Time to start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions: What should you do?

The dark nights are setting in earlier and Christmas seems like just around the corner as we step into October and while it’s the most exciting time of the year, it’s also the time of year where you should start thinking about your resolutions.

It’s always a difficult decision and for many it can vary, from deciding to try something new or go on a new adventure, to giving something up and starting afresh.

2023 could indeed be your year, so kick it off with a resolution that could change your life.

But what resolution should you be thinking off as we move closer and closer towards a new year? Here are three we’re thinking about…

Give up the booze

It’s one that everyone has tried before and in fact it’s turned into a concerted effort by many with Dry January. However, it really is a serious one in this day and age when more and more people are suffering from alcohol addiction, many of which don’t even know it.

Over the years it’s become a real crisis, with more people visiting alcohol rehab than ever before. But those who successfully enter recovery, often benefit from the truly life-changing experience of going sober. Think about how alcohol affects your life. Could 2023 be a better year for you without it?

Start a new hobby

Set yourself a challenge and become a part of a new community by taking up a new hobby and joining a club. It could be literally anything, from cycling to running, art to learning a language, or perhaps even a pottery or cookery class.

Whatever your interests, take them to the next level and join a club, getting to know some amazing like-minded people that may even become friends for life.

Start planning the trip of a lifetime

While it may not be the perfect time in terms of a cost of living crisis, if you do have the spare income, plan the trip you’ve always wanted to go on. Now travel has well and truly opened back up, there’s no need to worry about whether your trip may be cancelled, you can go full throttle into organising it.

It may be somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, or perhaps a place that you’ve more recently been inspired to visit. Make January the month you book it and make it happen.

Start Volunteering

If the last few years has taught us anything it’s that we need to look after each other, and while we all have busy lives, if you have just a spare few hours a week it could be worth putting those to good use.

Volunteering is a great way to do that, and you can combine that with your hobbies and interests too. There’s so much value people can get out of volunteering for themselves, while also helping others, whether it be a few hours a week in a foodbank, or stewarding your local football game, you’re really adding value to your community.

What you’ll also find with volunteering is that you become part of a team of like minded people and the opportunity to make friends and develop new social circles through it really can create relationships that will last a lifetime.

Get fit

Now, we’re not talking about going out and buying a Peloton. Far from it, but fitness really is so beneficial to both physical and mental health and 2023 will certainly represent a year where we can think about getting out of this whole slump of the last through years.

While the cost of living crisis is very much casting a shadow over the year, we should still look at the year with optimism. Getting fit is a great way to do that, and while so many people sign up to the gym at the beginning of the year and never really go and it is a bit of a cliche of a resolution, if you do it right you can feel the benefit.

Don’t just do the obvious, think about what you enjoy doing most and throw yourself into that. For example, if you love swimming, consider wild swimming or a trip to your local baths once a week. If you’re a fan of the countryside, dedicate more time to walking in it. Forcing yourself to the gym is only going to see you give it up after a while. However, if you can tie it around some joys, you’re much more likely to keep it up.