Continuing with the New Year Resolution theme, if you want to make 2022 a year for self-development, but you’re not sure where to start, then one idea is to adopt a new goal each month, rather than trying to tackle everything at once. It’s also important to be specific about each goal and consider what it will add to your life, and where it might lead.

For example, if you want to improve your general health, then you could start by improving your sleep, as this can increase your motivation in other health-related areas. Eating better and getting enough exercise is often more manageable if we feel rested.

So, if you have lots that you want to achieve this year but you’re not sure where to start, then here’s what your 2022 New Year’s resolutions could look like .…

January

Choose one physical health goal. Do you want to lose some weight ? Then perhaps you could start by looking at small ways to increase your activity levels or incorporate more whole foods into your diet. Or, as previously mentioned, perhaps you want to focus on the quality of your sleep.

February

Choose one mental health goal. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, yet few of us treat it as such. So why not give yourself a mental health MOT?

Stress is something that many of us feel, but may not take steps to resolve – either because we’ve become used to it or are too busy. This month you could ask yourself questions such as: Am I happy? Could I be more relaxed? And if so, how can I achieve this? You might also want to start practising mindfulness and gratitude, as these are great ways to slow down and start living life in the present moment.

March

Take steps towards changing a negative habit. Whether it’s smoking, drinking too much, or eating junk food, this month you could work towards cutting back or giving up a habit that isn’t serving you well.

The key to breaking negative habits is often to replace them with positive ones.

April

Review your finances. According to an article in the Daily Mirror, 53% of adults have avoided making particular financial decisions because they couldn’t face it. However, whether we’d like to believe it or not, our finances have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing, and getting on top of them can help to alleviate a lot of stress and worry.

It is never too early in life to look into pensions and retirement planning, but don’t neglect everyday financial matters – like whether or not you’re getting the best deal on your car insurance, as well as on your energy, internet connection, and mobile phone bills.

May

Declutter your home. This month, why not take a good look around your house and take stock of what you do and don’t use? Decluttering your home can not just give you more physical space, but more mental space too. Often, it’s only after we’ve parted with items that we realise how much they were weighing us down.

Decluttering and organising your home can help to improve sleep, boost productivity and creativity, remove allergens, and make the house easier to clean. Plus, it can be fun discovering items that were lost or long forgotten about. Any items you don’t need anymore can either be sold or donated.

June

Learn a new skill or hobby. Hobbies are not only fun, but have health benefits such as helping your mental well being, confidence and self-esteem. You could start a new hobby or rediscover an old one, anything from origami to gardening.

July

Volunteer your time. Volunteering has many advantages ranging from meeting new friends and learning new skills, to giving something back to the community.

August

Read a book. Do you have a list of books that you want to read, but keep on thinking you’re too busy to do so? This month, why not make the time? Not just reading things on the internet or your phone, but a book – as reading can be a great way to cut down on screen time. You could go to a book shop and browse the choices, or visit your local library and borrow something.

Having a specific goal can help, so you could try reading a book a month or every two months. For motivation, you could also consider joining a book club.

September

Spend time with family and friends. When we have personal goals that we want to achieve, it can be difficult to balance these with our social calendars. But it’s important to remember that connecting with others is an important part of self-care and development too. Family and friends are an important part of our lives, as they are there for us in both good and bad times.

So if you’ve not seen much of your loved ones as you’d like, then why not arrange to catch up not just virtually, but in person. You could suggest putting regular meet-ups in place, where you go for a meal, coffee, or walk. It’s also worth considering that it can be good to have friends of all ages as there is much to be learned across intergenerational friendships.

October

Check in on your relationship. In our hectic lives, it’s impossible for our relationship to be at the forefront of our minds all the time. And while this is normal, from time to time, it’s important to check in with our relationships and our partners on a deeper level. This could mean considering whether you’re both happy and if there are any new, joint goals that you could tackle together.

Quality time also is important, so if you’ve not spent much meaningful time together recently, then why not schedule a date night ?

November

Reduce your screen time. There are many health benefits to reducing the amount of time we spend in front of a screen whether it’s a computer or a phone screen. Too much screen time can lead to weight gain, sleep problems, eye strain, and poor posture.

Try taking regular breaks from smart devices to listen to some music, read a book, meet up with people in person, or go for a walk. It’s also good to leave your phone outside your bedroom at night so that you won’t be tempted to check it before you go to sleep.

December

Have fun and channel your inner child. Self-development goals are often quite serious, and centre around things that we feel we ‘should do’ – even if we know these things are good for us. But, it’s important to remember that life is also short, and that fun, laughter and spontaneity are invaluable.

It’s important to make time for play; especially if you work long hours, or spend a lot of your time doing things for other people. This could mean going for a night out on the town with your friends, watching some silly movies, or building a blanket fort with your grandkids. Research suggests that adults who play games have improved social well-being, sharper cognitive functions, and are even better able to keep healthier relationships – both platonic and romantic – than those who don’t participate in fun activities on a regular basis.

Other resolutions

The resolutions above are just a few examples of some of the many goals you might choose to set yourself for the coming year. Other resolutions could be job-related; perhaps you want to take steps towards a new career or progress in your current job role. Or maybe you’re thinking about booking a Personal Brand Photography shoot to dramatically improve the marketing of your business (give me this job, I can help you here) :D  Or maybe retiring early and moving to somewhere new.

Whatever your resolutions are, try to remember that each one can be broken down into smaller steps. A new year also doesn’t have to involve being a ‘new you’ – it can involve being the ‘same you’ who is simply looking to take steps to be happier and healthier. The term ‘new you’ can often suggest that we need to try and be someone else, rather than building on the person we already are.