As the new year begins for 2022, so do our desires for a fresh start. People want to do better; be better; and find success, happiness, and joy in their lives. January 1st is the day that resolutions are made with the most common one being "to lose weight." This one is plainly seen in the gyms during January and February, as they are so tightly packed you can't stir all those gym rats with a stick. But come around March, and crickets can be heard once again as the resolutions have faded away and the snacks are back in the cupboards. So why not make resolutions that come easily and make you a better person, both physically and mentally? Let's talk about it! Here are five resolutions that you can actually stick with for 2022.
Surround Yourself with Positivity
Think about the times when you have gotten upset the most. What were you doing? What were you watching? For some people (me included!), watching the nightly news can make them upset. This gets them disgruntled and sometimes even sad and fearful. Why not turn that news off and watch the comedy channel or dive into a good, uplifting book? If scrolling through Facebook makes you unhappy or jealous, it may be best to weed out any "friends" who make you feel this way. After all, your happiness is what can make you or break you, and in 2022, we need only positive vibes.
Pay It Forward
There is nothing like the feeling of giving to others. It doesn't matter if you are giving monetary gifts or volunteering your time; both are rewarding. Some things that would benefit others would include giving a big tip to a restaurant worker, volunteering at a homeless shelter to help serve meals, volunteering as a special needs ball team caregiver at your local recreation center, or spending the day at the animal shelter to provide love and care to the animals. These are all resolutions that can help the soul to feel good.
Drink More Water
By drinking more water, our bodies become healthier. Water can make our skin look smoother and clearer, so who doesn't want to look younger? We all want to have that young, healthy glow, and this would give us just that. Did you know that fatigue is one of the first signs of dehydration? If you start to feel sluggish mid-day, grab a bottle of water to put a little more pep in your step (or roll). Dehydration can also affect your mood and give you a tension headache. These things can easily be improved by drinking more H2O! Just replacing one soda per day with a glass of water could add years to your life.
Start a New Hobby
As we fall into winter at the end of the year, the seasonal blahs set in. With the everyday grind, we can certainly feel burned out at times. So why not spruce up your life and start a new hobby? It may be something you have always enjoyed, but just never took the time to fully explore. This could be picking wildflowers and arranging them for your home decor, making beaded bracelets and sharing them with your friends and family, or even learning a new language. This could be the interesting new challenge you need to kick off your best year ever.
Take More Trips
Planning a trip to an exotic land is always an exciting experience. But travel doesn't have to cost a lot to be enjoyable. Taking a quick weekend trip to a nearby park for a picnic can give you a happy feeling and just enough break from the grind of work and paying bills. Go somewhere you've never been before. This could be an aquarium or a mountaintop or maybe even a waterfall. Exploring what this big, beautiful world has to offer can help you to have a whole new sense of being and rejuvenate that fun-loving spirit that's been hiding inside.
By making resolutions that you can keep, you will undoubtedly improve your overall health. If you resolution is to lose weight, that's so vague that after a month or two you may be burned out and tired. But by changing that mindset to getting out more and doing more things, the weight will fall off and you won't even realize that there were sacrifices involved. Everyone likes to set goals, but set realistic steps that you can achieve and ones that are worth sticking to.
About the Author
After being diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at the age of two, Cory Lee's thirst for adventure never ceased. He went on many trips around the U.S. when he was younger, and then started taking things internationally when he turned 15. Since then, Cory has traveled to 21 countries across six continents, all while managing to start up his travel blog Curb Free with Cory Lee, where he shares his accessible, and sometimes not-so-accessible travel adventures with others. Cory is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). He has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, in a nationwide segment for CBS News, Lonely Planet, and many others. His blog won the 2017 Best Travel Blog Gold Lowell Thomas Award. He hopes to inspire other wheelchair users to roll out of their comfort zone and see all of the beauty that the world has to offer.
Cory Lee's ride is a Quickie Q700 M.