As humans, we often tend to make tons of lists and forget they even exist by the latter half. Result? I thought I needed to get this done but then, out of sight was out of mind.
It’s for that very reason I decided to pop up your feed and remind you that there is still time to reorganize your thoughts and have a wonderful year ahead by implementing these 24 things in 2024. It’s not just about having a better life, but being a better you!
- Look back
While we are often instructed to look only forward, reflecting on your last year’s experiences is a great strategy to learn what works and what does not work for you. Failures are the biggest teachers. Consider the efforts you paid in a multitude of directions and which of them have yielded the best results. - The One Thing
Identify the one thing you need to achieve this year. The goal that will keep you striving through. This one thing lies at the core of all other goals that could be executed if only this one thing was accomplished. It could be a new job, a change of place or confessing your true passion for life. What is that one thing for you? - A Life Cleanse
When it comes to cleansing our mind instantly jumps to our home, closets and office desks. But this time around, try replicating the decluttering/ cleansing process across all the aspects of your life. That includes getting rid of stuff you no longer use and also withdrawing yourself from social circles that no longer help you grow. A toxic-free life starts now! - Take charge of your finances
It’s good to worry about your incoming stream, but you know what's even more important? Being responsible towards the outflow. Having a clear sense of distribution towards what part of your income goes towards immediate expenses, savings, special splurges and emergency buckets is what will act as a backrest to your strained spine. - Start a new habit
While building new habits can seem daunting (particularly getting up early in the morning), starting small is often the key. It could be as small as drinking an extra glass of water than your usual capacity, modifying your food consumption with fruit or going bang on with that skincare routine you keep seeing on social media but never find the will to implement it. - Escape that emotional trap
Constantly falling prey to your emotions translates exactly into a situation of a guinea pig on a wheel. Our mind has this constant habit of tricking us into thinking that our thoughts are facts by making an observation and then constantly feeding us with data that can serve as proof to validate such thoughts. The loop of anger/sadness/betrayal/why me never leaves you and the only way out is to stop and step out. - Recognize your Aura
By that, I don’t necessarily mean to jump into an astrological angle, but simply identifying your energy levels and what kind of fluctuations they have will help you keep control of your mind frame. And then if you are still open to experimentation, maybe give identifying your aura a try. - Don’t be a stagnant pond
As uncomfortable as changes sound to us, there is nothing more threatful to a human than the monotony of everyday life. It eats you up like algae taking over a stagnant pond. And if you don't wish to be in that stage, make sure you offer yourself little doses of modifications in the form of entertainment, challenges(mental and physical) and refreshments. - Develop a new skill
Be it a corporate culture or any other secure future, if you stop learning you will not be able to withstand the supersonic level of transition the world is going into. And honestly developing just 1 skill in a year is not that difficult. It’s usually up to you to choose what area you would like to work upon. It can be something as big as learning a new language or as small as learning how to cook (so that you don’t starve yourself to death). - Journaling
Now you don’t have to go all fancy to accomplish this one. However, even researchers suggest that practising writing in at least one form will always reflect well on your mental health. - Get better at planning
Planning is not just a job description skill that people add but also a livelihood necessity. From the minutest tasks of ‘what do I wear to work tomorrow’ or ‘what’s in for dinner today’, to more intimidating ones such as annual budgeting, travel itineraries, Monthly grocery shopping, schedule management and in some cases- managing kids 🫣. We all know we need to do them, so why not get better at it and make your life a tiny bit easier? - Go Splurging
This may sound like a bell ringing the wrong tune, but occasional splurges do content your heart. All you need to make sure is what that splurge is and what kind of value addition will it be to your life. For me, it was getting an expensive phone that eradicated the need for a DSLR as my primary goals were photoshoot and video recording and let me tell you, it is worth it. - Celebrate your accomplishments
While we often pat the backs of people in our vicinity but seldom exude the same appreciation for ourselves. Remember working yourself to death to accomplish that project and what happened when it was finally delivered- you simply moved on to the next. Celebrate your victories and even small wins, it boosts your morale and serves as a gentle reminder to your brain that you are going somewhere. - Tackle your fears
