What to Do If You Still Don't Have a New Year's Resolution

So the new year has come and gone, plus it's Monday (meh), and you find yourself with no resolution to talk about with your coworkers, friends, and in all your Instagram posts for the next week. Sure you'd like 2017 to be a major upgrade from last year (don't we all?), but figuring out what aspect of our life to focus on can be tricky.

There are always the goals everyone sets: lose weight, find love, stop spending my weekend nights doing things I only wish I had bailed on five minutes into the night. But how the heck do you set a goal for something you clearly have no idea how to accomplish?

Breathe. First things first, stop calling it a resolution. Sure calling it a goal is basically the same thing, except getting rid of the word that makes you think of past failures, time limits and unmet expectations is the first step towards actually getting to where you want to be. And hopefully before next December rolls around!

Setting a resolution goal is something you have to choose for yourself, based on your own needs, wants and lifestyle. But if you're anything like me you have the usual things you wish you could improve before all those things your relatives warned you about come true. Or do only my aunts like to remind me that soon my smooth skin will shrivel up and I'll balloon up overnight?

If you aren't sure what to focus on, or just need a big of guidance, read on to see what you can do to narrow down your ambitions so that this time next year you can brag about all you accomplished in 2017, and what you're doing that year instead to build on your progress.

Identify something you regret in 2016

This might be a resolution left unfinished or something completely unrelated, but regardless of what it is, if this regret is bothering you consider taking that energy and transforming it into something positive in the new year. For example, if you weren't able to travel last year for whatever reason, set a smaller goal such as saving money or traveling within your own country to boost your spirit and motivate yourself to make it happen when the time is right for you.

What's the one thing you think about every day

Everyone has one thing that they nag themselves about daily, or at least a few times a week. Lately for me it's been my weight, the combination of my birth control coupled with my love for snacking has changed my waistline dramatically. Identify one thing that you're self critical about and consider focusing on that this year.

Related Post: 10 Important Resolutions Every Twenty Something Should Make

Think back to this time 2015

I'm a firm believer in giving yourself, and your resolutions, second chances. Just because you didn't meet your goals last year doesn't mean you should ditch them. If there's a goal with pursuing into the new year, such as reading x amount of books or running a marathon, don't ditch all the work you put in just because the year on the calendar has changed.

Do something for your future self

Over the past two weeks I've spent all of my time sorting through all of my belongings? Why, you may ask? I'm determined to make my life less cluttered in 2017, meaning my mornings will be less stressful and my nights more about relaxation. Pick something you can do for your future self, whether it's automating a task that you always find yourself forgetting about or buying that item that will keep you smiling for months.

What's one goal you're too scared to put out there?

Think about this one for a second, what's a goal so big and scary that you don't even want to tell your closest friends about? The one thing you wish you could accomplish but aren't sure if you have the energy, time or commitment to get it done. If this is the route you want to go, and I totally think you should, take the steps to work on it to build your confidence. Once you've made some strides tell someone you trust, until you're at a point where you want to tell your whole social circle.


Okay spill, what's one thing you want to work on in 2017? For me it's definitely learning to live with less and give more energy to the things that make me happy in the long run rather than short term spurts of joy.