Unique New Year’s Resolutions That Make You Feel Good

At the beginning of each year most of us feel compelled to make resolutions. It is a natural time to reset and restart. There are the old standbys like losing weight, eating healthy and getting in shape. And while all of those are worthwhile goals and truly we should all do them, what about taking a more unique and perhaps more rewarding approach to those New Year’s resolutions?

Check out the ideas below for inspiration on making yourself and your life a bit more fulfilling in the coming year.

• Acts of Kindness. We all get busy and myopically go through our days focused on just what we need to do to stay afloat. But, if you think for a second about what it does to your day when someone shows unexpected kindness or consideration, then you might understand why making a little extra effort on your own can make a big difference to someone else. It can be as small as letting someone go ahead of you in the grocery line or paying a compliment to a stranger. Those small efforts can brighten someone’s day in a large way. You never know when someone might need it the most.
• Personal Challenge. What is difficult for you? If you are like most of us there are several things. Pick one, maybe two, things that you have been challenged by and make a plan to conquer them. I know a woman who was terrified to get a flat tire because she had no idea how to change it. Yes, there are all kinds of services to handle that, but she felt that was a basic skill she should have, so one year she made a resolution to learn. Now she can do many basic maintenance tasks on her car.
• Family Connection. Remember Cousin Debbie or Uncle Joe? You haven’t seen or spoken to them in years – or perhaps ever. Make this is the year to change that. Connection to family, immediate or distant, can be very rewarding and interesting. It can also tell you a lot about who are. Try sending a card, making a call or shooting over an email to initiate that connection. They don’t have to become your best-friend, but you never know what you may be missing.
• Intellectual Enrichment. Never been able to do percents in your head? Or maybe you have always been curious about what nanotechnology really is. Make this year the year to figure those things out. The more you know the more avenues open up and the more interesting and confident you become. Expanding our intellectual objectives also has the added benefit of offsetting the natural cognitive decline that occurs with age.
• You, But New. Have you always wanted to wear fedoras but never thought you could pull it off? Or what about that haircut you love but have never dared to try? Try them! Changes like these are not always symptoms of a midlife crisis in men (or women). There is nothing that says you can’t shake up your style and appearance. You can always go back if it doesn’t work. The funny thing about small, stylistic changes is that they sometimes are the biggest confidence boosters.
• Global Awareness. Do you know what the threats are to lowland Gorillas in Virunga National Park? Or the extent of drought and poverty in South Sudan? Perhaps it’s time to find out. Being a more aware global citizen can provide you with a better perspective and more appreciation for your own life. It may even give you an avenue for making a difference somewhere.

Any of these ideas and many others can be easy and interesting resolutions for the New Year. They do not have to be time consuming or take the place of more pressing goals. As with any goal, start small and write things down. The key to success in reaching a goal is to take it one piece at a time. Remember every marathon begins with one step.

You can read more advice from Dr. Kurt at Guy Stuff Counseling, Facebook, Google+, or Twitter.