New Year’s Resolution

It’s January, time for new resolutions. We all want to be slimmer, wealthier, happier, more loved in the New Year. I was just wondering, what is your one resolution you really want to keep this year?

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Even though December 31st and January 1st are only a day apart, there’s something about the beginning of a new year that makes us all feel like we’ve started afresh. Call it a second — or third, fourth or 20th — chance to get it right, call it a clean slate. Whatever you dub it, though, take advantage of the new year’s sense of renewal.

Like many, I do come up with a list of resolutions and goals for myself every year. Most of these goals hover somewhere between the categories of lofty/unobtainable and “things I should be doing anyway.” In the end, I find it’s best to make resolutions that better my body, mind and soul and have the potential to turn into lifestyle changes — not just a 365 day challenge.

Some resolutions are more personalized (such as traveling more or budgeting time more efficiently) while others are lifestyle habits we can all benefit from (exercising more and eating better both qualify, and are two of the most popular new year’s resolutions).

Another new year’s resolution we can all benefit from is better shopping habits. This boils down to money management, but the way we shop also says a lot about our personalities. For example, some people rarely shop around to find a better bargain while others hurriedly shuffle to the discount rack even if they’re not in need of anything.

The shopping habit I’m most guilty of? Online bargain shopping. During my free time, you can catch me perusing deals on designer duds at eBay, sifting through the hundreds of Etsy stores and clicking on any e-advertisement promising a good deal.

I’m also signed up at myriad monthly subscription websites — including JustFab, Birchbox, BeautyFix and JewelMint — and receive about 20 to 30 emails daily from various clothing/jewelry/makeup stores. The worst part is that while many delete these daily emails, I’m guilty of checking out what’s new (and what’s discounted), which only tempts me further.

This year, I’ve made a vow to cancel all my monthly subscriptions (who needs a new pair of shoes every month, really? My husband refuses to look inside my closet for fear of the great shoe avalanche) and will only allow myself purchases when absolutely necessary (e.g. special occasions or a new fitness gear when mine’s ready to be tossed).

Perhaps in the coming years I’ll be able to make goals like some of my other friends, who vow to go an entire 365 days without buying even one new piece of clothing or pair of shoes. For now, though, I’m taking baby steps. After all, new year’s resolutions are about making changes that translate into lifestyle habits.

By Wendy Rose Gould