2013 is just around the corner and that means it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions. I am big on setting goals, though they are usually do not span an entire year. Nevertheless, I often set New Year’s resolutions and like to see how well I do over the course of a year.
1) Exercise/Get in shape
This could be something simple like “work out three times a week” or it can be one big goal such as “run a half marathon.”
2) Read a certain number of books
My wife and I competed this year to see who could read more books. She just finished her 25th. Let’s just say I lost :(
3) Learn a new language
This is something I have always wanted to do, but it takes some commitment to actually follow through and learn the new language. I have a few friends who are fluent in Spanish and/or other languages, and it seems to be an incredibly valuable asset to have, especially in the United States where relatively few people are bilingual.
4) Get your finances in order
Getting all your finances in order takes time and effort. If it is not a goal and a priority, it won’t get done. There will always be something else to take up your time and it will always be on the backburner. Consider reading my post 5 steps to take towards getting financially fit/ and set yourself up for success in 2013.
5) Cook 1 new recipe a week
Cooking one new recipe a week can be fun and save money in the long-run. This will help you become a better cook, have a wider variety of recipes to choose from, and will help you save money by eating out less.
6) Complete a home project
If you own a home, consider setting a goal of completing at least one home project. This will help you learn something new and (hopefully) create some additional value for your home.
7) Volunteer
People are busy and oftentimes volunteering ends up being the one thing that is low enough priority that we simply do not make time for it. If you want to volunteer, perhaps setting a goal of volunteering one day a month in the new year is the resolution for you.
8) Read the entire Bible
I included this in the list because it was one of my resolutions last year and it is something many people want to do but never get around to. Let’s just say I failed this year at fulfilling my resolution, but perhaps I will succeed in the new year?
9) Start a blog or website
While I certainly do not recommend everyone start a blog or website because of the time it takes to maintain and update, if you have been thinking about starting a blog or website for years and years, setting it as a resolution for the new year may finally force you to give it a try. I spent over a year thinking about it before starting Young Adult Money, and I am definitely glad that I did start it.
10) Travel to a new place
It’s easy to travel to the same place each year (or every few years if you don’t take vacations every year), but traveling to one new place a year can help you see more of the world and will certainly create some lasting memories and stories to share for years to come.
11) Spend more time with family and friends
How many people can honestly say they spend as much time with their family and friends as they should? I think very few would agree. Making your family and friends a priority in the new year can boost your quality of life and deepen relationships.
12) Try out a new hobby
Is there a hobby or activity you have always wanted to try but never got around to? Whether it’s golf, blogging, drawing, or something else, trying out a new hobby can be a fun alternative to the usual “painful” resolutions of weight loss and eating healthy.
13) Learn a new skill
I love dedicating myself to learning new skills, and you can bet that one of my resolutions for 2013 will be to either learn a new skill or continue to develop a skill I already have.
14) Manage your time better
Do you feel like you never have enough time? If this is you, set a goal of managing your time better in the new year. This can mean scheduling your day/week/month in advance or keeping a daily to-do list. You could go even further and track how you spend your time at work and home, and then review it to make sure it aligns with your values.
15) Drink less alcohol
Nothing is wrong with having a drink here and there. If you have gained weight because of your alcohol consumption or oftentimes consume a little more than you should, it may be time to start consciously trying to limit the amount of alcohol you consume.
16) Eat healthier foods
Many people will make a resolution to “eat healthier” in the new year, but most will fail. Set achievable goals like “only drink 3 cans of soda a week” or “consume 3 fruits or veggies a day” instead of an ambiguous goal of “eat healthier.” Check out my wife’s post on ways to eat healthy on a budget.
17) Get out more
Do you stay in every single weekend? This might be the ideal resolution for you. As an introvert I totally understand the need to stay in and have your quiet time, but on the flip side you are not going to meet new people unless you are willing to get out.
18) Be forgiving
Being more forgiving is definitely something that pretty much everyone needs to work on. The beauty of forgiving others is that it is not dependent on them; forgiving is not about the other person being sorry for wronging you. Instead, it’s more about coming to a peace with the situation and moving on.
19) Step outside your comfort zone more often
I am absolutely terrible at stepping outside my comfort zone. If you do set a resolution to step outside of your comfort zone, consider making specific goals related to this resolution. For me it would definitely be speaking in front of large groups more often. I am terrified of public speaking. What would you do to step outside of your comfort zone.
20) Make more money
There are a ton of ways to make more money. It can come from pursuing side income or making more at your full-time job. The sky (and your determination) are the limit when it comes to making more money.
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Even if you don’t like setting New Year’s resolutions, consider thinking about what you want to accomplish in the new year and try to figure out what you will need to do to reach those goals. I will be writing a detailed post of my own New Year’s resolutions and goals sometime before the end of 2012. I haven’t even finalized them, but just thinking ahead a year about what I want to accomplish has been extremely valuable.
Do you have any resolutions to add to this list?
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My wife is also an avid reader. I would love to read WAY more than I do (Novels that is), but with all the side projects I have on the boil, I just never find time.
Good luck with all your Goals mate. Reading through them it is interesting to see how similar I am to you.
I can seriously relate to almost all of the goals you listed, particularly 1,2,7,10,11,12,16,17,18,19 and 20. So pretty much your whole list :p
If I had to pick one, I think i should add 19 as the thing I should focus on most. I’m terrible at doing things i’m not comfortable with.
