We’re just 11 days into the new year, and we have to admit; a few of our resolutions have rather unresolved themselves. We’ve misplaced our gym membership, our phones have once again become our favourite bath time companion, and January hasn’t been quite as dry as we’d perhaps have liked.
It’s a similar story across the country. This year, as with every recent year before it, the UK’s favourite new year’s pledges have been to ‘’do more exercise’’, ‘’improve my fitness’’, and ‘’lose weight’’, according to a poll conducted by YouGov.
But as Quitters Day (the day which traditionally sees people abandoning their new year’s resolutions) approaches on the 12th of January, we’re considering different perspectives and fresh pledges that might be a little easier to keep moving forward. With that in mind, here are 6 resolutions we’re making in 2022 that don’t include exercise or dieting.
TO GET A HANDLE ON OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
The UK’s average carbon footprint is about 12.7 tonnes CO2e per person, per year. As the eco app for businesses Pawprint points out, that’s a carbon footprint equivalent of driving around the world once (or, eating 1000 steaks, incidentally). That is one massive impact on the environment by just one individual.
This year, in lieu of a global consensus on how best to tackle the looming climate catastrophe, we’re looking to reduce our impact any way we can.
The My Footprint app, developed by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), has been developed with the aim of helping you to reduce your carbon footprint. The app calculates your current carbon footprint and helps you understand which parts of your lifestyle contribute to it the most. The app also lets you see how you compare the UK’s average impact compared with the rest of the world, which really helps bring some perspective to our consumption habits.
But most importantly, the app also offers advice and provides challenges on ways to cut down your footprint. Bravo!
Read: 8 green new year’s resolutions to help save the planet
ADOPT A JUST DO IT MANTRA
We’re borrowing this one from you know who. How many times have you wanted to do something but didn’t, then regretted it? How many times have you thought about buying a lottery ticket at Euromillion online or thought about entering that competition you see on the telly to win a fully furnished house worth 3 million pounds, but never actually do? (Not never win, although that’s true, too).
Maybe you wanted to go to a concert, but procrastinated so much that when you finally decided to go ahead and make the purchase, all the tickets had sold out. Or, perhaps you’ve been lusting after a new pair of shoes for months, but alas, when you finally pushed the button, there was none left in your size. Or, maybe you’ve wanted to go for a walk on a sunny day, only to decide not to and ended up regretting that you’ve just wasted your day inside, scrolling through your phone.
We’re all been there…
We could go on and on with these scenarios, but we’ve competitions to enter and the outside world to see. So, if your head is always full of ifs, buts and maybes, and you always end up regretting not doing things, make 2022 the year of adopting a ‘just do it’ mantra. After the two years we’ve all had, how does a little spontaneity sound? Like music to our ears, quite frankly.
TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE UK
Amidst new waves of travel hiatuses, restrictions and continued uncertainty, our innate human desire to travel has not been dampened. In fact, it’s only been encouraged further, with the overfamiliarity of home wearing a little thin two years into the global pandemic.
We have to admit it; in the last couple of years, staycations have offered a welcome release, and we’re continuing this trend into 2022, for the good of the planet and in the name of appreciating what’s on our doorstep.
There are so many wonderfully stunning places in the UK we’ve never travelled to, with unique history, culture, cuisine (yes, really) and entertainment all available on home soil. Get stuck in.
Read: 5 IDEAL places to holiday in southwest England
LEARN TO SAY NO
As the Guardian explains in their article ‘Want to improve your life? Just learn to say no‘, “Our people-pleasing is often rooted in childhood”. They go on to explain that “Many of us struggle to say no, fearing rejection, anger or just the uncertainty of what the other person’s response will be”.
But as so many of us can attest, sometimes when we say ‘yes’ it can be to our detriment. Whilst we realise this is rather the antithesis of that ‘just do it’ mantra, life’s too short to agree to do things you don’t want to do. So, as much as you adopt a ‘just do it’ attitude, also embrace a ‘just say no’ ethos. Kinda makes sense, right?
TO GIVE SOBER CURIOSITY A TRY
A pulsating feeling in your head, the sense that a cat has died and crawled into your mouth, a wave of nausea after you eat that obligatory McDonalds, and a creeping malaise that you just can’t shake. As you shake. We’re so over that.
Instead, let 2022 herald an era of sober curiosity. As Huffington Post explains ”Being sober-curious means being more intentional about how, when and why you drink”, and is rooted in questioning why we drink, whether we’re actually enjoying it anymore, and identifying the positives that come from skipping that big night out or calling time on ‘just one more’.
Not every public social gathering needs to come with a pint in hand, even if it’s an alcohol-free one! In fact, some of the most fun occasions and events can be enjoyed to their fullest without any drink at all. We’re going to embrace more of those moments this year.
Read: How to navigate through a no or low alcohol life
TO MAKE AN EFFORT WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY
There are two types of people in this world, those who reply to text and WhatsApp messages promptly and those who open a message, read it with the intention of replying, and then don’t. We usually fall in the latter category.
Not this year; we’re going to make an effort at replying to our loved one’s right away. Moreover, we’re going to make an effort to call them, visit them, hold them close – the whole shebang. Because after the last couple of years of hardly seeing anyone, it’s about time.
And if that resonates with you, check out these tips on how to improve your bond with friends and family. And with that, we look forward to hearing from you more this year!