01/11/20 Weekend Grif.Net - Inspiring New Year's Resolution Ideas (part 2)
Robert Griffin
[continued from last weekend]
**Set a firm bedtime
Getting enough sleep can be one of the best things you can do for your health. Getting a solid seven to eight hours of shut-eye boosts heart health, helps with weight loss, improves memory, and reduces depression, among other health benefits. Yet good intentions are easily derailed by phone games, Netflix, work e-mail, or other distractions. Invest in your health by giving yourself a firm bedtime that will allow you to get eight hours of sleep, say 10 p.m., and stick to it.
Making a mental note to count your blessings simply isn’t enough. To reap all the benefits of daily gratitude, you need to make a conscious effort to record everything you’re grateful for. Start off on the right foot this year by buying a fun journal, just for the purpose of recording three things each day you’re grateful for. Looking for things to be grateful for will give you a boost in the moment and re-reading them later will help you realize how great your life really is. Get started with these powerful gratitude quotes that will inspire you to be grateful.
**Smile at a stranger every day
A man who committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge left behind a note that read, “I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.” That story had a heartbreaking ending for that man, obviously, but it shows the power of a little human kindness. Smiling at a stranger on the bus, in the store, at the gym, or on your way to work costs you nothing but could have a powerful effect on someone’s life. Make a resolution to give a smile, every day. Best part? You’ll probably get one in return too.
**Invite a new neighbor over for dinner
Quick: Can you name your next-door neighbors? What about the ones next to them? Everyone on your street? The more interconnected we’ve become online, the less connected we’ve become in real life, particularly to those we don’t have a reason to get to know. So make a reason to meet the people in your neighborhood by inviting a new person or family over for dinner, dessert, or a game night, once a month. At best you’ll make some great friends, at worst you don’t ever have to do it again, and you’ll still have one more person you can ask to bring your garbage in from the curb when you’re gone. For a little inspiration, check out these 22 heartwarming stories of good deeds from neighbors.
If Dr. Seuss were writing today, his next book would likely be Screens On Things—those screens, we see them in a box, with a fox, in a house, with a mouse. Those screens we see them here and there, we see them everywhere. And for good reason, they’re fun! But technology overload can cause depression, isolation, lack of social skills, compulsive shopping, and poor health. Take a brain break by setting aside one (or more) hours a day to unplug. Read a book, take a walk, work on a hobby, volunteer, or simply use the time to think your own thoughts, uninterrupted. You’ll sleep, eat, and feel better.
Chores are called chores for a reason—no one loves scrubbing out the toilet or loading the dishwasher, yet they are all things that must be done for life to run smoothly. But sometimes you procrastinate doing them (no judgment here, we’re all guilty of this!) and they pile up. Keep your personal (and mental) space clean by creating a daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule. Doing a little each day will make sure the garbage never overflows into the next room again.
**Call your bestie
We’ve all been there: You see a good friend in passing, yell “We need to get together soon!” as you sail by, and then…nothing. Even if you really mean it, setting aside social time can be difficult. But maintaining close friendships is worth it. So make a resolution that this is the year you make time for your loved ones and schedule a time each week or month to see them. If you write it in as an appointment, your brain will think of it as non-negotiable and you’ll make those good times happen.
Become a tourist in your own town by finding a list of popular attractions and then making a goal to visit a new one each month. You’ll learn about the history of your (current) hometown and gain an appreciation for the people around you. Plus, it’s just fun. Stop waiting for a reason to go to a play, visit a museum, hike a trail, or tour a landmark and just go.
Libraries have bunches of books, sure, but they also provide a lot more: calendars of community events, clubs, support groups, release parties, performances, movie rentals, and audiobooks. Take advantage of all your library has to offer (and pick up a good read or three) by making a goal to hit your local library once a week. For a more concrete goal, check out this list of the most impressive libraries in every state and visit yours.
A home-cooked meal is delicious and usually healthier than any take-out or restaurant fare, not to mention cheaper. Yet too many people think they can’t cook or that it’s too time-consuming. Not so: You can do this. Commit to making a healthy, home-cooked meal at least once a week. Your health and wallet will thank you.
Everyone deserves a little love and happiness in their life. Make sure you’re taking care of you by scheduling a little pamper time in once a week. Take a hot bath, paint your nails, buy a small treat, wander through a bookstore, bake cookies—whatever feeds your soul. Find out some more little things that happy people do every day.
**Put some money in savings each week
Nearly 60 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings—far less than the six months of expenses that experts recommend and not even enough to get through a minor emergency like a medical bill or car breakdown. Yet saving extra when you’re already living paycheck to paycheck, or seriously in debt, can feel overwhelming. Start small by putting a little into savings each week. You can simply stick all your cash in a jar in your closet or you can install an automatic savings app, like Digit, to make it practically painless. You won’t even notice the money is gone, and you’ll build up a nice little nest egg that will hopefully inspire you to save even more. Here are some more New Year resolution ideas that might just change your life.
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Dr Bob Griffin
"Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!"