10 MOST POPULAR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Here we are again, at the end of one year and thinking about what the next year holds.  Many of us will focus on our goals and resolutions for the year ahead. It’s a chance to better ourselves, and work towards a happier and more fulfilled life.  We’ve done some research on the most popular new year’s resolutions, and have listed them below. How do these connect to your goals?

• Eat Healthier:  ESPECIALLY in mind after we’ve eaten way too many cookies and over-indulged at too many holiday parties.  What we eat plays a very large role in how we feel. Probiotics for example will help maintain a healthy gut, which releases serotonin and contributes to regulating sleep, appetite and mood.   A healthy gut can even reduce anxiety, depression, and perception of stress.  So, eat up that yogurt, tempeh and kimchi!
• Exercise More:  We’ve all seen that the gym is a packed house the first week of January.   Many of us see the new year as an opportunity to kick our workouts in gear.  Researchers have gone as far to say that lack of physical activity is as dangerous as smoking! Have you been inactive for some time?  Ideas to help you get started and find a routine you’ll actually stick to include: start small, make one change at a time - and take selfies along the way to track your progress! This article is full of ideas to help you along the way.
• Save More Money: Or for some of us, start saving!  An incredibly hard thing to do when you have little ones in childcare, it’s always a topic on top of mind. This incredibly helpful article shares 32 ways you can do this when you have a (expensive) baby.   Some ways we can all save money are obvious but sometimes we need to be reminded - like brown-bagging a lunch (we know how expensive this can be over a year in NYC), automate savings, or using money-managing apps like Mint.
• Focus on Self Care:  This should really be #1 on the list for any new parent as it’s often pushed aside as we put ourselves last.  Listen moms (and dads)....if you aren’t taking care of yourself properly, you can’t properly take care of anyone else.  You’ve heard it a million times, but it’s absolutely true. Don’t you deserve happiness??? Ideas to stick to a better self care routine include  scheduling some sort of self care on monthly basis and blocking it on the calendar as you would any appointment or meeting, take a detox session from social media and practicing mindfulness.
• Read More:  Another favorite thing that many of us parents aren’t able to spend any time doing.  How do we “create” time for this in our lives? How about carving time out of our week outside of our homes to read.  If you go to your couch, you might be distracted by the other things you feel need to be accomplished - the dishes, laundry or taking the dog for a walk.  Getting out of the house with a specific purpose to read will help alleviate any of these distractions! Go to your local coffee or book shop, grab a coffee and indulge in your novel!
• Make New Friends: Making friends as new parents or in a new neighborhood can sometimes be an anxious experience but it can be so very rewarding when we make those new connections that become lifelong friendships.  Some ideas are using naptime as the playdate (sounds backwards right)? When your child is sleeping, stroll them around and meet your new mom friend for a coffee - a much less chaotic way to connect with someone.  We all crave and need friendship, especially as being a parent of little ones can feel very lonely at times. Here is an article that shares 6 ways to help make it happen.  
• Learn a New Skill:  Learn a new language, learn how to knit or learn how to cook more adventurous foods from around the world!  Think about furthering a talent you may already have, for example: if you already know how to play one instrument and can read music, consider picking up a totally new instrument! There is no better time than NOW to start something new.
• Get a New Job:  How many of us are currently feeling very unfulfilled in our current job?  Perhaps you want to directly impact and help others, and want to find greater meaning in what you do.  Start now and update your resume (this is the least fun part, at least in my opinion)! Update your Linkedin and engage with your network of people that can help you.  We spend way too many hours in the office to be OK with not loving our job. Maybe it’s time to take that hobby that you love and turn it into your occupation.
• Spend More Time on Creative Hobbies:  Love the camera or your clarinet but they’ve been collecting dust in the corner of your apartment?  Need to have more time for that creative outlet in your life? As with the self care, perhaps we need to actually block time out on our calendar and stick with it. Spending time focusing on whatever it is for you has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus and bring more mindfulness.
  
• Spread Kindness and Love:  This is not one of the most popular goals, but it should absolutely be on the list so we’ve added it.  Especially in the current state of the world, we can all think about how we can do our personal best to show kindness each and every day and how we can positively impact those around us.  Our attitudes directly impacts those near us. Smile more, say something positive in each interaction you have throughout the day and find out how you can help someone in need. Consider donating your time without any expectation of anything in return - showing you genuinely care is the greatest thing you can do.