2022 is comin’ around the mountain, and in hopes of leaving bad habits and memories behind us, new years resolutions are among us. In an attempt to better ourselves or increase our happiness, we conjure up usually unattainable new years resolutions that vow to change our habits come 2023. New year, new me, right? Well, that’s not really how we should be looking at the phenomenon of new years resolutions. Instead of aiming to reinvent ourselves or our lifestyles, we should instead be focusing on little attainable goals that will have equally as big of an impact – if not more, because, hey, you’ll actually be able to stick to them. So, get out those 2022 planners and freshly washi-taped bullet journals, here are 22 attainable new years resolutions for 2022.

Drink more water

Wait, wait, wait! Before you click out of this article thinking it’s exactly like all the other new years resolution ideas articles, keep on reading. We have a few more tricks up our sleeves than you’d expect. For example, we know that everyone and their mom has told you that the key to all your problems, all you have to do, surefire fix to everything is drinking more water. And, no, they’re not wrong. But I’m not here to tell you to chug chug chug the tasteless fluid until you’re peeing every five minutes. If you know me, you know I find it nearly impossible to drink a lot of water. I’m the kind of person who often goes until like 9:00 p.m. with a headache and a bad attitude and not know what’s up until I realize, as I’m getting ready for bed, that I haven’t had more than a sip or two of fluid all day. So, I did what any desperate dehydrated person has to do: I tricked myself into drinking way more water. While this may not work for you, it sure as heck worked for me, here we go:

Step #1: Get a BIG reusable water bottle (bonus points if it’s clear.) I had this one and while I lost it, I’m considering getting it again because it really helped me drink way more water.

Step #2: Get any low-sugar, low-calorie, low-everything flavorings for water like these, bonus points if it’s colored (so you can be fooled by the clear bottle and coloring that it’s juice and not indeed water).

Step #3: Stick a straw in and enjoy your almost-water. We’ll call it water. After doing this on the daily from sun up to sun down, I noticed a DRAMATIC change in how much water I drank and in turn, how good I felt and how my body looked and operated. Don’t let those few artificial whatevers fool you in the few drops of flavoring you add to every bottle of water, this is way healthier than being dehydrated and yay! It tastes like juice. 

Walk more

Do you live in an area where walking can get you where you need to go a lot of the time? Do you often finding yourself grabbing your car keys for simple errands? To you have a pet that likes getting some fresh air? Do you like getting some fresh air? Do you like watching the sunrise or sunset? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are a great candidate for being a “walking person,” or even just a version of yourself who goes on walks more frequently. Walking is great, getting some light cardio exercise paired with getting some fresh air, getting out into your community and being in nature even just for a few more minutes every day can improve your health and overall mood. I always feel as though my head is clearer and my cup is more full after going on walks. I’m in a lucky position in that my puppy just got her last round of vaccines and I have a more than adequate reason to go on walks multiple times a day, from shorter 5-minute walks to longer, more brisk walks. I’ve enjoyed finding beauty in nearby neighborhoods and surrounding areas and always try to schedule walks around sunrise and sunset so that I can enjoy my surroundings even more. Making walking around a pleasurable experience will not only help you reap the benefits of walking more, but also will make it feel like you’re carving out more time for self care.

Support Local

If you’re walking around your community a little more anyway, you might already be getting out and getting to know and supporting those around you more. That’s awesome! Maybe another realistic new years resolution could be to take that one step further and make supporting your community and local businesses and people a more conscious effort. It doesn’t take much effort to shop at local businesses instead of national or global chains. Doing so is an easy way to get to know the people in your community better and support their lives and well beings. Supporting local businesses is often more sustainable for local environments and economies, so it’s a win all around when you make an effort to support local. Some ways I try to support local more often is to shop at farmers markets, go to local coffee shops and lounges rather than chains, explore small restaurants when I go out, instead of sticking to chains, following local businesses and organizations on social media and supporting and attending fun events when they come up. If you live in a town like mine, you’ll start building connections and a sense of community quickly when you start showing up in the community. It can be a great feeling and can really give you a sense of being involved, so I’d definitely recommend making supporting local a more conscious effort in your new year!

