I wasn’t sure after what this year has brought if 2021 resolutions were a good idea, but I have decided I need them. I feel very lost in life with my final year of university and not knowing where I want to live or do when I leave. This year my resolutions are going to be different from ‘lose weight’, ‘save money’ etc. This coming year I want to be kind to myself and make them resolutions that I will impact my life forever, not just the first few weeks when I am motivated. So here they are! I hope they inspire you to consider what you would like 2021 to bring and continue to do.
Working out is therapy not a chore!
I have had an unhealthy relationship with exercise for many years and every year I want to do more, lose more weight, punish my body continually and every year I fail on my goal.
This year, I do not want to set a ‘workout 5 times a week’ but a mindset change to hopefully make myself want to workout and a happy place to get away from daily life.
Working out will be my joy and happy place to focus and work on myself and bring me incredible endorphins. When I am fit and moving my body I am confident and more productive and my mental health is usually better – this is therapy!
Be less influenced by influencers!
In recent years, especially with lockdown, I have found myself wanting to get on celebrity trends or feel I would only get true joy out of things I’ve never actually wanted. For example, I go on instagram and see designer handbags worn by every influencer. I HAVE NOT EVER WANTED A DESIGNER HANDBAG! Yet, I look and think to myself, ‘well, if I had that bag, maybe my outfit would look good and I’d feel really good about myself’. REALLY?! I do not even use handbags! It is an unhealthy mindset as instead of feeling grateful for what I have, if it doesn’t have a huge price tag, suddenly it’s not enough. I know that the quality is not 100 times better, so why do I desire it? It is clever marketing and influencing that has done this to me, but I do not want to have that desire and I need to remember my first impression of designer stuff ‘wow, who would pay that for something so cheaply made!’. This may be untrue but it previously helped me not desire designer. I have no issue at all with those who wear it and think it looks incredible and the feeling of unwrapping it must bring such a shopping joy, I just know it won’t give me long lasting joy and that money, for me personally, would be used much better in savings to buy a house one day. I also want to want something because I like it, not because I feel I need it because Molly-Mae has it. So this 2021, I want to become less obsessed with the material side and stick to what my gut instinct says or what future me will say wasn’t worth the money.
I think – no, I know – I need to reduce time on instagram and YouTube. But this feels unrealistic to set as a goal for 2021 as I feel I am addicted. If I can do this I will be so so pleased but currently I do not want to do anything too drastic and it gives me something to do when in the house all the time. Hopefully my other resolutions will give me less time to be on this so a byproduct of these resolutions will be a reduction in social media use.
Be more politically aware!
This is something I have said for years ‘well I just don’t know about it’, ‘why would I want to learn about such depressing things that I can’t change’, and ‘it’s too complicated for me’. Well, I no longer want to bury my head in the sand! I know learning all this won’t be over night and I do not want to study and make it a chore. Instead, I have found the economist podcast and will listen to this most days, to gradually build my knowledge up. Furthermore, a fun way to learn about politically systems is through tv shows. West wing is meant to be entertaining but also give an idea about American political systems so possibly watching bits like that and House of Cards may help aid understanding but through a fun and far removed way.
If I can succeed and things like this, also opening up discussions with family and friends may help me build confidence and I can question to further understand.
Spice up my workout routine!
This year I would love to be more flexible with the type of exercise I do. Less weights with reps and sets but a mixture of that, skipping, yoga, YouTube videos, functional training, boxing, walking etc. I want to make working out fun and be able to move my body in different ways so I feel young and flexible. I have suffered injuries previously and have a very sedentary life so moving and feeling that if an opportunity arose that included physical challenges, I would like to be able to take them and not feel ‘too unfit’ or ‘too stiff and inflexible’ to do them.
This also includes not just a set hour or whatever time of exercise a day and then not having to do anything else. This means moving throughout the day to feel healthy and not cramped up. BUT also not pressure to do everything all the time as that doesn’t fit with my lifestyle.
Walking is something I enjoy and wish I did more of. An idea could be that I listen to my political podcast whilst walking to tick off two of my resolutions in one go.
As ever, be a bit more clever with spending!
Feel this is always one for me as you can always save more! But this year it is slightly different.
I would like to be more ‘clever’ with spending so that I spend on experiences that are worth my time – especially catching up on what we missed out on in 2020 – but reduce material purchases that will not fill me with long term joy. This is not to say I won’t buy anything, just less stuff and less often. This will help me save and either spend on things I will always treasure and remember or allow me to save them for future memories and experiences.
I would like to continue to add to my savings regularly as this makes me feel accomplished and proud when I look back and see what my previous self has done for my future.
This resolution links to my influencing resolution. Hopefully by doing both they help the other.
Complete 3 Future Learn courses!
I would also like to develop my career ability and continue learning, even when not studying for university. Therefore I would like to continue to complete at least 3 more Future Learn courses as I have paid for a year’s subscription during summer 2020 lockdown. This will not only help me generally in learning more about other fields but also boost my CV and Linkedin. Plus I will have something to speak about in interviews.
Refresh my excel skills!
This is just generally useful for day-to-day life but also for work. This will make me feel more confident and able when in a working environment and generally a very useful skill.
I hope these ideas inspire you to create some resolutions of your own but also to be kind to yourself when doing them. 2020 has been tough, as will 2021, so it is important to consider that when thinking of your own and what you really want, and what is realistic from this year coming. Wishing you all the best in 2021 and the future. Do for you, in 2021, what you will thank yourself for doing in 10 years time!
my little libellule 