New Year resolutions gone up in smoke already? Don't worry, here's some tips to keep it simple. Photo / Peter Meecham
New Year resolutions gone up in smoke already? Don't worry, here's some tips to keep it simple. Photo / Peter Meecham
EDITORIAL:
How many New Year resolutions did you make this year - if any?
And, five days in to 2020, how many have you already broken?
It's tough, right? Especially with so many pressing issues to solve: world peace, climate change, Brexit … And what about the things supposedlywithin our control that crop up on the list each year after previous failures? You know the ones: lose weight, drink less, quit smoking…
But don't worry, be happy, today we've got the perfect solution - and it's about keeping it simple.
We asked experts across a range of fields to provide us with just one thing people could do to change their life this year.
Sick of your job? Life's too short to have a bad one, so career coach Allison Fisher suggests rating your work out of 10. If it's 5 or less: "Find some support to help make the change to a 10."
Health and happiness can be yours - really simply, it turns out. Photo / 123rf
For nutritionist Claire Turnbull, it's about changing the way we organise and access our food - thereby making it harder to reach for the bad stuff out of habit.
Natalie Jane, of Be Organised, believes one simple way to improve your life is to get rid of stuff you don't need. "Clinging on to possessions causes stress as we then become frightened of losing them. But by letting go, you gain so much more."
For financial consultant Lisa Dudson, it's taking charge of your spending - and therefore saving - by simply asking: "Do I really need it, can I get better value elsewhere, and do I need to buy new versus second hand?"
And when it comes to family, the best thing you can spend on your kids is time, teacher Michele Morrisey-Brown says. Simple, free - and the stuff from which memories are made!
In need of adventure? Again, it doesn't need to cost the earth - in any way. Michelle Morpeth, from Outdoorsy New Zealand, says you can build excursions into everyday life by simply visiting "waterfalls, walking trails, rivers, beaches, caves and parks".
Relationship on the rocks or in need of some TLC? Stop being so defensive and be mindful of what's going on for your partner, says therapist Dr Anna Martin - it'll help you both.
But don't dismiss your own needs, says business mentor Natalie Cutler-Welsh. Simple, good communication can take you out of "the frustration zone". "The key to happiness lies in saying what you actually want and then taking the actions to make it happen."
You don't have to be culture vulture to get some great advice on the written page, and bookseller, writer and reviewer Kiran Dass recommends two books to get 2020 off to a great start.
When it comes to saving the world from global warming, there's simple things we can all do. Photo / Supplied
And talking about changing lives… the biggie - climate change - is undoubtedly daunting, but climate scientist James Renwick says there are basic steps you can take to live a more sustainable lifestyle that will make a difference. If you do just one thing in 2020, he says make it this: "Talk about climate change and the climate emergency. Make it normal in your house to speak about what's happening with the climate. Let your MPs and local government representatives know you want action."
