10 Different New Years Resolutions

We’ve all heard people make New Year’s resolutions to get in shape, lose ten pounds, get back to a size 6 or a 32-inch waist. But forget those resolutions: how many, after all, have you made and broken? Instead of worrying about the number on the scale or a nebulous goal that’s hard to ever achieve, resolve to do something real, something exciting, something quantifiable. Here are ten New Year’s resolutions that have nothing to do with the number on the scale or your pants tag.

Many of us get so caught up in the day-to-day grind of our jobs that we don’t take the time to write creatively. Start a blog showcasing one of your skills — cooking blogs are fun to write and read, or you can start a blog chronicling your new year’s resolutions! If you have a child in the family, write and self-publish a children’s book for his or her next birthday. Check out Story Jumper, which allows you to write your own children’s book and get a hard-cover version for as little as $25.

You’ve heard that you need to drink more water. Water is great for your skin, helps speed digestion and elimination, keeps your appetite in check, helps you avoid dehydration-induced headaches, and (for some people) can give you more energy than coffee. Resolve to drink more water, and get some help with it: buy a nice glass water bottle like the ones from Lifefactory, and download an app that helps you track your water intake. My favorite is Waterlogged. How much water should you aim to drink? 80 oz per day is a good place to start, you can build up to a gallon a day if that’s working out!

This year, resolve to send flowers or a small gift to your closest friends for their birthdays. Set up a calendar alert for one week before each friend’s birthday, and send a surprise! Or sign on to a flower-delivery site (like FTD.com) and set up reminders which can be delivered straight to your email inbox, often accompanied by a discount. Check out a deal website like Brad’s Deals to find coupons which make this a more affordable idea. You can also surprise friends on their anniversaries, or bring a little present to your spouse on your way home from work. Seeing the joy in someone else’s face — or over the phone or via email — will make your day, too.

Those of us who work out regularly know about setting goals. A 100-lb bench press, 20 push-ups in a row, you know the drill. But it’s easy to neglect stretching, even though it can prevent injury and help you get more out of your workouts. Set a goal for yourself: do the splits both ways, do a backbend, alleviate chest tightness. This image shows 13 different stretches, twice a week, at the end of your workout, hold each stretch for 20 seconds, then take a 10 second break, then stretch for 20 more seconds. You’ll be done in less than 15 minutes, and you’ll see your flexibility improving quickly.

Sure, you know it’s important to eat vegetables. They contain a ton of vitamins and fiber, and they fill you up with a lot of bang for your caloric buck. But resolving to eat more veggies can make “Eat your veggies!” a fun game. SparkPeople has a quick tracker for fruit and veggie consumption. The Munch 5 a Day app has tons of features, including goal setting and graphs of your progress. Another option is to print out a daily calendar, which you can hang on your fridge or in your office, ticking off each day that you reach your veggie-consumption goal.

Giving to others can be even more rewarding than receiving things yourself; just think back a week or two to the holidays and remember how great you felt giving someone something they were excited to use! Go through your closet, gather the clothes you no longer wear, and donate them to a local shelter or organization. Or, set up a monthly recurring donation to a charitable organization of your choice. The ASPCA and the American Red Cross are on my list. You can also donate blood through the American Red Cross to help people who’ve suffered traumatic injuries, are undergoing surgery, or require periodic blood transfusions. You can also donate your time by volunteering at a homeless shelter, women’s shelter, or your local church.

Have a family member or old friend you’ve lost touch with? Reach out! Send a card or an email, schedule coffee or drinks with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, call a relative. Reaching out will enrich your life and remind the people you love that you still care. Building and sustaining friendships and other relationships will make you feel great, too.

What New Year’s resolution are you making this year? How are you going to make 2013 your best year yet? I want to hear about them!