe!), will help keep your place less grime- and germ-filled.

9. Do something that scares you every week.

Or hey, every day! I’m not saying you need to schedule a time to go skydiving, but rather, don’t let fear hold you back from otherwise ordinary activities (say, rock climbing). Working through your fears, Nenninger says, will help you live a life of fewer regrets and more of challenging yourself to grow in new ways. So, consider this your official invite to send that ~risky~ text!

10. Bring more kindness to the world.

You’re allowed to have a bad day, but you’re not allowed to take out your bad day on others. Instead, pledge this year to take that extra second to respond with kindness and compassion even in your most frustrating interactions. For Nenninger, having kindness and compassion for others is "one of the most important aspects of being human."

11. Make 2020 the year of pleasure.

Whether it’s taking an afternoon nap or having dessert on a day that you didn’t work out, be okay with doing more things that make you feel good—without feeling bad about it later. "Pleasure is a good thing," Cole says. "I think, especially women, we’re taught to dose out our pleasure. We’re told, 'You can have pleasure, but not too much...You can have pleasure if you’ve earned it.' But I would say you don’t have to earn pleasure." (Repeat that to yourself the next time you're not sure you deserve something, because you totally do.)

12. Resolve not to give up even when you slip up.

Whether it’s one of those weekends when you end up spending way too much money or one of those weeks when you're too busy at work to hit the gym, don’t just give up on yourself when you get slightly off track. "This isn’t all or nothing," Nenninger says. "Get back in there, and reconnect to your vision of your best self."

Takeya Vacuum-Insulated Stainless-Steel Water Bottle

13. Get yourself a reusable water bottle, and then actually use it.

Welcome the next decade by doing a little something for the earth. Globally, humans buy 1 million plastic bottles per minute, according to Forbes , and most of that plastic isn’t ending up in a recycling bin. Too often, it finds its way into the oceans, and that's not nice to Mother Nature. Every time you refill your water bottle, instead of grabbing another plastic bottle, you’re making the environment (and the sea turtles!) just a little bit happier.

14. Try one new thing in bed every month.

Whether you pick up some new massage oils or add a new sex toy to the mix, don’t start out the 2020s by being bored in the bedroom. "Anytime you introduce something fresh and novel into the bedroom, you set yourself up for a more stimulating experience and bigger finish," Vanessa Marin, a licensed sex therapist in L.A., previously told Women's Health .

15. Take small steps toward being an engaged citizen.

You can’t solve all the world’s problems all by yourself. But those small steps that you can take as an individual to increase your civic engagement or service do add up over time. And even a little step is much, much better than being checked out, Cole says. Try volunteering for a day, donating to a charity on the reg, and, most importantly, vote!

16. Become a proud plant mom.

With benefits like helping to purify the air, giving you an excuse to step away from your screens for a moment every day, and just making your apartment look more adult, adding some houseplants to your life is always the right choice for a New Year's resolution. Plus, there are some that are practically kill-proof, in case you're still working on your green thumb.

10 Best Air-Purifying Plants For A Healthier Home, According To Experts

17. Take a vacation once a season.

Even if it's just a short weekend in a nearby small town you've never visited, a getaway can help you reset and refocus when you're back at work. Stop thinking about vacation as an indulgence (which it certainly can be) and start thinking about it as a well-deserved break, so you can hit the ground running on Monday morning.

18. Wear clothes that fit your body right now.

Instead of waiting for "someday," find and wear the clothes that you feel good in right now, Cole says. That means buying jeans in the size you actually wear now, not the size you hope to fit into in three months. After all, looking good and feeling even better never go out of style.

19. Fill your home with essential oils.

No longer regulated to New Age hippie enclaves, aromatherapy has broken into mainstream wellness culture and may actually be beneficial to your health. Depending on which scents you choose, essential oils have been shown to reduce inflammation, decrease stress levels, and help you sleep better.

20. Read at least one book a month.

Nothing feels better than putting away the screens and opening up a good old-fashioned novel. And hello, #selfgrowth! Looking for something that will make you swoon ? Or something that will get your heart pumping ? Or maybe something that's full of words of wisdom ? Got ya covered.

21. Invest in your health.

Joining a gym, seeing a therapist, and buying healthy foods all cost money, yes, but you could argue that they're all money well spent. By focusing your finances on your health today , you might end up saving money in the long run by avoiding the high costs often associated with chronic health issues. Plus, when you take care of yourself, it's that much easier to take care of your family and friends around you.

22. Listen more.

You've probably accused your S.O. of not listening to you on more than one occasion, but how often are you actually paying attention when someone is talking to you? Make a conscious effort of tuning into the other person by putting your phone down, looking them in the eye, and making a deliberate decision not to say anything until they're done. Voilà— a real, face-to-face conversation!

23. Get your glow on.

The one thing that everyone wants these days from their skin can be summed up in one word: glow . Besides eating your veggies and making sure you use SPF everyday, check out Women's Health best picks for healthy skin this year.

20 Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin, According to a Dermatologist

24. Plank two to three times a week.

Instead of resolving to just "get fit" (vague much?), target your core—the center of all your movements, suggests Christi Marraccini, certified personal trainer and instructor at NEO U in New York City. "Having a strong core translates to [strength in] so many other movements," she says.

To make it happen, work on mastering a high plank—holding your body in a straight, strong line for 60 seconds. Then take it to your forearms, maintaining good form for one minute there, too.

