2020 turned out much different than I think all of us would have anticipated. It came with challenges, joys, heartbreak and strange times – ones I think none of us will forget any time soon. New Year’s resolutions came and went – whether we stuck to them is up for debate. But honestly, if you didn’t…who could blame you? Certainly not I.
But even though many of us I’m sure would like to forget 2020, and many of the things that came along with it, I think there’s a few pieces of myself that I found in the last year that I hope to carry with me into the future. The beginning of a new year tends to be the time that we look to the past – and perhaps we identify aspects of ourselves that we’d like to change, grow or even look for new things to try. And maybe, just maybe, it took a year of realizing how much we took for granted to help us understand what we’re really looking for in a new year.
Are New Year’s Resolutions even worth setting?
There’s some that will say, YES ALWAYS! On the other hand, you’ve got those that consider them to be an absolute waste of time. I’ve always found the beginning of a new year to be quite invigorating – especially when coming out of a year as uncertain as the last has been. I think it’s hard – not knowing what will be next, or potentially even feeling like you might not have control over your life.
One thing that gives me a little bit more of a sense of control is by setting goals that I’d like to achieve in the new year. Personally, I like to have goals to strive towards that I’ve set in the beginning of the year – whether they’re professional, personal or passion-driven. This way, if there’s something that I’d really like to achieve, I have a measurable plan in place to do so.
Though – if you are on the side of the fence where you find setting New Year’s resolutions (or, as I like to call them: personal goals), that’s completely understandable, too.
So, will I be setting (and sticking to) any resolutions in 2021?
I don’t believe in setting goals that aren’t SMART. Specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely. Perhaps you could say that’s the advertiser in me – but I think, though I’m not treating my lifestyle as a business, there is a point to creating goals for yourself that fit into each of these categories.
Why?
Well, I think that’s the easy part. Would you stick to a goal that you couldn’t measure success for? Felt like you couldn’t achieve because it wasn’t realistic? Perhaps seemed too overwhelming? Probably not. And if I’m being honest, neither would I. Because of this, the goals (or New Year’s Resolutions) I’ve set for myself surround my lifestyle, and small changes that I can make to improve how I feel as well as how I function – without getting overwhelmed and losing the motivation to continue on.
My New Year’s Resolutions for 2021:
- Be patient with myself – know that some goals require time and work ‘behind the scenes’ before results are outwardly noticeable.
- Discontinue non-sustainable shopping habits and buy more into slow fashion instead.
- Continuing on from the previous point, invest in quality garments and pieces that will be in my wardrobe for years or forever – not just for a season.
- Strive to keep up a regular content schedule for Monochrome Minimalist and Passione the Podcast (let me know in the comments if there’s anything you’d love to listen to or read about).
- Connect with more people within my professional niche – you never know when new opportunities or exciting stories come ‘knocking’.
- Spend more time connecting with the people I love – even if it’s virtually.
Have you set any goals for the new year? If so, what are they? Wishing you all a happier new year with hopefully more joy to come.
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