The Best New Year’s Resolutions to Be Your Best Self

Rebecca Serviss

2022 is here and brings a fresh start for everyone to be the best versions of themselves. One of the best traditions of the new year is making a New Year’s resolution, something you want to work on or a goal you want to achieve in the coming year.

Creating a New Year’s resolution is unique to everyone; you can prioritize what you want to work on and modify it to fit your schedule and lifestyle. Resolutions can be personal, like eating healthier and becoming more active, or professional, like setting quarterly goals for yourself to meet at work.

Here are some of the best New Year’s Resolutions you can make to start 2022 off on the right foot and help you achieve your goals throughout the year.

Professional Goals

If you’re feeling up for a new challenge in the workplace, the beginning of the year is a great time to set new professional goals for yourself. Start by writing out your current tasks and job responsibilities to gauge what things you can improve on and what actionable steps you can take to improve your career.

Make sure that your goals are measurable and achievable. A great way to get started with this is by using the SMART Goals method, or KPI’s to keep yourself accountable Click here to read our blog about how to make SMART goals. Click Up Blog suggests starting by answering these three questions before setting professional development goals:

• What do you hope to achieve?
• What areas need improvement?
• How will you measure achieving the goal?
• What do you hope to achieve?

Financial Goals

Are you looking to make a significant investment or purchase this year? One of the best ways to achieve your financial goals is to create a budget.

You don’t need to be a financial expert to create a plan that fits your lifestyle. Start by identifying what you want to save for, how much of an investment it will be, and when you want to save by. Then take stock of all your current bills and finances, the necessities such as food, gas, etc., and make sure to set your spending budget with them in mind when looking at your paycheck. It’s so important to set aside money designated funds for emergencies. As we’ve seen in the past few years, emergencies happen, and it is better to be prepared for them than be caught off guard if the time comes. Lastly, after analyzing the total funds you need for your everyday necessities, choose a specific amount of your paycheck you want to save each month toward your goal and deposit it into your savings account.

The amount you want to save doesn’t need to be a massive chunk of your monthly income; it can be a simple deposit, and if you stay consistent with it, you’ll see how much closer you’ll be to your goal.

New Skills

The world is constantly changing, and new skills are becoming more valuable in the workplace. For example, according to an article from Duke University,, many of the top skills employers wanted to see in new candidates in 2021 were related to technology and social media, as many companies were operating remotely. The desire to learn new skills is also one of the top skills employers look for in new candidates as it shows dedication and passion.

Taking up a new skill is very easy and can even be done from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. You’re connected to an endless catalog of online resources and courses. For example,Master Class is an excellent tool where users can take online courses from industry professionals to learn a new skill set. If you’re looking for simple “How To” resources, YouTube is the perfect place to start. YouTube offers thousands of videos and series on a variety of topics.

Lastly, suppose you’re interested in learning new skills to advance your career. In that case, many universities around the country offer certificate programs in specific industry areas to steer you in the right direction and teach you the skills and knowledge for your career. Many of these programs are asynchronous and online, so you can complete the coursework on your own time, which is perfect for full-time employees.

Self-Care

Everyone should try to take time for themselves. We all work hard, and we all need to remind ourselves that it’s okay to take a step back when you need to.

If you have the flexibility, set a timer in intervals, and in between each interval, take a 5-10 minute break to recoup and stretch before returning to your current tasks. It is essential to work hard and try your best, but checking in with yourself and how you feel so you don’t overwork yourself is just as important. If you don’t have the flexibility, make it a routine for after work or even on the weekends to take some time for yourself, do a little writing, yoga, pick up a new book, or take up a new hobby to prevent burnout and ease your stress during the week

Self-care could also include physical activity and eating healthier. Being healthy doesn’t require a specific goal or diet. It could be as simple as a 20-30 minute workout of your choice on the weekends or trying new healthy recipes. There are many programs to help get you started like Beachbody, which offers home fitness plans from weights to yoga to cardio and Hello Fresh or Nutrisystem, which allows you to choose recipes and delivers fresh ingredients straight to your door.

Taking care of yourself should come first, and a healthy body and translates to a positive attitude to accomplish your daily tasks, activities, and other goals. Self-care is not a one-size-fits-all. Instead, you choose what you want to focus on and the tools you need to be your best self.

Wrap up

The past two years have been challenging for everyone, but we powered through, which proves that we can overcome significant obstacles in our lives, giving us a sense of hope that we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Making a New Year’s resolution doesn’t need to be a life-changing decision, it’s a goal that will benefit you in the long run.

2022 has given us a fresh, new opportunity to become our best selves and to make decisions that will benefit our futures. The most important part about making New Year resolutions to stick to them and modify how you’re going to achieve your goals as you adapt to new circumstances that may lie ahead in 2022.

January 6, 2022