Aim to do this once a day, two to three times a week, and you'll see serious results in the long run. "Try to do them in front of a mirror or take a picture or video of yourself to make sure you have good form," Marraccini advises.

25. Plan your workouts week by week.

This one's easy: Choose a number of workouts per week you’d like tackle. (Think: three to four to start.) Then, at the start of each week, plan your fitness schedule, Marraccini says. "This is a much easier goal to accomplish on a daily basis, compared to a long-term goal of weight loss," she says. But in the end, you just might see the scale budge thanks to your newfound regular, consistent workout routine.

While that can be as simple as: "I'm going to crush an indoor-cycling class on Tuesday, do an arm workout at the gym on Wednesday, and then go for a run on Saturday," you can also check out this 28-day workout plan if you need even more inspo.

26. Walk 1,000 more steps a day.

If you haven't jumped on the fitness-tracker bandwagon yet, 2020 is your year (and decade). "I tell my patients to walk everywhere," says Nicole Weinberg, MD, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Hike, skip public transit, walk around a park: Walking won't just help keep your metabolism humming along—it's also great for heart health, brain health, joints, and more.

Granted, you're not going to be able to go from couch potato to 10,000 steps a day overnight. Instead, aim for adding 1,000 steps to your daily routine. When that feels easy, add another 1,000—and see if you can get up to 10,000 or even a bit higher.

6 Best Fitness Trackers For Women, Tested By Fitness Editors

27. Spend nine minutes waking up your body.

Not saying you need to hit the pavement every morning, but kick off your day with a little movement, says Charlee Atkins, CSCS, founder of Le Sweat , and you’ll feel so much better—and maybe even more awake. Atkins suggests doing what’s called controlled articular rotations (a.k.a. CARS), which includes arm circles, hip circles, cat-cow, or simply bending and flexing your joints.

A good New Year's resolution idea: Two times a week, take time in the morning to do three minutes each of neck rolls, ankle rolls (both either standing or seated), and hip circles (from an all-fours position), Atkins suggests. This will hit all the typical tight spots, helping to improve mobility.

28. Eat one plant-based meal a day.

Lots of peeps don’t get enough vegetables in one day—so this should help improve your overall nutrition over time, says Amy Shapiro, RD, founder of Real Nutrition. It’ll also help you get enough fiber (hi, better digestion!), and it's good for the environment, too. This might even spark a desire for more produce and less animal products, as well.

These 45 Vegan Crock Pot Recipes Are So Good They'll Fully Convert Carnivores

29. Prep one meal or main dish a week.

Sometimes, it’s seriously difficult to get in a whole week’s worth of meal prepping , so start small instead, says Shapiro. Opt to make grilled, marinated chicken, a big batch of slow-cooker veggie soup, or a dozen hardboiled eggs to eat throughout your week. Whatever you choose, it’ll be a meal in the right direction for healthier blood pressure, a lower risk of heart disease, potential weight loss, and even some money saved.

30. Go dry for seven days.

Dry January might seem like a chore (and not a fun one), so try it for seven days instead. Or, opt to have a bev or two on weekends only . "After the holidays, it might be the right time to shave back on your alcohol consumption," Shapiro says.

Cutting out the cocktails even just for a few days has lots of benefits for your heart health and—added bonus—your waistline.

31. Eat something with probiotics every day.

Want better gut health? Aim to have a serving of at least one fermented food (think kimchi , kombucha , or sauerkraut) or a food with live and active cultures (like Greek yogurt ) each day, says Pam Bede, RD, a sports dietitian specialist and expert for SwimBikeRunEat.com .

32. Swap out one sugary food from your diet per day.

Everybody seems to want to cut back on sugar—and if you're one of 'em, it’s a good New Year's resolution idea that will help improve your own health and can also help with weight loss (or management).

But instead of trying to ignore your sweet tooth altogether, Bede suggests swapping one sugar-sweetened treat a day for something with fewer empty calories. For example, switch your typical chocolate chip cookie for an apple dusted in some cocoa powder.

33. Make one healthy date with a friend or family member per week.

Trying to accomplish a big goal on your own can be tough, but enlisting support from friends can make it feel more achievable and keep you motivated, says Peter LePort , MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center. "Tell your family and friends about your 'get healthy' goals," he says. "Invite them to go for walks, runs, and bike rides with you."

If you can't find friends to go on fitness dates with you, consider making dinner plans at a healthy restaurant or hosting a potluck dinner, where guests (and you!) can have a chance to try tons of nutritious dishes and get ideas for new recipes to make at home. If you make healthy choices part of your social life, it'll be so much easier to adopt them as a permanent lifestyle.

34. Go to sleep at the same time each night.

Improving your shut-eye habits has been linked to improved weight loss and maintenance, not to mention a ton of other benefits. "Study after study has shown that even an hour or two less of sleep each night for just a few consecutive nights can have effects on the brain that last longer than those few days of disrupted rest," says Vernon Williams , MD, a sports neurologist and founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.

A good place to start is establishing a tranquil sleep environment by making small changes, like setting a bedtime for yourself (no devices allowed afterward!), investing in blackout shades for your bedroom, or adjusting the thermostat to a comfortable temp (around 68 to 69 degrees) to ensure more restful sleep. And make sure to wake up at the same time each day, too, which will help you get into a regular sleep pattern, says Dr. Williams.

