By enakshi ganguly
Like every year, some of us are going to create resolutions for the new year that we want to stick to. New year’s resolutions can be daunting, unreasonable, and difficult. However, before 2019 begins, I want to get proactive and think up some simple, easy to do resolutions that I would be happy to continue for the next 365 days. Here are a few that I think anyone else could do and benefit from as well:
Place a blessing in a secure box every day
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My mom and I started doing this a few years ago. We would create a box out of an old jewelry box or piggy bank and place it on our bedside table. Every day we would write something we were thankful or something good that happened on a slip of paper and insert it into our ‘blessing box’. At the end of the year, we would take out all of the blessings from the box and take turns reading the paper slips out loud. It was a great way to end the year, practice gratitude, and reminisce on the year’s memories. Unfortunately, I stopped doing that this year, even though amazing things happened this year and I feel very fulfilled. I want to pick this tradition up in 2019 and stick with it!
Save $1 every day.
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This is a tip that I received from our executive director who is very good about her finances and saving, especially for travel. My partner and I already have a cute coin jar labeled cheekily ‘emergency funds’, but it would be nice to mindfully put away one dollar a day and put it to something you want to invest in, at the end of the year, like in a fixed deposit or to travel somewhere. If you and your roommate/partner/family could each put in one dollar a day in a jar, you would be putting aside at least $365! That’s a good lump sum of money.
Stretch throughout the day.
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As someone who deals with chronic pain, this is definitely a wonderfully doable and necessary resolution. I want to put alarms on my phone that would alert me every hour to go outside and walk, stretch, and practice some mindful breathing before I go back to my desk to work. As so many of us have hectic but sedentary jobs, we must take precautions to ensure that our body is being well taken care of. If not, over time, lack of movement can cause stiffness and pain in the body. This is definitely a resolution I can get with, without it being about weight loss or looking a certain way.
Drink tea every day.
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Tea has so many amazing benefits and it’s so diverse in its taste, appearance and fragrance. I wouldn’t know though, because most of my teas have been collecting dust. This year, I want to unpack and indulge in the tea mixtures I bought or received as gifts.
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Choose a time you want to drink tea. If you want to do in the morning before work, or if you want to take it to-go. I know that I don’t always have enough time to unwind in the morning with a cup of tea, which is why my family got me a bamboo bottle diffuser that I can both make and carry my tea in!
Do the dishes.
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This is a resolution for my mind, body, and spirit: to do the dishes within the day I use them. This is a great way for me to feel less stressed about doing my chores because it would be a few dishes I need to wash rather than a whole sinkful. Plus, it would definitely make me feel like cooking is more accessible if I didn’t have the daunting task of doing a mountain of dishes before I can even start.
