Well folks, we’ve officially made it to 2017! And there’s no better time than the beginning of the year to take inventory of your life, clean up a few things here and there, and do some planning for the next little while. From your finances to your email inbox, here are 6 quick and easy things you can do (from behind your computer screen, I might add) that’ll help you be better in 2017.
1. Message a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
Each and every one of us has that friend whose company we genuinely enjoy, but with whom we repeatedly find ourselves rescheduling coffee dates and going silent on for months at a time. Sound familiar? Even in super healthy friendships, life can get in the way of seeing one another consistently. It just happens.
Right this minute (yes, really), shoot that person a message and ask to catch up. It doesn’t matter whether you grab lunch or drinks – just put something on your calendar and try your best not to take a raincheck. It’s always wise to reconnect with your support system, and going into the new year, you need people in your life that can hold you accountable for the goals I’m about to make you set (surprise!).
2. Compliment someone you admire in your field.
In an age where so much of our time is spent on social media, there’s a very good chance you follow certain people online because you admire their work. If someone has made a name for themselves in your chosen field and they’re a huge inspiration to you, send them an email and tell them that. You’ll make their day and it could be the start of a new personal or professional relationship.
Maybe you have a question for them about what they do or how they got there. If so, feel free to include that in your email. If you think you’d have lots to discuss, don’t ask to “pick their brain” (it’s an overused phrase and they might not be eager to dole out their hard-earned wisdom for free). Instead, ask whether you could buy them a coffee or chat briefly over the phone sometime. It’s a small gesture but forming this connection could make big waves in your plan to be better in 2017.
3. Sign up for a conference, workshop, or event that sounds interesting.
Since you’re still in that “new year, new me” state of mind, now is a great time to sign up for things you can’t back out of later. Do some research and find a conference, workshop, or event that sounds interesting to you (Meetup is a great place to start looking for these). Whether you’re interested in learning how to code or networking with travel bloggers, there’s really something out there for everyone.
It’s never a bad time to pick up some new skills, knowledge, or personal connections, and with fresh optimism it’s now easier than ever to schedule in these sorts of opportunities. For all you know, they could be the beginning of a new hobby or even give you a leg up professionally.
4. Sign up for Invibed’s Wealth Coaching program.
Nobody likes to think about money right after the holiday season (yikes). But if you’re a 20-something like me, this decade is crucial if you’re looking to become financially stable one day. Schools don’t do a great job of teaching us about finance when we’re growing up, which leaves us with lots of unanswered questions (not to mention student debt).
In the new year, it’s a really good idea to start getting serious about money. Invibed now offers a Wealth Coaching program to teach us about our finances and give us one-on-one time with a Certified Financial Planner. The program lets us run through our concerns about everything from buying a home to setting up passive income. And the best part is, you can sign up for a free consultation here!
5. Unsubscribe from the email newsletters you don’t read.
There’s nothing worse than getting excited about a new message on your lock screen and then realizing that it’s just one of your useless email newsletters. For five minutes right now, take inventory of the newsletters you’re subscribed to – and be honest with yourself. If you haven’t actually read it in months, immediately delete it, or literally sigh in disappointment each time it appears, it’s time to unsubscribe.
Email notifications cause us enough psychological stress as is. Let’s eliminate those unnecessary subscriptions and start the year with a cleaner inbox and less spam.
6. Choose a few goals to work on for the next three months.
This is the time of year when everyone makes their New Year’s resolutions – including those super broad, unrealistic ones they’re almost destined to break. My strange (but tried and tested) solution is to only make goals or resolutions for the next three months of my life. I’m still allowed, and even encouraged, to have my more ambitious, long-term goals. But realistically, any huge accomplishment involves dozens of smaller-scale checkpoints.
Start by considering the different areas of your life where you’d like to be better in 2017 — health, career, social life, finances, and so on. Write down a couple things you’d like to accomplish in each area, but only over the next 90 days. Instead of saying, “I’m going to get in shape this year,” say, “from now until March, I’m going to run for 10 minutes, three times a week.” That way, you might actually get in shape this year. The more specific and simple your goals are, the more likely you are to achieve them.
How do you plan to be better in 2017? Leave your goals in the comments — and let me know if you knocked out any of these 6 things!
The post 6 Things You Can Do to Be Better in 2017 appeared first on Miss Millennia Magazine- Where Millennials Learn to Adult.