We are all familiar with the #newyearnewme posts that spam our social media newsfeeds each January. Typically, they consist of promises to attend the gym more often and the pub or takeaway shop less. However, most are broken by mid-January and so many people question the point in creating a new year’s resolution in the first place.

This year, why not dream bigger. I think we can all be guilty of wanting to achieve something but never making the changes necessary to accomplish that dream. Sometimes, we are frightened of change, unsure whether it is for the best, or simply not confident enough to go for it. But change is necessary for growth and without it you can never fully achieve what you want and you deserve from life. So, this year, develop the confidence to fully immerse yourself into 2018. Work towards accomplishing the things you really wish for and becoming the person you want to be, without looking back…

1. Get the career you are longing for

The average Brit will spend 12 years of their life at work [1]; don’t spend that time just waiting for the weekend to come around. Whether you have been dreaming of a career change, starting up your own business or putting yourself forward for a promotion, this can be your year. Ask yourself what has previously stopped you from achieving your career goals and spend some time planning how you can overcome this. Do you need to gain some extra qualifications first? Research into your business idea further? Or is there something preventing you from believing in yourself?

Teresa Pope and Hayley Leete, co-founders of dandi® patch are businesswomen who have experienced feeling self-conscious in meetings and presentations from the daily shame and embarrassment associated with sweat marks. They have since learnt that many people share this problem. It hinders people’s confidence during daily social interactions, and when projecting their ideas during meetings and conferences, having a negative effect on work aspirations. So, the dandi® patch was created; a discreet underarm product that absorbs moisture and odour giving people their confidence back in social and work environments. Could your daily problems result in a business to helps others sharing the same pains?

2. Help others

Maybe you could make a pact with yourself to help at least one other person each month. This could involve anything from helping someone to the car with their groceries, signing up as a puppy walker for Guide Dogs, fundraising for a charity or signing up to give blood. Not only will this help others but the feeling you get back from helping someone can be incredible and addictive. Sometimes we become so consumed with our own lives it takes some conscious effort and some brief time blocked out in the diary to encourage us to help someone else. However, give it a try and it's unlikely that you will be disappointed.

2. Travel more

They say travelling is good for the soul, so if the thought of seeing more of the globe gives you goose bumps, why not include it in this year’s plans? Visiting other countries can open your eyes to how others’ live, give you the opportunity to make new friends, inspire you to appreciate the life you have, and help you to learn about yourself in a way you couldn’t have imagined. Set aside a list of places you’d love to explore and make a plan to finally tick a few off your bucket list this year. Set an amount to save from each pay-cheque and look at different transport and accommodation options to suit your needs, time availability and budget. If you’ve refrained from travelling as you have no one to go with and going alone is too daunting to you, why not join others in the same boat as you on an organised trip arranged by a company like Topdeck or Contiki.

The truth is, life can sometimes seem hard and unfair, but you are the only one who can make the changes needed. So, make the most of it, try to see the glass as half full, and always be a little kinder than necessary. By all means, try to stick to your new year resolution to cut down on the chocolate consumption this year, but why not also dream a little bigger? If you truly wish for something, go figure out a way to get it. Wouldn’t you rather reach 2019 knowing you gave 2018 your all?
We truly wish you a happy new year, make it a good one!

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References:

[1] Survey reference from The Sun