14 Resolutions All Women Should Make for the New Year

A woman staring out of a window while drinking a cup of coffee

1. Give Yourself 30 Minutes Of “Me Time” A Week

Relieving stress is a great goal, but pretty hard to grab if you don’t pinpoint how to do it. One way: Set aside 30 minutes a week for some quiet time by yourself. You can use this time to meditate, journal, walk in nature, or simply just breathe. Now that’s a New Year’s resolution idea you can probably get behind. (via womenshealthmag.com)

2. Give Yourself More Compliments

Repeat after us: “Today is my day. I’m thankful for me.” Positive self-talk can help you focus on what’s good in your life, says psychologist Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D. Research shows that a little vitamin G (for gratitude) can make you feel happier and more satisfied and even improve your sleep. “If you repeat an affirmation related to gratitude in the morning, you’re likely to show and feel more of it throughout that day,” Bradford says. You’re so welcome! (via goodhousekeeping.com)

3. Ask For Help

We’re specifically talking to you, moms. It takes a village to raise a family, and that means you deserve help on this journey through parenthood. Pretending you can do it all only hurts you and, inevitably, your family because it leaves you emotionally and mentally depleted. Whether it’s asking your spouse to take over the chores or hiring an extra set of hands to give you a break, you deserve the help and should resolve to ask for it in 2019 – and beyond. (via mom.me)

4. Reconnect With Someone

It seems like everyone is too busy to catch up these days. How many times have you told someone “We need to get together!” and never followed through? No judgment. We’ve all done it. Luckily there’s still some time left in the year to make good on your promise. There’s a reason the New Year’s anthem starts with “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never thought upon.” (via goodhousekeeping.com)

A young woman catching a breath and smiling during a workout class

5. Get Healthy

Every year, you say it (and you might even give it an honest effort before throwing in the towel), but 2019 is officially the year of reclaiming your health. The trick? Throw away your preconditioned ideas about weight and clothing size, and focus on being truly healthy. That means exercising to keep your heart and mind active, eating a mostly healthy diet (with the occasional indulgence) and taking care of your mental health to help remove roadblocks to your success. (via mom.me)

6. Write To Yourself

When your inner critic picks up her bullhorn, jot down the kind words you’d say to a friend in the same situation. “We have such a hard time channeling compassion for ourselves,” says Emma Seppala, Ph.D., of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. “Writing it down makes it easier to shift perspective.”(via goodhousekeeping.com)

7. Embrace Your Figure

Before you make any fashion resolutions, the first step is to get familiar with the shape of your body and fully embrace it. What may look good on a pear shaped figure will most likely not suit an apple shaped one. Knowing your body shape and what suits it will help you grow your confidence and ensure you always look good, no matter what you wear, even when you’re wearing a swimsuit. ( via joyfulsource.com)

8. Get Your Life On A Schedule

If you regularly use the word “chaos” to describe your family’s daily life, then let us introduce you to the magic of a day planner for 2019. Having a set daily schedule that includes waking up, meals, activities, appointments, bedtime and more, will help your family operate like a well-oiled machine. While adapting to a new schedule can initially be rough, once everyone adjusts, the chaos will give way to calm and comfort. (via mom.me)

9. Let Go And Laugh

Remember back when life wasn’t so stressful and finding joy in the simple things was an easy escape? It’s time to invoke that spirit of happiness once more. Let 2019 be the year you accept that things aren’t always going to be perfect, mistakes (and messes) will be made and that sometimes, all you can do is laugh about it. Besides, laughter stimulates your organs and increases your oxygen, making it totally medicinal. (via mom.me)

10. Explore New Hobbies

Another sleepy Sunday? Today’s the day you try Ethiopian food, attend a ballet, or take a painting class — whatever feels fun. When researchers followed 7,500 people for 25 years, they found that those who complained of major boredom were roughly twice as likely to die from heart disease. (via goodhousekeeping.com)

11. Walk 1,000 More Steps A Day

If you haven’t jumped on the fitness tracker bandwagon yet, it’s time. “I tell my patients to walk everywhere,” says Nicole Weinberg, M.D., a cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Even if you live in an area where you drive to get from place to place, parked in the parking lot far away from the door and walk there.” Walking won’t just help keep your metabolism humming along—it’s also great for heart health, brain health, joints, and more. (via womenshealthmag.com)

a woman getting an eyelash extension service completed

12. Do One Thing At A Time

Multitasking doesn’t make you more efficient, but it does stress you out, says mindfulness expert Pedram Shojai, author of The Art of Stopping Time. “If your focus is fragmented, you’ll likely find yourself getting anxious as new items come up when old ones are still incomplete,” he says. Instead, he suggests, organize your activities into chunks of time, such as kid time and cooking time, and then “commit to being focused in that allotted time and see what happens.” (via goodhousekeeping.com)

13. Invest In Self-Care

Have you ever heard the saying “You can’t draw from an empty well”? Our elders knew that in life there’s a balance of giving and receiving that’s crucial to keep things flowing. Parents are no different. The daily burden of being responsible for our families can leave us depleted. In order to replenish, it’s important we take time for ourselves to relax and reflect. Doing so isn’t selfish; it’s healthy and enables us to be our best selves for our kids and significant others. (via mom.me)

14. Plan A Vacay

Women who vacation at least twice a year have a lower heart attack risk than those do so rarely. And researchers have found that even thinking about an upcoming trip can boost happiness for weeks. REI’s Outessa weekend retreats for women are relaxing and active: Enjoy sunrise yoga, kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking with your crew. (via goodhousekeeping.com)