According to Statista, a global consumer survey group, the Top U.S. New Year’s Resolutions for 2022 were as follows:
- More exercise (48%)
- Healthier eating (44%)
- Weight loss (41%)
- More time with family and friends (34%)
- Live more economically (24%)
- Less time on social media (21%)
- Less stress at work (21%)
- Quit smoking (20%)
Those seem like some good New Year’s resolution ideas. However, as one study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology reports, less than half of people who make New Year’s resolutions actually follow through with them.
But that doesn’t mean we should throw our hands in the air and abandon the notion of using a new year to create new habits. Making and keeping goals leads to improvement and lasting change.
Here are some good tips to help us and our kids choose New Year’s resolution ideas that stick, along with some ideas on where to start when considering what you want to accomplish in 2023.
How to Make Resolutions Happen
If you and your kids are having a tough time sticking to your ambitious New Year’s resolutions, here are a few helpful suggestions.
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew. We’re all guilty of this. It’s easy to have high ambitions for ourselves, but sometimes we need a little dose of reality. As much as we would all love to learn two new languages, go to the gym every day, and finally learn how to make pottery all in the same year, it might be best to start small.
- Be kind to yourself. Making new habits (or changing old ones) isn’t always a walk in the park. Chances are, as you pursue your New Year’s resolution, you’ll stumble into some obstacles. Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, be kind to yourself! Recognize that you’re human and it’s okay to make mistakes, then reevaluate your goal—if it’s too lofty, adjust it and try again!
- Have fun! We’ve already got enough on our plates, and adding one more thing to do might just push some of us over the edge. That’s why it’s important to make reaching your New Year’s goal an enjoyable experience! Develop a system of rewards or make it a competition among friends—whatever motivates you!
New Year’s Resolution Ideas to Get You Started
Once you’ve decided on a good strategy for making and keeping New Year’s resolutions, it’s time to decide what you want to accomplish in the New Year. Here are a few popular New Year’s resolution ideas to get your creative and resolution-loving juices flowing.
- Eat healthier.
- Exercise to feel better (not to get skinnier).
- Get organized.
- Declutter a space in your house one room at a time.
- Learn a new skill/hobby.
- Play a sport.
- Go on a road trip.
- Read more books.
- Save money.
- Get a new job.
- Spend time with family.
- Make new friends.
- Strengthen old friendships.
- Teach your kids life skills.
- Forgive.
- Attend church.
- Travel.
- Plant a garden.
- Serve others.
- Cut down on social media.
- Use less tech.
- Be intentional about the tech you give your kids.
- Start a gratitude journal.
- Don’t text and drive.
- Drink more water.
- Put down the Diet Coke.
- Be kind to yourself.
- Research family history.
- Create a tradition with your family.
- Teach your kids money management.
- Handwrite letters.
- Cook more meals.
- Make your bed daily.
- Play with your kids on rainy days.
- Be happy.
Of course, you don’t have to try them all this year. But did some ideas stand out to you? Write them down, prioritize what you think is most important, and commit to making 2023 the best year yet with one or two of these amazing New Year’s resolution ideas!