Try Something New Everyday

A lot of us might agree that life isn’t worth living without those new, exciting experiences that make things fresh and fun. This is another simple resolution that would just involve making a conscious effort to try something new every day. I think this is an easy and attainable resolution because it’s one that can be done in degrees. Most days, your something new can be something small, like listening to a new kind of music, trying a new restaurant or kind of food, or picking up a new craft or hobby for an evening. This is a surefire resolution to make every day different from the last and make your life just a little more exciting overall. I think this resolution is also a great one because you can really challenge yourself to do more daring things when you feel like it. You’re not pressured to do anything completely crazy, but out of 365 days, I’d hope some something news turn into an adventure or two. You’re sure to make some memories and find out more about yourself with this resolution, which I love. You’re also sure to find something you love or maybe even something that’ll change your life. Who knows? Maybe the roller rink brings you to your newfound passion for roller skating, maybe you realize you want to become a patisserie chef, perhaps you try something new, and in the process, you find your people. There are endless possibilities with this resolution!

Journal

I, like most of us, understand that journaling is a great tool to gather, organize, and process thoughts and feelings as well as improve and practice writing skills and help document ones life. It’s a great practice that I wish I could do regularly. It doesn’t require much time out of your day, and you don’t necessarily have to journal daily, but if you want to make journaling a new years resolution of yours, consider making an effort to journal regularly and with intention. This way, you’ll make a habit of journaling and have integrated it into your routine and self-care practices. Not only is journaling a great resolution to reach for, it’s also one that isn’t unenjoyable. I hope, if you make a resolution to journal more in the new year, that you learn to love the practice as it becomes a part of your life. Hopefully you’re able to look back and enjoy what you’ve written.

Cook more

Want to save money? Want to eat healthier? Want to be more sustainable? Instead of confronting these three overwhelming goals, consider the one WAY less intimidating resolution of cooking more. Get out some fresh ingredients and tools and get to work. Fuel your body and use cooking as a form of self-love that is meant to nourish your mind and body. Cooking for yourself is providing yourself with that form of love and fuel that can be so fulfilling. Aside from that, you have control over what goes into your body, and of the cost of all your ingredients. You are in charge when you are cooking and that can be a great feeling when feeding your body. Experiment with new foods and recipes to expand your knowledge and flavor palette, and enjoy how your skills in the kitchen will develop.

Implement self care often

Speaking of self care, why not make that a resolution in and of itself. Doing a little something something for yourself should be the least overwhelming goal. Self care takes so many shapes and forms. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and a face mask seems like too much for the moment, it could be considered self care to take a nap instead. As long as you are conscious of taking care of yourself more in the new year, you’re winning. If you’re the kind of person who does really sweet stuff for your friends and loved ones but not so much for yourself, now’s your time! Consider how you show your love to others and how you love to receive love and ring it in for yourself for a change. Be there for you and embrace the love you are giving to yourself. You might start feeling more cared for because, well, you’ll be taking better care of yourself.

Get organized

For some of us, this might be a harder resolution to stick to than others, but it is definitely a realistic goal you can set for yourself going into a new year. You can take it room by room or step by step otherwise, but once you have your new system in place and practice, you will be proud you accomplished this goal. Having an organized space is a great way to keep your head clear, keep yourself efficient, and find everything you need. If you’re looking for inspiration, Consult trusty resources such as The Home Edit or Marie Kondo Though remember, half the struggle (or even more) with this resolution comes with trying to maintain the new organization system that you’ve set for yourself. So, in order to not undo all your amazing organizational efforts, you must work to maintain a clean and organized space. With enough focus, it is a more than attainable goal for the new year.

