2023 is just around the corner, so now is the time to think of New Year's resolutions that could lead to a successful 12 months ahead (if that's your thing).
If you've fulfilled New Year's resolutions in previous years, some of them may not have had the stellar results you'd hoped for, while others could've been advantageous additions to your routine.
I recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell me about the New Year's resolutions they've carried out in the past that have had a positive impact on them. Additionally, Reddit user u/pevax asked others which New Year's resolutions from 2020 made a big difference in their lives. Here are some of the motivating comments that were submitted.
1. "I wanted to read more! I used to be a voracious reader as a kid, and while I still was reading 30 books a year, I was wasting so much time on social media or watching TV. Last year, I wanted to read 52 books and read 62 (didn't make the resolution until February), but this year, I started in January, and the goal was 75. I'm on number 110 now, and I feel so much joy reading all these books and getting through my collection."
2. "I made a list of 20 things, which varied in cost from free to expensive. I did one thing a month that year. I’ve done this several times, and I never make it fully through the list, but I did end up doing several things outside of my comfort zone during that year. My first list was when I was 30, and that’s the year I went skydiving, zip-lined, started volunteering in wildlife rehab, etc."
3. "I wanted to be more outgoing and not hold back on doing things that I wanted to do but was too afraid to do. I ended up going to a lot more concerts, camping at Firefly — IT WAS GROSS — meeting Jxdn in person, seeing MGK, finding my group of people to enjoy life with. My 'I'm proud of following through' moment came when I was barricade screaming 'Angels & Demons' at the top of my lungs in a crowd. Those are my people forever."
4. "Back in 2007, my now ex-husband and I made a resolution to never eat at chain restaurants for date nights, birthdays, special occasions, etc. For the most part, I’ve kept up with that, even in my current marriage. There’s too much interesting food out there to stick with chains!"
5. "My family doesn’t do 'resolutions,' we name our upcoming year. A few years back, I named it The Year of Me. I focused on myself and all the things I’d always wanted to do but never had the courage, or time, or whatever to do. I tried learning to play the bass, belly dancing, trips, therapy, saying no to people who didn’t value me. It was all about me — no guilt. I still can’t play the bass for shit, but it changed my life in other ways — and it was a lot of fun!"
6. "There's been only one New Year's resolution that I have stuck to. In 2020 — admittedly, it could easily have been derailed — I vowed to move into a new place. My old landlords were awful, they spied on me, never fixed anything, and came over every six weeks for an inspection where, if there was a single coffee mug out of place, I would be threatened with eviction. Thankfully, the stars aligned, and I was able to move about six months later and haven't looked back."
7. "One year, when I was a teenager, I drank eight glasses of water a day. It was a major change! My skin looked better, and I got fewer headaches! To this day, I try to drink 64 ounces, which is really two liters a day. So easy!"
8. "In my country, we mostly call them goals and try to achieve them. Mine for the last couple years has been to do every act of kindness that presents itself to me. I once missed my train and missed an entire class because a lady dropped a glove, and I ran after her to give it back. Her recently deceased grandma had knitted it for her, and she thanked me profusely. Watching the relief in her made my entire week. Doing these small things makes me feel better about myself and like I’m a good person, even just waiting extra long to hold the door for someone."
9. "My game-changer: eating clean using the Whole30 guidelines. I think many underestimate how a healthy diet can improve their productivity."
10. "Working on changing my relationship with my body instead of changing my weight. Not weighing myself, respectfully declining to be weighed at doctors' offices (typically just a 'Not today, thank you'). Plus doing mini exposures to situations that made me self-conscious, like eating alone in public places (even a park), starting to swim and dance despite self-consciousness."
11. "Mine was simple but game-changing. I used to be the person that would buy a birthday or special occasion card for someone, bring it home, and then forget to send it until their birthday or after their birthday. As a result, a few years ago, I made a New Year's resolution to send cards the day I get them. Selfishly, it's made me not forgetful, and I don't have the stress of getting it out on time. For friends and loved ones, it's strengthened my relationships, and people feel cared for more."
12. "In 2018, my resolution was to do more things that pushed me. I applied to my dream school master’s program, and in 2020, graduated with my master’s degree!"
13. "I'm not a big resolutions person, but last year, I told myself that when I had the urge to join in on gossip, I would instead talk positivity behind people's backs only. This pivot has made me see people in a kinder light and humbled me overall. I still make sure all my comments are genuine so I don't feel fake when the situation arises. Try talking about people positively this new year, not to impress anyone, but to represent the better version of yourself."
14. "One year, I made a resolution to read more. I didn't think I'd stick to it, but I surprised myself. The following year, I did even better, but sadly, I have fallen out of the habit: I think moving back to my family home and not having two 90-minute train journeys every week might have been a factor."
15. "Leaving my horrible, stressful, toxic job. I spent the first half of the year crying and having panic attacks every time I clocked in and was too scared to leave since I had been there for so long, but one day, just applied for a job at a company my sister works for. It's so much less stress, and my coworkers are actually super nice compared to my last job. I got super lucky that they were both from home, and I'm technically now making more money because I'm not taking unpaid sick days like I was at my last job."
16. "I hadn’t set a New Year's resolution so to speak, but 2020 was defined by: 1.) self-acceptance: forgiving myself for my failures so I could move forward, and asking for help when I needed it, and 2.) setting boundaries and sticking to them: letting go of relationships that were no longer serving me or were consuming too much of me. Some of them I reintroduced into my life with boundaries, and others I let go of completely. A pandemic was a blessing in disguise in this regard because it gave me the space I needed to realize it and the excuse to say no to things. I feel like an improved person, made space to let new people into my life, and I’ve accomplished many goals because of it."
17. "I try to have resolutions that are good for my soul as opposed to more logical ones. I think they’re easier to accomplish, and they help you to grow as a person. Well, I know that there are so many wonderful places in the world, but it just so happens that my number one place I wanted to see was the Grand Canyon. I’m from Virginia, and I’d gone on one other cross-country trip before. It felt like a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to go see it, but my friend felt that it was too far from our main destination. I was devastated."
18. "Listening to audio books is a game-changer. Doing this 30 minutes a day is way easier than reading."
19. "I like to be vague and nonspecific. I aimed to be better in my career and did just so. The flexibility helped me do whatever it took to get my goal done."
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and/or clarity.