35. Make "free" plans every month.

Switch up your dinner date with a friend once a month for "frugal joy," a.k.a. a free activity like a picnic in the park or a visit to your local museum during free admission hours. "Frugal joys are free or inexpensive things that make us really happy," says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, founder of TheFiscalFemme.com and author of The 30-Day Money Cleanse . "Brainstorm activities or experiences that are free or cost very little, and have them replace something that costs money."

36. Spend only in cash for a week every month.

"We have a tendency to put our head in the sand when it comes to our spending," says Gerstley. "This is even more true with apps like Lyft or Amazon, which makes it easy to disconnect from where our money is going because they remove the pain of paying."

Your New Year's resolution idea: Take at least one week a month to spend in only cash (or at least use your debit card), so you reconnect to where you’re dishing out dough. "You’ll be surprised how something so simple can have such a big impact on your finances," she says.

37. Create a "future expense" fund.

Want new digs? Need a new car? Start saving the difference between your current rent or car payment and what the new cost would be, says Shannon McLay , founder and CEO of Financial Gym , Inc. If your rent is currently $800 and the apartment you want is $1,200, that means you’d set aside $400 a month in a new apartment fund. In six months, you should have the first and last month’s rent you need to score a sweet new den.

Oh, and btw, here's how to rebuild your savings after a holiday spending spree:

38. Cancel your expendable auto-payments.

Don't stop your automatic bill payments (because duh!), but rethink those accounts you have linked up to monthly payments for data on Google Drive and other services you might not be using on the reg. Before you know it, you could be saving hundreds of dollars a month, says McLay.

39. Start single-tasking for 20 minutes a day.

You don’t always need to eat while you’re writing emails or check your email in the middle of prepping for a presentation. Your brain actually works better when you focus on just one job at time, rather than trying to be a multitasking master.

So, Campbell suggests setting aside about 20 minutes each day to solely pay attention to one single task. That means you shut down email, turn off your WiFi, and hide your phone if you need to. "Allow yourself to focus on just one thing, and see how much more you can accomplish," she says.

40. Give yourself 30 minutes of "me time" a week.

Relieving stress is a great goal, but pretty hard to grab if you don’t pinpoint how to do it. One way: Set aside 30 minutes a week for some quiet time by yourself, says Campbell. You can use this time to meditate, journal, walk in nature, or simply just breathe. Now that's a New Year's resolution idea you can probably get behind.

41. Move your social media apps off of your phone's home screen.

The problem with spending too much time on Facebook or Instagram? "We live in a tech-obsessed world, so it can be easy to fall into the compare-and-despair trap if you spend all of your free time looking at everyone else’s ‘picture perfect’ moments," says Jessica Abo , author of Unfiltered: How to Be as Happy as You Look on Social Media .

That's why Abo suggests moving social media apps into a folder, so they’re not front-and-center on your home screen. You get to become “the star of your own life,” Abo says, adding that you should also consider turning off alerts and notifications in order to be more present throughout the day.

42. Commit to at least one night in per week.

Heard of JOMO , a.k.a. the joy of missing out? There's definitely something to it, says Dana Campbell , a CEO, leadership coach and career expert. As tempting as it might be to say yes to every last invite you get, Campbell says you’ll want to avoid a 24/7 commitment to the meetup circuit. “Making plans night after night drain you of the much-needed energy,” she says.

43. Switch up one element of your routine each month.

"Sometimes, we need to shake up our daily habits to get off autopilot," Abo says. Consider going to a different coffee shop, trying a new class at the gym or picking a fresh after-work hangout spot to break out of your normal flow. "You’ll be forced to say hello to new people, be out in the world experiencing what your neighborhood and community have to offer, and possibly learn something new about yourself," Abo says. "Plus, you never know who you could meet or run into by restructuring your day." (Single? Make this a primo New Year's resolution.)

44. Check in with old coworkers once a month.

Set a calendar reminder to send an email just checking in with someone you used to work with once a month. Or use it as an opportunity to share an article that made you think of him or her. "Relationships are everything to your career, so be intentional about continuing them with former teammates and companies," says Campbell.

Hey, you never know when they'll be asked to recommend someone for an open position—and if you've already made an effort to keep in touch with them, then you'll be top of mind if or when that happens.

45. Take time once a month to write down everything you've accomplished at work.

Campbell says that while your tendency at work might be to focus on everything you didn't do, it’s important to take time to regularly reflect on your successes. "Even if there are team wins, pay specific attention to what your contribution to each win was, and then tuck that list away somewhere for future reference," Campbell says.

"The key here is to celebrate and focus on everything you did do." Then, when you'll need to talk those points up with your boss—or add them to your resume—you'll have them at the ready. Keeping track of your small work wins will make you feel good, too—and that'll carry over to the rest of your life all year long.

Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com . A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.

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How to Make Better New Year's Resolutions

Polling and research shows that for many, resolutions are never accomplished. fotosipsak/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

Polling and research shows that for many, resolutions are never accomplished.

It's that time of year - the ball has dropped, the champagne bottles are empty and you have a list of resolutions to start living your best life in 2023. But research and polling show that many people fail to reach their goals. If you routinely give up your resolutions by February, maybe the key to succeeding is rethinking the whole idea of what a resolution is. NPR's Elissa Nadworny talks with Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit about why focusing less on goals and more on intentions may be a better approach to making resolutions. And Faith Hill of The Atlantic shares why she decided to stop making New Year's resolutions.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at [email protected] .