Save money  (little by little)

This is a hard one. I always find my money pool a little less abundant than I’d be comfortable with, though I’m definitely not alone with that one. I do know, however that those little things (like little streams of income or little purchases) add up over time and can make a bigger difference than a lot of us realize in the moment. So, I think fiscally, this will be our year because instead of setting lofty financial goals, we’ll be saving little by little and making small switches in order to boost our bundle. I’m a compulsive spender, whoops. A lot of the time, it’s hard for me to understand the value in money, so, I tend to toss it around without thinking. No more! I hope to be more conscious when making these smaller decisions and that these little changes will add up to big savings by the end of the year. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Before you buy it, try to make it

Another resolution that could help cushion your wallet can be one to make things before buying them. This can apply to A LOT more than you realize. Food-wise, not only can you cook more, you can even try to grow your own veggies, make your own stock, make your own bread, etc. Textile-wise, if you’re handy with sewing or knitting, you can make your own outfits, tablecloths, bags, etc. This will not only teach you skills that seem simple but have been lost for generations as these essential items are now available with the swipe of a credit card, but you’ll also save a lot of money and trips to the grocery store while you’re at it. I think a great way to implement this resolution is to take items you intend to reuse, and see what you can also replace with items in your inventory. Say you need a pencil cup, one might be able to be fashioned from a soup can. Perhaps you need a cord organizer, well, you could be able to make one out of a paper towel roll. There are TONS of DIYS available, so before you scour the stores, scour the internet for a tutorial and you just might learn something cool and new, and hey, helpful too.

Eat more colorfully

Saying, “Eat healthier” can be intimidating in itself. Honestly, I’m often lost when it comes to discovering what the best ways to fuel my body are. Something I do know though, is that incorporating whole foods into your diet is good, and can help promote one’s health. So, an easy rule I like to go by to make sure I’m getting an assortment of veggies and fruits in my diet is making sure I’m not just eating “monochromatically.” When I eat without a lot of color, I tend to feel tired, sluggish, distracted, etc. So, liven up your plate with some assortments of color. This resolution comes with a pretty awesome bonus that is you’ll have Insta-worthy food ALL the time if you’re crafting up some colorful plates. So, snap and snack away into the new year.

Eat intuitively

If you’re looking for another simple way to look at healthy eating, consider trying to eat intuitively. A lot of the time, people are able to heal their relationships with food and healthy eating when attempting to eat intuitively. So, a great resolution could be seeing if this path is right for you. If you eat intuitively, you are essentially tapping into your feelings and really listening to your body and what it wants. Understanding to eat when you are hungry and eat fruit when your body wants fruit and cheeseburgers when it wants cheeseburgers is a great quality to develop and practice.

Sleep more

Okay, this is like one of the easiest resolutions ever. Sleep more! No, but seriously, sleeping more can REALLY do you wonders. You need your beauty sleep people! Not only that, but some of y’all are really cranky and I know it’s because you didn’t get your full eight hours. Consider keeping a journal, tracking your sleep with an app, or setting alarms for bedtime and wake-up to keep your new, snoozy sleep schedule on track. Improving one’s sleep levels can result in improved health in various ways, so it’s worth trying for your brain and body. Maybe, you’ll stop feeling tired all the time or stop needing to rely on caffeine if you do. There are all kinds of plusses that come along with snoozing more.

Read more

If you’re looking to get less screen time, keep on learning, or have a fun escape, reading more is a great resolution for you to try out! There are books for everyone, and practicing reading can help sharpen your mind and keep your lifelong learner or explorer senses tingling. Even if you’re a young Zillennial, you should still be picking up a book every so often. Trust me, you might like it more than you anticipate. If you make “read more,” your new years resolution, you can also eliminate stress of reaching a certain number of books by the end of the year, some impossible standard. Nope, all you’ll have to do is beat yourself last year. Surprisingly, my last year self might be a little hard to beat, but I’m not too worried. If I got close last year, all I have to do is read one more.

Get more fresh air

Raise your hand if you love fresh air! Me too. Getting outdoors is sometimes THE BEST but planning out your backpacking trips and rafting tours and ski trips can be, well a lot. You don’t have to approach getting outdoors like that. If you want to be outside more in the new year, maybe phrase your new years resolution as follows: “get more fresh air.” This might even involve deciding to roll down the windows on your daily drive whenever the weather is nice, if it’s hard to get away. The point of it is to make the resolution work for you. If you want to get more fresh air, literally get more fresh air. Doing something as simple as opening your windows will instantly make you feel closer to the world around you and nature itself.

