The beginning of a new year is a chance to start fresh. If you need a symbolic marker to jumpstart your own renewal, why not use it? Adopt these 19 goals as inspiration to start you on your journey as soon as the year begins!
1. Peace. Challenge yourself to create more peace in your life, both internally and externally. Commit to whatever rituals or practices that bring you closer to the calm you crave. If you need to cleanse your space, do so. Try meditation. Try yoga. Play around with different methods of improving your own serenity and see what sticks.
2. Joy. Life is honestly too short to live without happiness. What are you waiting for? If fear is holding you back, it’s time to look it in the eye and tell it that there’s no place for it in your world. You are not meant to spend the journey of your life in misery. If that were true, there’d be no point. Take back your joy.
3. Self-love. You are not alone if you spend far too much time and energy trying to “fix” yourself. Honey, you don’t need fixing. You are beautiful the way you are. If you want to take steps that make you feel more positive about yourself, that’s great. Just don’t approach the issues at hand from a place of negativity and self-loathing. Think of yourself as your own best friend. Pledge to begin this next year in a mindset where you are kind to yourself.
4. Laughter. Not only is it good for your health, it’s good for your mood. You are meant to sing and dance and laugh and rejoice and enjoy your life! If you don’t laugh enough now, determine to change that. Think about the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurt. Why? Try to incorporate more of whatever makes you giggle and snicker into your life.
5. Sense of purpose. It’s easy to lose your way in the daily shuffle of routine. Maybe you’re simply trudging in a rut and you don’t remember why you even exist anymore. Maybe you’re content, but something bigger is missing. Take time to sit down and rediscover what makes you feel like life is truly worthwhile. Then focus on doing more of that in the coming year.
6. Compassion. It’s easy to sit in your bubble and ignore the trials and tribulations of the world around you. Sometimes it’s all too much to absorb and you have to protect your internal peace, but try to reach out a bit more than you do now. It feels good to show kindness to others. It only takes a little compassion here and there to improve your daily happiness.
7. Childlike wonder. When was the last time you let down your guard and truly, honestly played? If you aren’t comfortable sharing that side of yourself, find a way to delight in something solo. Hopefully you have at least one person in your life who will indulge in adventurous activities with you. Drop your serious adult face and let yourself have some fun!
8. Simplicity. Chances are, your life is more complicated than it really needs to be. That’s the case for almost anybody. Before the turn of the year, can you make a list of at least ten things that you can cut down on or even cut out of your life completely to simplify it? It’s easier than you think.
9. Passion. It doesn’t have to be that kind of passion – though if it is, more power to you. Do you have passion in any area of life? For things, for people, for places, for your work or your hobbies? What brings fire to your heart and ignites your drive to progress forward? Pinpoint the answers to these questions and make passion a priority in the new year.
10. Hope. It’s hard to keep hope alive sometimes. Everyone has rough patches. Everyone goes through difficult times. It’s part of the human condition. The positive news is that you are not alone – every single person you encounter can empathize. When you feel the darkness setting in, choose to inspire hope in yourself.
11. Connection. Don’t go through life feeling isolated and alone. In our technology-heavy world, it’s easy to neglect face time with real live humans. Take time away from your phone and computer in the upcoming year. Make a deal with yourself to spend at least an hour every single day staying present and bonding with people. It’ll drastically improve your quality of life.
12. Renewal. How would you like to transform your world in the new year? If there is some way in which you wish to redirect and start anew, begin formulating concrete plans on how to do so. The only way to renew is to commit and take action. There’s no time like the present!
13. Discovery. Use your newfound reconnection to your youthful wonder to help you explore with new eyes. It’s not hard to find wonderful new things within arm’s reach if you know how to see them. Go someplace you’ve never been, even if it’s just a shop around the corner or a park you’ve always meant to stop in “someday”. Open yourself up to simple pleasures.
14. Sensuality. It’s easy to lose sight of your connection with your own body and needs. Do you feel sensual? Ever? Answer yourself honestly. If not … why? Indulge in activities that make you feel good about your body and your sexuality. Whatever it takes – candlelit bubble baths, working up a sweat, dancing – anything that you personally need.
15. Innocence. Conversely, how can you bring back the innocent perspective you once had? This doesn’t have to pertain to your sexuality. It’s about eliminating cynicism from your thought process and reverting to something positive instead. Use the fresh rebirth of the new year to in turn bring clarity to your mindset.
16. Fascination. What fascinates you? If you’ve lost your capacity to find fascination in anything, that means you’re in a rut that you must escape somehow. If there are places and things that you believe have the capacity to reawaken fascination within you, determine to explore those options in the coming year.
17. Cleansing. In the spirit of change and renewal, engage in cleansing rituals as the end of this year draws near. What can you purge from your life both literally and figuratively? It’s time to do some spiritual, mental, and emotional purification – and emptying out your closet won’t hurt either.
18. Balance. If you’re anything like most people, your life could stand to be a bit more balanced. It’s easier said than done, so if you’ve put it on the back burner, try making it a priority instead. You’ll find that once you work towards a better equilibrium, everything else falls into place more comfortably as well.
19. Rebirth. It’s a symbolic time of year, so roll with it. You can and you will make strides forward in your life. Say hello to a brand new you by committing to the transformation. You can engage in rebirth at any time – you are never too late, too old, or too far gone in the wrong direction. Don’t sell yourself short. Use this benchmark opportunity to say hello to major changes in 2019! 
Thought Catalog