This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Natalie Winston.

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Spencer Bokat-Lindell

Should You Even Bother With Resolutions This Year?

By Spencer Bokat-Lindell

Mr. Bokat-Lindell is a staff editor.

This article is part of the Debatable newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Happy New Year! Depending on how you look at things, it’s either the fourth day of January 2022 or the 674th day of March 2020.

Perhaps you’ve never bought into the tradition of New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you’re considering setting some for the first time. Or perhaps you’ve participated in the past, but as the largest wave yet of coronavirus cases crashes over the country , you simply can’t muster the motivation this year.

Are New Year’s resolutions still a worthwhile exercise right now? Are they ever? And what actually makes a resolution good enough to keep? Here’s what people are saying.

The case against resolutions

There’s no shortage of defensible reasons to think, as The Atlantic’s Faith Hill does , that “resolutions are not the vibe for 2022.” They’re too acquisitive, training our envious attentions on the wealth, status and achievements of others. They’re irredeemably vain, another lesson in obedience to a culture that imposes unrealistic beauty standards and profits off our doomed attempts to meet them.

And resolutions don’t work for most people anyway: According to a 1988 study from the University of Scranton that followed 200 resolvers over a two-year period, only 19 percent had managed to maintain their pledges to the end.

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It's All You Boo

How to Write a New Year’s Resolution + Free Printable (2024 Update)

December 29, 2019 30 Comments

How do you write a new year’s resolution? What makes the right new year’s resolution ?

As the final days of 2023 count down, and we all prepare for the new year , one thing is on all our minds.

We’re not just asking , how you spending new year’s eve, but what’s your new year’s resolution?

Although it’s an exciting holiday talking point , there’s something personal and private about writing a new year’s resolution.

Like a wish made on a birthday candle, it feels like an exciting secret we should keep to ourselves .

Words, wishes, hopes, and dreams for the new year ahead. What does 2024 have in store for you?

The truth is that most of us will fall into one of two groups: those who set new year’s resolutions, and those who don’t. Like licorice or cilantro, you either love writing new year’s resolutions or you don’t. Which are you?

Do you believe in the power of setting new year’s resolutions? Or do you think those who make resolutions are foolish and silly?

The honest truth is that writing a new year’s resolution is a tradition, not a tactic for success in the new year. Research shows that 80% of people fail their resolutions by February, and only 8% actually keep their resolutions .

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from these links, I may earn a commission. You can read my full disclaimer here .

So, should you even bother writing a new year’s resolution for 2024? If the odds are stacked against you? Of course! You should embrace this new year’s eve tradition because it’s a fun and inspiring way to begin a new year.

Do it with your eyes wide open, knowing that it’s not the end-all and by all of making your goals and dreams come true ! You need to do more than just write a new year’s resolution to keep a new year’s resolution . But, with these resolution writing tips below, you’ll be on your way to belonging to the 8% that defies the odds and achieves their resolutions.

Here are 7 ways to write a new year’s resolution that you’ll actually stick to all year long. Plus, get your FREE New Year’s Resolution Printable .

The Origins of New Year’s Resolutions

Mind if we talk for a minute to discuss the history of new year’s resolutions ? It’s relevant, promise!

Over 4,000 years ago , when the new year started in mid-March, the ancient Babylonians made new year’s resolutions to the gods . For them, keeping their promises to repay debts and return anything they borrowed would bring them favor and blessings in the new year.

The key lesson here is that it was all about keeping their new year’s resolutions, not just making them . The same can be said for the ancient Romans who celebrated the new year with reflections on the past year , and preparations for the new year .

Many cultures, religions, and groups of people throughout the ages have marked the new year with a reflection on the last year and recommitment to be or do better in the new year. These are the two main ingredients for writing a new year’s resolution .

“One annual event, New Year's Day, is a time of reflection and resolution.” ― Joseph B. Wirthlin

With this in mind, here are 7 ways to write a new year’s resolution for 2024.

7 Ways to Write a New Year’s Resolution

Before we get to some easy-to-follow formulas for writing your new year’s resolution, let’s go over a few ground rules. Think of these as the top mistakes people make when making resolutions .

Forget what you think your resolution should be, write whatever you want
Write out of hope for the future, not fear of what might happen
Your resolution doesn’t have to be big and epic, it can be simple
Don’t worry what anyone will think or say, your resolution is for you
Make it all about what actually matters the most to you

Got it? Awesome, that’s how you choose the right new year’s resolution for you, that you can actually keep.

#1. Using Guiding Prompts

Why stare at a blank sheet of paper, when you can get help from guiding prompts? If you’re not sure what a prompt is, they’re a short phrase that starts a sentence. You simply complete it!

Since we’re using them to write a new year’s resolution, the perfect guiding prompts will include catchphrases for the new year and positive affirmative statements like “I will.”

Here are five guiding prompts to help you write your new year’s resolution:

In 2024, I will…
My best year ever is…
This year, I’m going to…
New year, new me means…
My best year yet will…

You get the idea! The key to using guiding prompts to write a new year’s resolution is to not overthink it. Just complete each guiding prompt honestly.

Remember, your new year’s resolution is for you, and you alone!

#2. With Action Words

What will you do in 2024? Do you know? Need some ideas for thinking of the perfect new year’s resolution for you?

To help you brainstorm new year’s resolution ideas , use verbs and action words like “start,” “stop,” “create” and “become.”

