A lot of people either felt like or really did have a terrible year in 2016. Now a fresh year is upon us, and it's time to start this year on a better foot by taking out the trash in our lives and deciding we want to change for the better.
1. Get rid of one bad habit
Some people write long lists of things they want to make resolutions for, and many of them are their bad habits, but trying to get rid of all at once can be really hard and really complicated or sometimes not even practical. So just commit to one. Lack of sleep, flaking on friends, not exercising, smoking, excessive drinking, not being on time, not cleaning up after yourself, not returning phone calls...whatever it is, make that one thing your goal and work towards it. And we all know it's hard to rid yourself of a habit, but instead of putting yourself in a mindset that if you fall off the wagon or revert back for a second, it's over, realize you're going to fail, maybe multiple times throughout the year, but it's not about how you fall, it's how you get back up and keep at it, realizing in your mind, that you are most definitely stronger than your bad habits.
2. Ger rid of that one person who brings you down
Why are you hanging on to a relationship with a friend, or other relation that seems to always bring you down? Why on earth do you "need" this person in your life? Is your goal to constantly have them make you feel bad? If you think of this person and you can't think of any actual good they bring to you or any support or encouragement they give you, let them go or at the very least, give yourself as much distance from having to interact with them as possible. It's time to be an adult and realize that you do NOT need every single person that crosses your path to be a major player or part of your life. You deserve to have peace in your life and in your own home and if you don't have that, find your strength and courage to tell this person, and most importantly believe it yourself, that you deserve better than how they are treating you.
3. Get rid of the clutter in one space
We all have that one drawer or that one closet or that one space that is hoarder level crazy cluttered. Every time you pass it up, you just shut the door or close it up. You have a an entire year to reclaim that space. People don't realize it, but cluttered spaces can often be the signs of a cluttered mind. It really is time to free yourself in both the metaphorical and the literal sense, of the things the clutter in that space represents.
4. Get rid of your self-deprecation
This can be hard for even the most seemingly self-confident people in the world, but you can do it with a little, or a lot of practice. Women, in particular, have a tendency to take a compliment and then use it to put themselves down. "You look gorgeous in that dress,"..."well, I mean the color is beautiful, but I think I look fat in it." Instead of saying thank you, you put yourself down, you project your insecurities, you exhibit your self hatred, you take something good and turn it into something bad. When someone pays you a compliment, man or woman, say a simple, thank you. No, but this, or I don't think so or I don't see that, but just a thank you. Even if at first you don't want to believe the compliment, just tell yourself, I'm going to say thank you, and do it. The more you do it, the more you may start to really feel it and see it as being true.
5. Get rid of one "I can't"
There is an "I can't" in your life right now, that isn't actually an "I can't," and you know it, but just don't want to admit to yourself that it's possible. Why are you so afraid to try? Take that one thing, and do it this year. The problems with "I can't" is that no one wants to plan ways to make "I can't" actually happen. Let's say your dream is to go to Australia. You say it every year...I want to go, but "I can't." Then you list off all these excuses. Start with whatever your goal is, and write down the steps you actually need to make that goal or dream a reality. If it's Australia, you need time off, you need money, you need to book a hotel, etc. Then start figuring out ways to make that happen. Open a savings account that automatically draws x dollars from your paycheck for your Australia fund, start researching best times to travel, put it out there in the universe to friends and family that this is your dream and this is the year. Suddenly "I can't," starts to look like "I can."
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