“New Year’s Day is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” (Mark Twain, American author & humourist).
I guess that says it all! Come on, jokes aside, it is a fact though, that many of us make decisions for the New Year which go out the window at the first opportunity… Only yesterday did I hear someone, who claimed on New Year’s Eve to be entering into a Dry January, say: “Well seeing as it’s my sister’s birthday next week, I’ll have a mildly wet January instead of a dry one…”. As for myself, I have to confess that after attempting Veganuary last year and failing miserably at the whiff of a roast chicken on day 22… I am no better. That’s why I am having another shot at it this year, firmly keeping in mind not only the health benefits, but also the good it will do to the environment. It’s been a week and so far, so good!
New Year’s resolutions present the perfect opportunity to make changes to your life for the better! I’m a little late, but still thought I’d give you a helping hand to draw up a list of highly attainable goals. By that, I mean, goals we put to the test last year at 1to1PROGRESS and managed to stick to!
Getting in shape is easy enough with an exercise and healthy diet plan, the trick is to find one easy to stick to in the long run! Doing it with friends and a good dose of determination helps!
Getting more quality sleep is a challenge nowadays mainly because of computers, smartphones, tablets and loads more gadgets with glowing lights. You should be gunning for at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night to function, so turn the devices off early and resist taking them to bed with you!
Spending less time on social media which has become a serious addiction through a wide range of demographics is a tough one to tackle… If you spend more than an hour daily on social media, it’s time to break the habit!
Reading more books will not only help you gain knowledge but also help exercise your brain by boosting concentration and honing mental skills!
Last but not least, learning a new language will not only help improve your communication skills, it will look great on your CV and possibly open up some doors! You have come to the right place so show commitment and dedication throughout your course! Take regular lessons, read books and magazines, blogs and other publications; listen to music, the radio, the news and whatever you enjoy; watch programmes in the language you are learning… Every little helps, trust me! Check out some other articles that might be useful (‘Improve your English with songs and music’; ‘Your favourite actors can be language trainers’).
Why not get started today and work on sticking to the good habits you have decided to adopt without further ado, with a bit of faith in yourself they will become second nature in no time!
And remember, happiness is a way of life and not a destination!
Best wishes!
Melanie Hall – Educational Manager