Here are ten more powerful action words to help you write a new year’s resolution:

“You just have to live today. And I think one of my New Year's resolutions is definitely trying to stop and live in the moment and cherish it.” ― Thomas Rhett

Isn’t this a fun way to make a list of all the amazing things you’ll do in 2023?

#3. Ask Reflection Questions

We ask questions so we can get answers! That’s why answering self-reflection questions about the new year are one of the best ways to write a new year’s resolution.

Remember, that reflecting on the past and thinking about the future is the ancient recipe for making a new year’s resolution.

You can take some time to review your year with questions like,

How do you feel about your last year?
What about 2023 feels unfinished, or incomplete?
Did you accomplish your goals? Why or why not?
What would you do if anything was possible?
How can you make your life better in the new year?
What’s one thing you would change about your life?

You get the idea! The point of these questions is to get to the heart of what you really, truly want to achieve in 2024. Keep it simple remember, focus on what matters to you the most, not what you think you should.

#4. Make it SMART

One of the best ways to write a resolution you can keep is to make it a “SMART” resolution! Essentially, it’s a SMART goal that you’re calling your resolution.

In case you’re not familiar with the term, S.M.A.R.T. goals are the gold standard in goal setting. Being specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound, they’re one of the best ways to avoid goal-setting mistakes and failure.

So, why not use this framework to help you write a new year’s resolution? Sounds like the perfect plan.

To write a new year’s resolution that’s also a S.M.A.R.T. goal, it needs to check each of these boxes:

Specific : What exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable : How will you measure success or failure?
Attainable : Can you actually achieve this?
Relevant : Is this the best resolution for you?
Time-bound : How much time do you need?

Examples of SMART New Year’s Resolutions:

To help you make sure your own resolution meets these requirements, here are two of the most popular new year’s resolutions rewritten as SMART resolutions.

#1. “ Get rich ” or “make more money”

I will increase my income by $10,000 in 2024 by cutting back on spending and starting a side-hustle business so that I can save up a down payment for a home for my family.

#2. “ Get fit in the new year ” or “lose weight”

By October 2024, I will lose 25 lbs and keep it off for good with daily exercise and eating healthy meals so that I can finally breath better and keep up with my kids.

Just like that simple wishes that are bound to fail become strategic blueprints for success.

Take your resolutions and make them SMART goals too.

#5. Reflect on Your Life

Want to write a new year’s resolution that really matters to you? Take time to reflect on all the areas of your life to find the perfect focus for 2024.

Sometimes it’s hard to think of the best resolution to set when you’re reflecting on your life as a whole. Questions like, “what’s your greatest challenge” or even “how would you change your life for the better ,” can be hard to answer without a point of reference.

If these questions make you go glossy-eyed, then taking the time to reflect on each individual area of your life is the right choice. Don’t think about everything at once, just one area at a time.

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” ― Melody Beattie

There are ten distinct areas of your life, where do you stand in each?

Physical Health and Fitness
Emotional Wellbeing and Wellness
Finances and Money Habits
Spirituality and Connection
Experiences and Everyday Life
Relationships, Family, and Friendships
Career and Worklife
Education and Learning
Community and Belonging
Mind and Mental Life

Not sure what’s most important to you? Take the FREE New Year’s Resolution Quiz to discover which is your #1 concern for 2024.

#6. Think Less and More

If you’re looking for a super simple way to write a new year’s resolution, this is it! Think in terms of doing less of this, and doing more of this in 2024.

Grab a sheet of paper, and make two columns (or get your FREE New Year’s Resolution Workbook). Then write down everything you want to do less of in the new year, and all the things you want to do more of.

Is there a more simple formula for living a happy life ?

Here are some examples to help you with your list:

Do less complaining, feeling guilty, thinking negative thoughts , eating junk food
Do more meditation , things that make me smile, mental health days , taco Tuesdays

Keep it simple, even slightly silly if your life, remember it’s your new year’s resolution. The best part about thinking in terms of less and more is that you’re already making a list of perfect daily habits to start in the new year. It’s the small changes that make a big difference .

#7. Use Power Words

Have you heard about power words before? They’re the types of words that excite, inspire, and motivate you when you use them . Power words are full of emotion and feeling. When you read them, you can literally feel it!

Similar to the action words above, power words are perfect for writing your new year’s resolution. You can also add them to your already written resolution for an extra bit of something.

There’s an endless list of power words for you to choose from, but here are some truly spectacular ones:

There’s an entire page of power words for 2024 in the New Year’s Resolution Printable for you.

New Year’s Resolution Printable

Ready to write your new year’s resolution for 2024? Get your free 6-page New Year’s Resolution workbook, with action words, less and more life reflection, and power words pages.

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There you have it! Seven ways to write a new year’s resolution you not only care about but can actually keep.

May you have endless ideas for new year’s resolutions and make the most of 2024.

How do you write a New Year’s Resolution?

Last Updated on December 8, 2023

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Nadalie Bardo is here to help you slay your goals, so you can pursue your boss life with confidence + action. As the Founder of It's All You Boo, a personal development blog, she curates the very best content to keep you motivated and inspired to slay your goals in life and business. Her first book, Conquer Procrastination, is now available wherever books are sold, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Nadalie is also the creator of the Slay Your Goals Planner, the only planner dedicated to helping you actually achieve your goals.

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7 Achievable New Year’s Resolutions for 2022

Stay on track by setting reachable goals..