Portion more fun/friend time

Do you always feel amazing after hanging out with friends? Is that feeling a rare one for you? Yeah, you may need to budget more fun or friend time out in your new year. Maybe you do have a busy schedule, but if this is what you want to prioritize it isn’t a difficult resolution to achieve. Perhaps a once-a-week drinks thing can do the trick, maybe even a weekly Sunday morning hike, brunch with the girls? Whatever it is, you’ll find how easy it is to spend more time with friends, no matter how stuffed your schedule seems. What would you do without friends?

Document the good times

Okay, so you have all these amazing memories already, but you forgot to fill up your cute little scrapbook with the good times. Well, hon, you just found your next new years resolution, document the good times more. My personal favorite way to do this lately has been using disposable cameras. I love that I’m not obsessing over going back and looking at the pictures afterward with disposable cameras. Instead, the memory making and picture taking feels more effortless and in-the-moment. Pull out the camera in those moments when you’re living life to the fullest, feeling good, want to dance, etc. You’ll love what comes out of the envelope once they’re developed.

Open up to others

If you’ve been holding a lot in lately, maybe it’s time to open up to others in this new year. There’s no reason for your burden to be carried by you alone, especially if you need help with something. If you’ve been trying to open up to others more, consider the new year as a clean-slate, a jumping-off point for you to grow and get closer to others. Maybe this resolution also involves making new friends or meeting new people. Those you open up to don’t have to be those immediately close to you. You can open up to the world and see where it takes you.

Find a creative outlet

Another easy resolution is to find a creative outlet for yourself. If you don’t already have a creative hobby, now might be just the time to explore one. Finding a creative outlet can help you find healthy ways to cope with stress, trauma, anxiety, etc. It can also just serve as a relaxing, releasing experience that helps you cool off, calm down, reset, recharge, etc. Whether it’s drawing, painting, dancing, crocheting, pottery, etc. there are SO many possible creative outlets for you to explore, so there’s also bound to be something you love or are a little bit good at. If you already have something you like, perhaps consider turning that interest into a full-fledged hobby and dive in in order to use the activity as a creative outlet.

Listen to new (to you) music

I love this one. To me, it really feels like a fresh year when I’m jamming out to a fresh playlist. Any new songs you’ve come across lately that you absolutely LOVE? Add them on. Perhaps even run through Spotify to find something new that makes you feel like you and is also something you can really jam out to. Go through artists similar to ones you love, go through new albums that pique your interest, etc. Finding new music to groove to is such a fun activity, so don’t treat this resolution like a chore. You should enjoy finding the music just as much as you’ll enjoy listening to it in your bangin’ playlist.

Wear what makes you feel like you

I feel like instead of dressing how I want to, I used to just roll with what was subtle and a little trendy. Babe, if that’s not you, don’t dress like it. Recently, I’ve been trying to hone in on my style and I realized that I don’t have to fit any kind of label or aesthetic, I can just wear whatever the f***k I want. I’m an adult, it’s my body, and it’s my responsibility to dress it, no one else’s. I’m going to wear what I want. If something makes me happy to wear, you better believe it’ll be on my body, and maybe my outfit won’t be conventionally cute, but I sure as heck will love it and feel great in it. Start doing it all for you and you’ll love getting ready so much more.

Don’t take it all so seriously

And finally, be true to you

If you want to have fun in the new year, you have to understand that not everything ought to be taken so seriously. There are a lot of stressors and worries of today that won’t even be remembered in years to come, so f***k it. Do what makes you happy, and have fun. Don’t care what everyone else thinks and don’t take it all so seriously, babe. Have a great year!

I hope your new year is full of opportunity and abundance! Comment below if you’ll try out any of these realistic new years resolutions.

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