As the holidays approach, excitement and joy fill our lives, but sitting in the back of our minds is the pressure we feel to make phenomenal New Year’s resolutions. Thinking of resolutions can be easy, the most common being eating healthier and working out more often, but the difficult part is sticking to them. I believe that resolutions are valuable, but only if you put in effort to truly make the change. I have had the resolution of eating healthier for countless years, and it usually only lasts a few weeks, then I start again the next January. I am sure many of you can relate to this struggle. This year I have three New Year’s resolutions, including monthly budgeting, complimenting at least two people a day, and meal prepping. Here’s my plan for the new year plus some tips for creating and achieving your own goals for 2020!

Monthly Budgeting

When forming my resolutions, rather than vaguely stating “save money,” I am making specific goals that I know I have a better chance of following. By having a specific plan for budgeting and even creating a spreadsheet for how much I want to spend, I will actually save more money and have fun while doing it! Keeping an idea of how much you spend and what you spend it on each month will make you more aware of areas where you can cut back on frivolous purchases and make better budgeting decisions.

Say Nice Things 

My next resolution, complimenting people, is a part of a goal I have to be kinder, or as I like to say, kill them with kindness! However, a resolution simply to be kinder to others is vague and might not be extremely effective. That is why I have committed to give a compliment to at least two people a day. This is one everyone should try because kindness can go a long way! You never know what someone is going through, so give someone something to smile about and change their day.

Make Ahead Meals

Finally, I have decided to meal prep. Telling myself I will eat healthy is one thing, but actually preparing meals weekly and planning out healthy snacks is another. Meal prepping is a great way to stick to a diet and I am so excited to give it a try! Making things ahead saves you a lot of time — something most college students don’t have a lot of anyway.

As 2019 ends, I want you to think about areas for improvement in your life and instead of creating simple resolutions, take a minute to brainstorm real goals that are realistic and achievable. Good luck everyone! Let’s make this your year!