( sulit.photos / Shutterstock.com)

It’s almost 2022 but there is still time to compile your New Year’s resolutions. Instead of turning to the usual vows to get rid of all junk food or to start running 5K a day that are sure to be broken sometime in February, set goals that are achievable.

According to Business Insider , by the six-week mark, 80 percent of people fail to stick to their resolutions, especially those that are related to getting healthier. But that is no reason to skip making resolutions.

So, instead of setting grand over-reaching goals, sets smaller more manageable resolutions that when accomplished, will make you feel good and give you the confidence to make real life changes. Check out this list of seven achievable New Year’s Resolutions that will inspire you to write your own.

Some people believe that being kind is something people are born with but kindness can be learned. In fact, the more kind acts you do, the kinder you can become. You can resolve to become kinder by doing just one kind act a week, suggests a blog on Puffy. It’s as easy as thanking your bus driver or your server, carrying a heavy bag for a neighbor, or putting food out for a stray cat.

( Dmytro Zinkevych / Shutterstock.com)

Try Something New

Set a goal to do one new thing a month. You can start a DIY home decorating project, visit a museum you always wanted to go to in person or virtually, cook a new recipe, or learn a new card game. At the end of the year, you will have learned or experienced 12 new things.

( Atstock Productions / shutterstock.com)

Do Some Self-Care

Besides taking care of others, resolve to take some time for yourself. According to RL360 , self-care in your downtime can be anything that relaxes you from taking a bubble bath, watching a feel-good movie, or doing yoga . After a stressful year, a little self-care once or twice a week can go a long way for your mental and physical health.

(united photo studio / Shutterstock.com)

Helping others will make you happier and more fulfilled and this is backed by science . One of the best ways to help others is through volunteering. You can commit to a one-time event like participating in Good Deeds Day or Giving Tuesday. Or you can choose to volunteer weekly or monthly by helping at an animal shelter or at a food bank. Choose something that is near and dear to you and you will be motivated to keep it up.

( New Africa / Shutterstock.com)

Work at Your Relationships

The relationships you have with family and friends are vitally important during these stressful times. That’s why it is important to show people how much you appreciate them and how much they matter to you according to the Puffy blog. Don’t forget that the holidays can be the loneliest times of the year for people who live alone or are isolating, so make time to be fully present in person, calling, skyping, or Zooming with the people you care about. Or reach out and reconnect with someone you have lost touch with and reestablish the relationship.

( Karina Bostanika / Shutterstock.com)

Live More Sustainably

The New Year is the best time to commit to taking care of the planet and living more sustainably. Choose one easy way to green your life every month like shopping with reusable bags, eating less meat, using eco-friendly cleaning products, or taking public transportation to work twice a week suggests RL360. At the end of the year these small changes can add up and help you reduce your carbon footprint.

( Atstock Productions / Shutterstock.com)

Get Outside

Spend time in nature, it’s good for you. Did you know that being in nature reduces stress? That’s because nature has a calming effect. Other benefits include soaking up Vitamin D and improving the quality of your sleep. So resolve to spend just half an hour a week outdoors by taking a walk during your lunch hour, walking instead of driving to the market, or just relaxing in your own backyard. If it’s too cold to go out, bring some nature in by adding indoor plants to your home.

(frantic00 / Shutterstock.com)

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How to Write New Year’s Resolution or Goal Essay (8 Simple Steps)

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In this video, I explain an 8-step process to writing an essay about your New Year’s resolutions. I will guide you through every step of the way. From writing your thesis and paragraphs to wrapping up your conclusion.

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Watch to organize an Introduction Paragraph: https://youtu.be/Y8uZYPczUU4

Whether you are a teacher trying to help ALL your students navigate the writing process, a parent struggling at home to help their child with distance learning, or a student that just got a massive essay in class, this channel is for you! I walk you through the entire writing process from start to finish. In this channel, you will find research-based, classroom-tested, student-approved literacy skills for equitable education!

My hope is that these videos will help you as you write in school and at home. I am a classroom teacher myself, so I know how hard teaching writing is. I use all these videos in my own classroom to support and differentiate the learning for ALL my students. I have found these videos extremely helpful for ALL students, especially English Language Learners. I also provide free classroom materials to help you teach writing to ALL your kids.

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Resolutions Are Not the Vibe for 2022

If we can’t let go of frantic self-improvement nearly two years into a pandemic, when can we?

A pile of sticky notes with resolutions on them, including "Take walks" and "Join a club," with a purple note on top that says "Stop"

Congratulations: You’ve made it to 2022. Perhaps you’ve already listed 300 New Year’s resolutions, covering the hyper-doable (wash your sheets once a week), the niche (perfect your treble jig so your hot Irish step-dance coach will love you), and the ambitious (this is the year you write your novel). Perhaps you’ve also felt a deep shame for failing resolutions past. Time’s run out, and now I have to begin again , you might say to yourself. Here comes another year of saying I’ll do things that, in all likelihood, I won’t.

This year, the cycle feels intolerable to me. My experience of the pandemic has been one of great luck and privilege—but like many people, I’m worn out anyway. My 2021 resolutions went unattended while I worked from the couch, donning sweatpants and blue-light glasses, and wondering why, two years into this, I still don’t feel normal. How 2022 will unfold is so uncertain that choosing new goals feels like setting forth in a snowstorm, squinting into a great blurry expanse. So I’ve resolved to not make any resolutions this year. And I don’t think you should either.

