As we enter a new year many of us look to make resolutions of things we want to improve. Whilst this is not a bad thing, it can put pressure on us when sometimes just dealing with day to day situations is enough.
So this year instead of making the usual resolutions (lose weight, get fit, save more, see friends and family more etc), at TheGivingMachine we are taking a more positive spin on the traditional resolutions.
This is what we are planning for 2024…
Luisa
For 2024, I would really like to take more photographs. In the past I found I would have great times with friends and family but would often forget to take photographs to help capture these fun times. So this year, my plan or resolution is to ensure I take photographs and I am going to make a big effort to capture all these special memories. I also plan to print my photographs out and put them into photo albums so they are not just on my phone.
Hopefully I will achieve this during 2024 and will be able to remember all the great times throughout the year with these printed memories.
Richard
My plans for 2024, is to learn to play the guitar. I have a love of rock music and have started and stopped learning to play the guitar a number of times so I decided that this will be the year that I invest the time in finally achieving this. I have brought a lightweight guitar which is perfect for taking with me on my travels and I have booked an online course so I can learn at my own pace and scheduled time in my diary to ensure I practice.
Watch this space for my debut video!
Nicola
This year what I would really like to do is get back into swimming and not only to get back into it but also to fall in love with swimming again. Swimming is great exercise and great for your mental health but it is also great fun and if you are brave enough you can venture out to fresh water swimming, which I use to love. I have purchased new swimming suits to help encourage me back into the water,
I am looking forward to all the benefits swimming is going to give me in 2024.
Louise
The one thing I would really like to do in 2024, is to cook the recipes I keep saving but never get round to making. I often see a recipe which I think sounds delicious and I plan to give it a try so I save the recipe with good intentions of cooking it but never seem to get round to it. I now have a vast collection of recipes which I would like to make but never have. I am planning to make this the year to cook these recipes.
I'm really looking forward to doing this and I think my family will really enjoy the new meals too.
Michelle
In the coming year, I have set a goal for myself to read more books than I did last year. Typically, I gravitate towards crime novels, but this year, I want to step out of my comfort zone and explore different genres. I want to broaden my reading interests and discover new favorite authors and stories. While I still plan to read plenty of crime novels, I am excited to branch out and see what else the literary world has to offer.
I can't wait to dive into new books and see where my reading journey takes me this year.
Here are some ideas of small changes which may work for you.
Start a gratitude diary
Add a short note of something you are grateful for on a particular day. This is a lovely thing to do and look over throughout the year to remind you of all the things you have been grateful for. Don’t worry if you do not have an entry for everyday, this is supposed to be a wellness task and you should not feel under pressure to add an entry. Completing a gratitude can be really good for your mental health.
Make time for yourself
This is something many of us do not do on a regular basis but it is so good for our physical and mental health so we should make an effort to include some “me time” in our diaries. This can be as simple as taking 15 minutes a day to do something which is totally for ourselves or it could be taking a few hours in a week to look to take up a new hobby.
Get adventurous with your cooking
Don’t get bored with your dinners because you are preparing the same meals over and over again. Make an effort to cook something completely new at least once a month. Why not make the new meal extra special by turning it into a dinner party, even if it is just the same people you eat with everyday or just yourself, set the table nicely and turn it into a lovely event.
Give compliments
This is something all of us can do more and not only does it make the recipient feel good but it also makes us feel good. Often we may think someone looks good or have done a great job but we don’t always tell them, so let’s make an effort to say aloud these lovely thoughts.
Do something for others
Helping others makes a difference to our communities and also makes us feel good about ourselves. So whether it’s checking in on a neighbour or giving your time to volunteer to a worthy cause, these acts of kindness make a difference.
Enjoy the great outdoors
Spending time outside is good for our physical and mental health. Getting fresh air and giving ourselves time to enjoy nature is great for our mindfulness. Going for a walk can make us feel better and is good exercise. Even if you only have a few minutes, this can make a big difference to how we feel.
Take up singing
It really doesn’t matter if you have a good singing voice or not, this is something everyone can do just for fun. Do it as part of singing group or choir or do it in the shower, the choice is yours but wherever you do it, enjoy it.
Be kind to yourself
If you are in a situation where you are being critical of yourself, think about what you would say to a friend in the same situation. We are often much kinder to others than we are to ourselves so we should hear the advice we would give them.
About the author
Luisa Gatward
Our Head of Operations, Luisa is responsible for the smooth running of all operations including marketing and partner relationships. Having started working for TheGivingMachine in 2010, she has seen our Charity grow and develop into what we have today.