10 Positive Things to Do for Yourself in the New Year

I believe I do know you quite well. I know I don’t Get to know you, know you, but I’m guessing since you’re here, you’re a lot like me.

You desire to be the best version of yourself. Your life is your greatest asset. The people you surround yourself with want you to be their best. You may take some time to reflect on what to release or embrace in the coming year to increase your happiness and have a positive effect on the world.

Maybe you’ll make a list of things you’d like to do or achieve (buy my first house is high on my list). Maybe you’ll jot down some habits to adopt and let go (I’m planning to start trampoline rebounding and trying to stop scrolling while with my kids.) Perhaps you’ll also set some goals with the people you love in mind (my big one is to control less and trust more).

Whatever your individual resolutions, and even if you don’t set any at all, your next year will largely depend on your mental state from day to day.

We can have everything we’ve ever wanted and be miserable, or have very little and be the happiest we’ve ever been. How we think and believe about ourselves is key. This means that we can change the course of our lives, no matter what external goals are achieved, by simply making smart choices about our well-being.

With this in mind, I decided to create a list of positive things we can do for ourselves to make this next one our best year yet, using quotes from the blog (all of which I included in Tiny Buddha’s 2022 Day-to-Day Calendar—still available if you want to check it out!).

These suggestions are my hope for peace, joy and healing in 2022!

1. Practice mindfulness.

“When we spend too much time lost in our thinking minds—rushing from one appointment to the next—life, which is always happening now, flashes by unnoticed. As the preciousness and value of every living moment becomes lost due to lack of presence, days, weeks, months, years, and even decades blur together. We’re left wondering where all the time has gone and why we feel so dissatisfied, unfulfilled, and disconnected. Taking time to be more attentive to each new moment as it arises is the key to experiencing more peace, connection, and aliveness, regardless of what is going on in your life or what you believe it should look like.” ~Richard Paterson

2. Embrace change.

“Life is not about what happens to us but how we react to it, and some of our biggest disappointments can lead to better things in life, bringing us new beginnings, if we learn to adapt and embrace change. Expect life not to go to plan and then you won’t be so disappointed. Look for the silver linings and accept what it is. Then, adapt. Look for the positive in each moment, and take the lessons from the difficult ones. This is how we not only survive but thrive: by embracing each moment for what it is and choosing to make the best of it.” ~Jess Stuart

3. Be confident in your abilities.

“Have a little faith in your ability to handle whatever’s coming down the road. You have the ability to overcome all challenges. You always have the ability to overcome any obstacle. Even if you didn’t want it or ask for it, even if it seems scary or hard or unfair, you can make something good of any loss or hardship. It is possible to learn, grow, assist others, and even prosper from it. The future is unknown, but you can know this for sure: Whatever’s coming, you got this.” ~Lori Deschene

4. Slow down.

“It can be addictive to run yourself ragged, I know. Your heart beats faster, you feel the thrill of a rush, and your brain feels like it’s about to burst with all your ideas and plans. You’re constantly going, going, going, with no stop to it. You can also endanger yourself by constantly chasing the feeling. Take a break if your head hurts or you feel fatigued. It’s not like you are lazy to need a rest. It’s your body’s way of telling you that it’s been running at full speed for far too long. Listen to your body.” ~Melissa Chu

5. Be committed to your individual needs.

“For many of us, our needs aren’t even on the radar. Just taking the time to identify your needs can help you find answers that you didn’t know were possible. Ask yourself these questions: What are your needs? Are there any personal requirements that I need to be happy? You don’t need to believe what your friends or commercials tell you. Is your soul speaking to you? Is your soul calling for creativity, passion, and more fun? Spend more time outdoors Less stress? Once you’ve started discovering what your needs are, check in with yourself often. Are your needs being met right now? If not, how can you make that happen?” ~Kaylee Rupp

6. Not only should you be focusing on the to-dos, but also consider the to-be.

“Write a to-beList instead of a to-do List for tomorrow. You might see it as: Tomorrow I will: Be mindful, aware, calm, someone who finds reasons to smile, laugh, love, be forgiving and supportive. Your life’s quality is not determined by how much you do. Human beings are not human acts. Let’s base the value of our day on that small bit of wisdom and live accordingly. Just be.” ~Nancy Daley

7. You can take a break from all the chaos of the world.

“Give yourself permission to step away from the noise of the world. You are allowed to switch off news or limit your media consumption. If you feel stressed out by social media, reduce your time. You should unfollow negative social media accounts. Set boundaries to reduce your exposure to negative people in your life. If you feel the need, take a time-out. Consider taking a day for your mental health. Say no to things you don’t want to do (even if you already said yes).” ~Kelly Ramsdell

8. Accept yourself wherever you are.

“It’s okay to be right where you are. It’s easy to believe that we must always make progress. We need to shine a bright light every day. But the truth is, we need times when we’re pausing. These are the times when we feel most alone and lost. We’re figuring things out, re-evaluating what we thought we wanted. It helps to let ourselves rest in the knowledge that this time is natural and normal, rather than tell ourselves we need to be making progress and moving forward.” ~ Lindsey Lewis

9. Recognize that it’s okay to not feel happy all the time.

“Without a doubt, the most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. It’s okay to feel lost and unsure. It’s alright to have no idea how you’re going to hold it together sometimes. It’s easy to put too much pressure on yourself to make everyone happy. It’s okay to acknowledge when times are tough. It’s alright to feel anxious, even if it’s uncomfortable.” ~Ilene S. Cohen

10. Try to keep things in perspective.

“Apply the asteroid scenario test. Simply put, if an asteroid hit Earth and life as we know it was about to end, you’d have a choice: Would you really spend your final days stressing and worrying about something you have absolutely no control over? Do you want to be happy and with your family with any time that you are left? It’s a difficult situation. But you have to make a decision and get on with your life. You must learn to recognize what is out of your control and accept this fact with undying acceptance. Then focus on positive steps you can control instead.” ~Perry Manzano

Do you have anything else to add?

About Lori Deschene

Tiny Buddha was founded by Lori Deschene. She’s also the author of Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal, Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, and other books and co-founder of Recreate Your Life Story, an online course that helps you let go of the past and live a life you love. For daily wisdom, join the Tiny Buddha list here. You can also follow Tiny Buddha on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Tiny Buddha published the article 10 positive things you can do for yourself in the new year

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