Believe me, I’ve tried every trick in the book. Psychologists, businesspeople, and motivational coaches offer endless, sometimes conflicting, advice: Set bite-size goals that you can realistically accomplish; set difficult goals that stimulate you with a challenge; make your goals easy to measure ; seek meaningful well-being rather than shallow self-improvement; avoid temptation ; visualize success ; congratulate yourself for progress; don’t give up if you’re lagging.

Yet according to research, New Year’s resolutions just aren’t likely to work. Lisa Ordóñez, the dean of UC San Diego’s management school, told me that most goals get abandoned about a month into the year. (For the past few years, the fitness-app company Strava has shared the day in January its users were most likely to give up on their exercise targets—what it cruelly deems “Quitter’s Day.”) In a 2018 YouGov poll , only 6 percent of people who made a resolution were able to fully meet it.

You might figure that declaring resolutions doesn’t hurt, even if you don’t complete them. But that’s not necessarily true. The very act of goal setting can undermine results if it feels like homework: One study that directed people to practice flossing, yoga, or origami making found that focusing on the desired result actually predicted lower achievement. If goals are too narrow or too challenging or too many are attempted at once, they can obscure the bigger picture or lead people to focus disproportionately on short-term gains. Getting goals just right is hard.

Thus Ordóñez’s paper “ Goals Gone Wild ” advises businesses to think of goal setting as “a prescription-strength medication that requires careful dosing, consideration of harmful side effects, and close supervision.” And she told me that she thinks similar principles can apply to New Year’s resolutions: Spending too much energy on them can distract you from other tasks, and from your relationships; feeling like you’re failing to meet them can lead you to give them up entirely.

Of course, some people—unlike me—actually fulfill their resolutions. But they’re not always happier. (Ha ha!) Psychologists call this “ hedonic adaptation ”: You may feel buzzed about your achievement, but not for long. Pretty soon you’ll be thinking about another insufficiency to target. You may keep striving without ever really pausing to feel proud of your success—or to reassess whether you were chasing the right ends to begin with.

Read: Do Olympic-level achievements make people happy?

See, the problem isn’t just with how we define or pursue our goals; it’s with the very idea of prioritizing tangible outcomes. Assessing our personal progress in terms of resolutions leads us to aspire to things that we can cross off a list, and that shapes our behavior in turn. “We often measure things that are easy to measure,” Ordóñez told me. “Not what we really want to do.”

Instead, perhaps this year we can reflect on why those outcomes matter to us in the first place. Jill Stoddard, the director of a therapy practice in San Diego, illustrated how to do so with an example from her own life. She had wanted to lose weight for years, constantly setting and breaking new fitness goals. But when she questioned why she agonized over a number on a scale, she realized that she really cared that her children didn’t see her as a sedentary person. She’s since reached a place where she feels healthier, more active, and proud of the mother her kids look up to. Stoddard didn’t start and finish any one tidy goal, but she’s guided by a considered understanding of what she loves and prioritizes.

I don’t know what 2022 will look like. But I’ve started putting together a list of small good things from the year that ended: I got to visit home and bake tomato bread pudding with my family; my roommates and I decorated our new apartment, each adding a piece of ourselves to the whole; I grew even closer to my best friends, shivering through long conversations in triple-layered socks when we still couldn’t meet inside; the weather got warmer; I got vaccinated; I read some beautiful poetry . These aren’t accomplishments—they’re more like gratitudes, or bright points, or road signs for my future self to follow. They remind me that my life can be beautifully inconsequential, and the things that make me most human are not particularly unique or impressive.

When I die, there will be no ledger recording how frequently I exercised or wrote in my journal or got promoted. There will be people who loved me. I hope to have been a dedicated daughter and sister, a patient co-worker, a kind stranger; I hope I helped tell stories that maybe changed a few people’s minds. In 2022, I’ll continue to follow these lodestars, without knowing my destination. Nearly two years into a pandemic, maybe that’s all right.

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4 reasons to make new year’s resolutions (even if you don’t keep them).

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There are plenty of good reasons to make New Year's resolutions.

Many people will make New Year’s resolutions, however the majority will also fail to achieve them. But making resolutions is still a good idea—with plenty of positive effects.

Data from YouGovAmerica suggests about a quarter of Americans will make resolutions, and most people think they’ll accomplish them—20% in fact. Most people are optimistic, with 86% expecting 2022 to be the same or better than 2021. And the younger people are, the more optimistic they are about the future.

The Nature of New Year’s Resolutions

The most popular New Year’s resolutions are about self improvement (living healthier 23% of people, getting happy 21%, losing weight 20%, exercising 7%, stopping smoking 5%, reducing drinking 2%). In addition, people resolve to meet career or job goals (16%) and improve their relationships (11%).

Despite their big plans though, only 8% of people will achieve their New Year’s resolutions. This is according to a study by the University of Scranton .

Why It’s Smart to Make New Year’s Resolutions

But all is not lost. Even if you don’t keep resolutions, it’s a really good idea to make them anyway. Here’s why.

#1 – Intention

Being honest with yourself about your current condition and the distance to your preferred situation is key to improvement. And being intentional about how you want to grow and develop will help you achieve results. This intentionality will also contribute to your happiness and fulfillment. When you’re moving forward with clear direction, you make a positive contribution to your emotional and mental health.

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Best covid-19 travel insurance plans, #2 – hope and engagement.