Great post!
@MonsterPiggyBank I can relate to you not having time to read. I would like to read more, but at this time it’s more important for me to work on my side projects and continue to develop my skills that will allow me to increase my income.
These look like some good goals. There’s a few I am focusing on, particularly #20 for the next year. I am actually in the process of writing a Why I don’t Like New Year’s Resolutions post, so I’ll be interested to see the response to it.
@FrugalRules I’m looking forward to reading it! I am planning another post for New Year’s Eve with my goals for 2013.
It’s really easy to be cynical about resolutions. Especially those people that say,”Why did you need a new year, just do it now”.
Firstly people need to be realistic and secondly, need encouragement. I’ve never been one for new years resolutions, however I’ve found a goal I want to achieve and am feeling pretty motivated about it, so I guess that’s a resolution of some sorts.
@Money_Angels Sounds like a resolution to me! The new year is nothing more than symbolic of “starting over” or a clean slate. Anything seems possible.
This is an awesome list DC. I think I have quite a few of these on my resolution list. That just means I have a lot to do this upcoming year.
@DebtRoundUp Good to hear! I’m trying to pick some specific ones I want to tackle for 2013, planning a New Year’s eve post around it.
25 books, I’m jealous! I don’t tend to set many new year’s resolutions. Most things I do try to do are more based on different time periods, like “ski enough times to make my pass worthwhile.”
@Ugifter I know, she makes my “book read” total look pretty pathetic.
Those are great ideas! I need to make my own list and stick to it…if I post it on the blog I’ll have a few hundred people to stay accounted with!
@PlungedinDebt Do it! I plan on posting my specific goals in a New Year’s Eve post.
Travel to a new place is on my list, too! Great ideas!
@Ornella @ Moneylicious Thanks : )
I like travel to a new place and cook one new recipe a week. The second one is WAY more doable I think, and something that could come in very handy. I seem to eat the same stuff over and over.
These are all great. Several of them are on my list of 2013 Resolutions as well.
All great ideas!… my problem is that I read through each one and thought, “I want to do that.” “And that.” “And that.” Haha, if only it were possible! I’m going to *try* to stick to only 5 this year and hope for the best!
@Joanna@OurFreakingBudget Haha I think it’s much better to have just a few than it is to have 20.
Love these ideas. Complete a home project and eat more soup and less beer are at the top of my list!
@KyleJames1 Nice goals!
If you want to learn a new language, you might want to try Esperanto. It’s certainly something original!
@Tom Windsor Esperanto?? What’s that?!?
We did have a New Years resolution last year and that was to both quit smoking. Although it didn’t happen at the beginning of January it happened at the end. We are now near the end of the year and we are still smoke free. Next year we are not sure but what we do know is that by setting a goal even one you think is near to impossible is possible. I never thought I would ever be able to quit, but I did!! Happy Holidays Mate! Mr.CBB
@CanadianBudgetB Congrats! That’s a HUGE accomplishment! Very happy for both of you. Happy Holidays to you as well!
No 1 is on my list. My exercise routine has been lofty this past year and I need the discipline of getting back into a solid routine!
@MyMoneyDesign I am probably going to stick with my 3 days of working out goal that I used in 2012. It kept me in shape and set a minimum to work towards each week. Some weeks I worked out 5 or 6 times a week!
These are all great ideas! I need to sit down and figure out my goals for the new year pretty soon.
@Gen Y Finance Journey I do as well! I want mine to mean something and I want to actually follow through on them.
Great list! Good luck with working on all of them in 2013!
@TacklingOurDebt I won’t personally be tackling all these resolutions, they are just ideas : ) I will be posting mine on New Year’s Eve!
A bunch of awesome ideas here. I just wish I could pull myself together to actually stick to completing even one measly resolution. :(
@Veronica @ Pelican on Money You need to stick to your goal of learning Ruby on Rails!
I did start a blog this year. Verdict’s still out if that was a good resolution or not! Good list of ideas. I need to think about what I want to accomplish next year.
@Eyesonthedollar Haha I hear you about the blog potentially being a bad decision. It’s a HUGE time sink (at least for me) and I have revenue/traffic goals that I hope to reach sometime over the next year.
Very impressed that exercise is top of the list!! :)
@SavvyScot1 Haha I stole that one from my 2012 resolutions. I figure I should at least be able to hit the gym 3 days week for 1/2 hour!
I like the cook a new recipe a week idea. I’d say I’d have to try it out but I know I wouldn’t follow through… whoops!
@Money Life and More Haha I wouldn’t either.
There are a few that I intend to work on. Mainly trying to eat healthier and exercise more. But I’d also like to get more serious about side income and cutting unnecessary expenses from our budget.
@JustinatTheFrugalPath I think there is room for all those goals in 2013, I’d say go for it.
Most of my new years goals are related to finance and being healthy, but there are lots more on there that I might pick up as well, good list!
I agree with the comments by Tom Windsor.
I think the World needs an international language as well.
So which language should it be? The British learn French, the Australians study Japanese and the Americans prefer Spanish.
Yet this leaves Mandarin Chinese out of the equation.
A neutral non-national language is needed and we have it with Esperanto :)
Only a few people know about it but http://www.lernu.net is currently receiving 125,000 hits per day. That can’t be bad :)
I love the cook a new recipe each week resolution. I’m not sure I could do it every week, but maybe every other. Eat more healthy is definitely on my resolution list. As is make more money.