The dawn of a new year comes as a mixed blessing for many. While it can be embraced as an opportunity to enact positive change, plenty also feel the burden of having to make promises they know they won’t keep, going on diets that won’t last, and pledging new habits which are sure to die young. We here at IDEAL prefer the former mindset; any reason to reflect on last year’s plusses, redress its pitfalls and refresh your goals can only be a good thing. So, here are 5 steps to making 2018 your IDEAL year.
BE MORE SELFISH WITH YOUR OWN HAPPINESS
Be selfish? You weren’t expecting that, hey? Well, we don’t mean you should hog the remote, pass wind on the tube and fail to honour your round in the pub for the duration of the year, we’re afraid. We mean, simply, that you shouldn’t feel any shame in taking control of your own happiness. Pleasing other people all the time is a noble act, but one which isn’t sustainable and sometimes not even helpful. Don’t be afraid to take time for yourself. Don’t be afraid to turn off your phone. Don’t be afraid to not respond to messages immediately. In a world where we’re always expected to be on, it’s important to make time for ‘me’.
GET KNOWLEDGEABLE
With each new year, a new skill or area of expertise. This is the advice of many leading thinkers and entrepreneurs, and it’s easy to see why; knowledge is power after all. It’s also a feeling of self worth and value in our ever shifting society, and who doesn’t want that? Learning a new skill can add much to your job prospects, personality and be incredibly sociable, too. Something which stimulates the brain and can be practiced using real, face-to-face interaction with others, such as learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument, is a great place to start. Plus, if you’re ever asked to play Mastermind last minute, you’ll have a specialised subject to hand.
POP THE QUESTION, TAKE THE TRIP, FOLLOW THE DREAM
Life’s too short and youth too fleeting to waste time procrastinating on the big decisions. It’s what happens – and passes us by – while we make other plans, after all. So, stop delaying things. If you’ve got your heart set on a big trip, then just go. If you’ve been thinking about starting your own business, then follow your dream and get the ball rolling. We all regret what we didn’t do so much more than what we did.
If you’ve been wanting to ask someone you love to marry you, then do it! Planning a wedding is certainly not an easy task, but it can get much easier with the help of professional companies, such as Thames Weddings. So don’t delay in those big life decisions; the world won’t wait for you.
SPEND WISELY AND SAVE FOR SOMETHING
The little expenses of the day add up. We’ve all read about those bores warning about that morning coffee costing you £500 a year. If we pay a little mind to this kind of cumulative cost, however, big savings can be made. This can allow us to make a bigger, life changing purchase, which let’s face it, has a lot more value than a caffeine hit. There are so many tips and tricks which you can employ to help you spend money wisely, and by factoring them into your habitual actions, some serious savings can be made.
RELINQUISH CONTROL
Accepting things that are beyond our control might be one of the most difficult aspects of our lives, and learning to relinquish your grip can be tough. No matter how hard people try to take proactive measures and change certain aspects, inevitably there are going to be people and events that are impossible to change. So, take a zen like approach to circumstances impossible to dictate, and live a more stress free existence.