This time around, why not try attempting to face 1 of your fears? You don’t really have to go all in and take a dive, focus on baby steps. Afraid of heights- go for a VR Vertigo challenge, afraid of the dark- the haunted houses can be a good start, because honestly speaking, they are not even that scary. - Take your stand
Irrespective of what kind of personality trait we have there is always an angle- where we either let our loved ones control our decisions, be manipulated by colleagues or even subdue ourselves in silence to avoid arguments. Give another try to position your voice and choices in such scenarios, because if you don’t take a stand for yourself, no one else will. - Food experiment
As adults, we mostly know what we like and what we don’t. But do you feel this also restricts us to a limited set of tastes? Ever seen something really good on the menu but can’t imagine how it will taste hence, you never order a novel dish and stick to what your taste buds acknowledge. Well, that's exactly the wheel I want you to break. Now just a disclaimer that I am a big-time experimenter with food and they don’t often turn good, but I do have some of my all-time favourites that were discovered through this journey. - Build your memory Collection
By that, I don’t really mean lading your phones with tonnes of pictures. Have you given a thought to simply live the moment? In our fast-paced lives, we rarely get a chance to be fully present in a moment, but when we genuinely do, those moments are nothing short of magic to our nostalgic brain. So I recommend you to collect a memento of that instance to be added to your memory collection. These could be the most unusual things like a clean tissue of a cafe where you had that first meetup, customized with your names and the date. Or a small souvenir you got from the last trip added as a dangler to your evergrowing bracelet. - Define your boundaries and learn to respect others too
Be it landlords, relatives, friends or even an outright stranger, clearly stating your boundaries in a subtle manner goes a long way. And as much as we enjoy our own space it is quintessential to reciprocate the behaviour with others too. Next time, make a note when someone raises those boundary alarms. - Cut down on your ‘Never Have I Ever’ list
As fun as this sounds, it is essential to strike off a few of the items mentioned in the list of things you never did in your life. Make it fun and a bit adventurous, life is too short to be boring. Go as small or as big as you want, from walking to a park to going on a solo trip, hit them all off head-on. - Stop holding yourself back
How many times have you let go of situations because of your own self-doubt? Be it an appraisal you think you deserve, a new client you think you could manage better or making that switch you so desperately need but are terrified of acting through with it. These instances are not limited to work, they infiltrate into your personal life too. Are you openly able to tell your partner that you hate pineapples on your pizza 😝 (definitely a debatable topic). Stop making excuses in your mind and just go through with your plans. - Digital Detoxing
You know the powerful feeling of having everything available to you with just a click? It's astounding how all that we need and millions of other options that we actually don’t need are sold to us now and then. With too many options, information and a constant state of activities that demand our attention, we are left sprawling with the taxing act of decision-making. To take a much-needed break, try going into a detox mode that allows you a breather space from any kind of gadgets and e-connected world. - What does life mean to you?
This is probably the most difficult question on earth and what's even astonishing is the fact that the answer to this question changes more frequently than you can think of. So every year ask yourself this question and see how they change. It will help you get a hold of life and understand the direction you truly wish to pursue. - Balance like a pro, no you don’t need to be a circus juggler for that
Creating a work-life balance is the most cliché term you would have heard since 2020, yet we all understand its importance. Work doesn’t always translate to office jobs, in particular, it is about your day-in and day-out duties too. So even if you are a stay-at-home mom, looking after kids, create a personal space and time for your mental well-being. - Define your Blankspace
Just like all your meetings get scheduled on your calendar, make sure you dedicate an hour for yourself per month. No need to preplan what you are going to do in this slot, instead go with your mood. Reward yourself with this timeframe of freedom and thank me later.
Though most of these pointers surely feel that they can be deep-dived into, our overwhelming lives can only take so much at a given point in life. If you ever feel the need to discuss these at a greater length, I am just a comment away.
- Signing off
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