Making New Year’s resolutions is inherently hopeful and optimistic. You expect things can get better for you, for your work experience or for your community. This positive view of the future, in turn, tends to motivate action. If you don’t believe tomorrow can be better, you’re unlikely to take steps to improve yourself or your community. So optimism is doubly beneficial—contributing to your own mental health, but also engaging you toward positive action which has an effect on those around you.

Making New Year's resolutions is inherently hopeful.

#3 – Responsibility

Most New Year’s resolutions have some impact on others. Even if they are about individual self-improvement, they affect families, friends, colleagues and communities. Your resolution to get healthy will keep you around longer for your family and friends. Your resolution to stop procrastinating will contribute to a positive team dynamic with your co-workers. And your plans to do more volunteer work at the community garden will help feed people in your locale. New Year’s resolutions are terrific ways to focus on yourself, but also to consider your broader responsibility—and to expand and multiply your positive effects on others.

#4 – Inspiration

When you seek to be better, do better or contribute more fully, you tend to inspire others as well. The primary way people learn is through experiencing the behavior of others. Even if they’re not consciously aware of it, people pick up on choices and cues from others—constantly. When you focus on the future and focus on improvement, you necessarily inspire those around you.

Strive to be in the minority of people who keep their New Year’s resolutions. But know even if you don’t keep every one, the act of making them and striving toward them will have positive effects for you and for others.

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Four new CSE department heads begin in 2024-25

They bring a wealth of academic, research, and leadership abilities

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/01/2024)—University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering Dean Andrew Alleyne has named four new department heads in the college. All bring a wealth of academic, research, and leadership abilities to their departments.

Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

Professor Kevin Dorfman has been appointed as the new d epartment h ead for the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (CEMS). Dorfman started his five-year term on July 1, 2024.

Dorfman joined the University of Minnesota faculty in January of 2006 and was quickly promoted up the ranks, receiving tenure in 2011, promotion to professor in 2015, and named a Distinguished McKnight Professor in 2020. He previously served as the director of undergraduate studies in chemical engineering from 2018-2022, where he headed a large-scale revision of the chemical engineering curriculum and saw the department through its most recent ABET accreditation.

His research focuses on polymer physics and microfluidics, with applications in self-assembly and biotechnology. He is particularly well known for his integrated experimental and computational work on DNA confinement in nanochannels and its application towards genome mapping. Dorfman’s research has been recognized by numerous national awards including the AIChE Colburn Award, Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering, NSF CAREER Award, and DARPA Young Faculty Award.

Dorfman received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Penn State and a master’s and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from MIT.

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Professor Archis Ghate has been appointed as the new Department Head for the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering after a national search. Ghate will begin his five-year term on July 8, 2024.

Ghate is an expert in operations research and most recently served as the Fluor Endowed Chair in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Clemson University. Previously, he was a professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Washington. He has won several research and teaching awards, including an NSF CAREER Award.

Ghate’s research in optimization spans areas as varied as health care, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, economics, and business analytics. He also served as a principal research scientist at Amazon working on supply chain optimization technologies.

Ghate received bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in chemical engineering, from the Indian Institute of Technology. He also received a master’s degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Professor Chris Hogan has been appointed as the new department head for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Hogan started his five-year term on July 1, 2024.

Hogan, who currently holds the Carl and Janet Kuhrmeyer Chair, joined the University of Minnesota in 2009, and since then has taught fluid mechanics and heat transfer to nearly 1,000 undergraduates, advised 25+ Ph.D. students and postdoctoral associates, and served as the department’s director of graduate studies from 2015-2020. He most recently served as associate department head.

He is a leading expert in particle science with applications including supersonic-to-hypersonic particle impacts with surfaces, condensation and coagulation, agricultural sprays, and virus aerosol sampling and control technologies. He has authored and co-authored more than 160 papers on these topics. He currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Aerosol Science . Hogan received the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering’s George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Research in 2023.

Hogan holds a bachelor’s degree Cornell University and a Ph.D. from Washington University in Saint Louis.

School of Physics and Astronomy

Professor James Kakalios has been appointed as the new department head for the School of Physics and Astronomy. Kakalios started his five-year term on July 1, 2024.

Since joining the School of Physics and Astronomy in 1988, Kakalios has built a research program in experimental condensed matter physics, with particular emphasis on complex and disordered systems. His research ranges from the nano to the neuro with experimental investigations of the electronic and optical properties of nanostructured semiconductors and fluctuation phenomena in neurological systems.

During his time at the University of Minnesota, Kakalios has served as both director of undergraduate studies and director of graduate studies. He has received numerous awards and professorships including the University’s Taylor Distinguished Professorship, Andrew Gemant Award from the American Institute of Physics, and the Award for Public Engagement with Science from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is a fellow of both the American Physical Society and AAAS.

In addition to numerous research publications, Kakalios is the author of three popular science books— The Physics of Superheroes , The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics , and The Physics of Everyday Things .

Kaklios received a bachelor’s degree from City College of New York and master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago.

Rhonda Zurn, College of Science and Engineering, [email protected]

University Public Relations, [email protected]

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Four new CSE department heads begin in 2024-25
They bring a wealth of academic, research, and leadership abilitiesMINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/01/2024)—University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering Dean Andrew Alleyne has named four new department heads in the college. All bring a wealth of academic, research, and leadership abilities to their departments.Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials ScienceProfessor Kevin ...