30 Ideas for Good New Year’s Resolutions And How to Stick to Them

New Year’s is an opportunity to hit refresh on our life and embark on good new year’s resolutions. 

We’re all familiar with resolutions like “lose weight” and “save money” but how often do we actually stick to them? Studies show that the majority of resolutions are abandoned within the first few weeks of the year.

Good intentions can only get us so far. If we don’t have a genuine interest in running or if we’re depriving ourselves in an attempt to eat healthier, we’re setting ourselves up to fail. 

The key to having successful new year’s resolutions, is to find resolutions that are good for us—in other words, resolutions that align with our lifestyle and interests. Being honest with ourselves and what we want in life can go a long way towards achieving our resolutions. 

Below, we’ve rounded up ideas for good new year’s resolutions, ranging from self-care to professional development to building friendships. Plus, we’ve provided tips and tools to ensure that your resolutions stick. 

Whether you love setting new resolutions or you’re dipping your toes in the water for the first time, you’ll be sure to find a resolution that inspires you and make 2022 the best year yet.

How to stick to your new year’s resolutions 

It’s easy to be excited during the honeymoon phase of a resolution, but it gets harder to rouse enthusiasm once reality and hard work set in. 

Here are some tips to help you stay on track with your new year’s resolution and avoid the February slump.

Write it down. New Year’s is a great excuse to treat yourself to a pretty planner. A planner can help you organize your life and be more productive, while also holding you accountable to your goals. Words have power. And writing down a goal fixes it in your mind and subconscious—you’re making a vow to yourself to pursue this goal and see it through. 

Schedule it. Good intentions aren’t enough to achieve your goals. It’s easy to procrastinate on a new year’s resolution and convince ourselves that we’ll get to it tomorrow. If we want to actually get off the couch and do something, we need to schedule it. 

There’s something about putting it on a calendar and making an appointment that makes the resolution more real. More tangible. So write it in your planner or put it on your Google calendar. Highlight the entry with a bold color so that your eye is easily drawn to it. Then act on it. 

Check on your goal regularly. Another trick to sticking to your new year’s resolutions is to consistently track your progress. All the time. It’s easy to lose track of our goals, and when we lose track, we quit. To keep your resolutions at the forefront, conduct daily or weekly check-ins. 

So if your new year’s resolution is to run three times a week, make sure you’re keeping a fitness log and recording your runs. This way, you’ll see if you truly are running 3x a week. You might even surprise yourself and notice that you’re getting better, and running longer. This will motivate you to sustain your momentum and keep up with your goal. 

Reflect and imagine. Above all, the key to sticking to your new year’s resolutions is to choose one that aligns with your higher purpose. What do you hope to get out of the new year? Do you want to be more creative? Start a side hustle? Meet new people? If you find a goal that clicks with your inner desires, your pursuit of it will feel that much more organic and exciting. 

So set aside some time and journal about what you want out of next year. You can use our free worksheets to help you design your goals. Don’t limit yourself or judge what’s coming up for you. Allow yourself to imagine the best possibilities and outcomes. What does that look like? And what little thing can you do each day to make that come into fruition? 

Good new year’s resolutions for self-care

Here’s a good new year’s resolution that is also good for you: a regular self-care practice. We’d all love to feel less stressed and frazzled in the new year. And while we can’t necessarily predict or control stressful situations from occurring, we can try to mitigate intense situations with a regular self-care routine to take care of ourselves.

Why wait until you’ve had a horrible day to do an act of self-care? Our well-being is a constant, one that should be looked after and nurtured regularly. This new year, don’t feel guilty for making your needs a priority.

Ideas for self-care resolutions:

1. Take weekly yoga classes
2. Have a morning meditation routine
3. Write in your journal every morning 
4. Take a 40 minute walk every day
5. Make a gratitude list before bed
6. Read a book a month
7. Create a ritual to celebrate each month. Maybe it’s buying a new notebook or a box of tea, or treating yourself to that fancy latte. 
8. Have a lazy Sunday: no emails or texts or plans
9. Learn a new recipe every month. Maybe it’s a bowl of cozy soup or a beautiful dessert

Good new year’s resolutions for career

Investing time and money in your career is a great new year’s resolution, and one that will reap benefits well into the future. Even if your budget is tight, you’ll be able to find free or low-cost ways to nurture your professional development. 

Ideas for career resolutions: 

1. Work on public speaking and take a public speaking or improv class
2. Brush up on current professional skill like graphic design or editing
3. Take a class that complements your skillset. So if you’re a writer, take a design class and vice versa
4. Get certified in project management
5. Attend a conference in your field
6. Improve your note-taking skills and organize your meeting notes
7. Increase social media engagement to boost your business or expand your network
8. Offer to take on tasks at the office that are higher than your current role

Good new year’s resolutions for your social life

As children and young adults, most of us were constantly meeting new people, whether it was through classes or parties or just walking down the hall in your dormitory. But, as we’ve gotten older, and priorities have shifted, our opportunities for meeting people often seem to shrink.

Maybe it’s because we like to stick to old routines or stay in our comfort zones. That’s why making new friends is a good new year’s resolution. It will challenge you to seek new opportunities and reach out to new people.

Ideas for friendship resolutions: 

1. Take a class. Personally, I’ve met so many wonderful people from taking classes. You’ll meet people with mutual interests and a multi-week class gives you plenty of time to get to know your peers.
2. Join a club. Maybe it’s birdwatching or a runners club or a sewing circle. 
3. Reach out to old friends. Sometimes life gets in the way and we lose touch with the ones we love. Invite an old friend out for drinks or a walk or send a card to let them know you’re thinking of them. 
4. Cultivate current friendships. Set calendar reminders for birthdays and send a card or a message or a phone call
5. Celebrate your friend’s achievements. Did your friend get a job promotion? Get published? Run a 5k? Celebrate their hard work and send a card or a gift box or surprise them with flowers. 
6. Go on a cultural outing. Maybe it’s a comedy show or a trivia night or a trip to the zoo. Who knows, you might meet your future friends there. At the very least, you’ll get to enjoy a fun activity and expand your mind while you’re at it. :)

Good new year’s resolutions to strengthen your family relationships 

We love our family but sometimes it takes more of an effort to stay in touch with our relatives, especially when they live far away. Here are some ways that you can build your relationship with family members:

Ideas for family resolutions:

1. Schedule weekly calls
2. Send birthday cards and set calendar alerts so that you mail them out on time
3. Organize a summer family vacation
4. Invite family over for Sunday night dinners
5. Send a card just because
6. Surprise them with a flower delivery or a gift box 
7. Go out for a museum and dessert date