Ten Resolutions You Should Make This Year

I know that we're already into January and that you will have made your resolutions for the year, but after someone posted this on Facebook I was inspired to make a list of ten resolutions that I think we should all make this year.

1. Change the things you don't like.
     - Life is too short to spend time doing and dwelling on things that you don't like. If you don't like something, change it, but make sure you're practical about it. If you hate your job, make sure you have another one lined up, if you hate your city, find another home that's in your budget and move. Don't do things because they're expected of you, do them because they make you happy.

2. Learn something new.
   - Never pass up on the opportunity to learn something new. We should appreciate the opportunities we are given to better ourselves, and while we are able to we should grab them with both hands. Never take for granted what skills you already have, but never be afraid to improve.




3. Stop comparing yourself to others.
   - The world is a big place filled with billions of people, each who have their talents and flaws. Besides your doppelgänger, there's only one you, so stop being so hard on yourself and be exactly who you are, quirks and all. There will be times when all you have is yourself, and you need to learn to self-love. It's not arrogant or selfish, it's important, and I'm sure you're pretty great.

4. Stop posting negative shit on social media.
   - Whether it's inflicting abuse on celebrities or ranting about your feelings, find another way to do it instead of plastering it across the internet. Celebrities don't care, and quite frankly, neither does anyone else. Find alternative ways to deal with your feelings, and channel that negativity you're experiencing into something more productive - you'll feel a lot better afterwards.

5. Make or break your relationships.
   - It's time to realise your self-worth, and alongside that realise that the people you surround yourself with can help you become a better or worse person. Value the friends you've had all along, and forget the ones who make you feel worthless. If you're not happy in your relationship, say so. Your feelings count, and if your friends / partner don't value you then they're not worth your time. No matter how hard it is to let go, you have to do it.

6. Help and respect others.
   -  We need to learn as a society to start actually helping others. Even if you can only help someone in a small way it's better than nothing at all. There is always someone worse off than ourselves, and elsewhere there is always someone else being judged for one reason or another. We need to start looking after ourselves instead of destroying each other.

7. Let go of the past.
   - The past is in the past and we can't change it. We can however, and should learn from it, and it's okay to reflect back on it too. But we need to stop letting it consume us, we're going to get hurt again, things are going to be bad again, but they'll also be good, and maybe even better. Focus on the present and the future, you're still in control of those.

8. Love who you want.
   - If you love someone, you love them. It's as simple as that and nothing else should matter.

9. Go somewhere new.
   - I don't care where you go, but get up of your arse and get there. Across the road to the new coffee shop, across the country to a new city you've been meaning to visit or across the globe and into a new culture. There's so many things out there for you to experience and they'll be around a lot longer than you, so go experience them before you no longer have the chance.

10. Step back from social media.
   - Turn off your phone when you're having dinner and stop checking emails in the middle of conversations. Social media is great and I'm all about capturing the moment, but don't forget to live in it too.

Photo Credit: Christian Drothler 

Have a great weekend!