Happy New Year! This is the time of year when everybody and their mother are making major lifestyle changes in the name of New Year’s resolutions. These major changes come from a place of the “new year, new me” mindset.
While I agree that it feels good to start fresh in a new era of your life, too much change at once can hinder your ability to make long-term changes. I do not know the science behind this phenomenon, but changing everything at once is incredibly difficult for anybody. It’s best to start small and work your way up to these changes (and give yourself grace if you fail).
I’m sure everyone has seen the “2024 Ins and Outs” trend on TikTok. I am a huge fan of it. There is a wave of kindness and positive thinking flooding the internet right now and this list is helping contribute to it. Instead of resolutions — in the traditional sense — you will list things that are “in style” in the new year for yourself. Some of the things on my list are to make my bed every morning and Irish goodbyes (game changer). These are just things that you want to eventually develop into habits! They don’t have to be anything huge, just small changes. It’s refreshing to take a step back and ask yourself “What is something that I would like to improve in my life?” and it can even include the “traditional” going to the gym style changes.
The other side of the spectrum is the “out of style” choices you wish to eliminate from your everyday life. They don’t have to be replaced by any other habit, they can just be something you stop. Two of my outs are gossiping and skipping class (a terrible habit I do not recommend starting). The outs list is a great opportunity to look at your life, identify your bad habits, and pick which ones you want to start weaning out of your life.
If you have no idea how to start this process, do not fret. I didn’t either. Take an hour to sit and stew on it. Start small, and think “What do I want to start changing” It can be your morning routine, what time you go to bed, and how you think about certain topics. The world is your oyster here. Brainstorm it! You’re going to make five different lists before you decide hey this is what I want. It’ll probably seem huge and scary, but it is very nice to see all of your goals laid out in front of you. Organize them any way you want, it might even be a good idea to go one each month that way you have bite-size pieces to work on. Naturally, as you go down your list, the ins and outs get a little bit deeper, but once you’ve tackled all of your “easy” topics they should be a breeze.
A large part of this is that it is okay to slip up and make mistakes. Do not be so rigid that you think you fail your year is wasted. Flexibility is a mindset that takes time to adopt and adapt to but it benefits you in the long run. It plays a large part in preventing the “I’m a failure” mindset.
In super short terms, make your changes, be kind to yourself, and enjoy your #2024theplot.
