New Year’s resolutions can be fun. This year, don’t make the same old new year promises to yourself. Make some interesting new ones – the kind that are actually fun to stick to and will turn you into a more interesting person.
How about, this year, I will:
1. Visit new places I’ve never been to. It could be another country, or another city in your own country, or just another town that’s a short drive away – somewhere you’ve never been.
2. Learn a new technical skill every month. You still can’t wire a plug or change a car tyre? You’ve never learned how to sand and repaint a table, because someone else usually does it for you? Give yourself a list of Things I Will Learn to DO Myself – and do them. Start with smallish and easy, like a simple home DIY task, and build your way up. By December, you’ll be building a yacht in your back yard.
3. Ditch the same old rituals. Or change them and start new ones. “We always have breakfast at Coffee Shop X on a Saturday
Resolve to be different.
morning.” Full marks for consistency. Now try a new place, or a new time, or stop being so clubby and invite a new person to the table.
4. Wear something I swore I’d never wear. Whether it’s bright florals because you thought you weren’t a bright florals person, sunglasses that say you’re a friend of Elton John, or a hat that’s a real statement.
5. Change one thing at home that people will notice and say : Wow – that’s different. Paint a wall or a room a colour you love (but are a little afraid of). Frame an old picture in a completely unexpected way. Pull up an old carpet and discover a new floor underneath. Paint that too. Surprise yourself, and everyone else too.
Resolve to be different. Surprising is a great way to be.
