Meaningful Ways You Can Improve Your Life in 2019

Did you know that three in four people are unlikely to achieve their New Year’s resolutions?

On top of this, people who do reach their resolutions are no happier than those that don’t. If you see room for improvement in your life — and most of us do — ditch your 2019 resolutions and focus instead on making small, manageable changes to your life each day.

Here are some tips and resources to help get you started on the right foot.

Related: “Ultimate Travel Guide to Vietnam”

5 Meaningful Ways You Can Improve Your Life in 2019

Make More Time to Travel

Many people travel for leisure and relaxation, but travelling can actually do wonders for your mental health. For starters, travel gives you a break from reality so that you can rest and rejuvenate yourself to tackle any obstacles life throws your way. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in another city, environment, or culture so that you can gain perspective and maybe re-evaluate your values and goals. Solo travel especially, can get you out of your comfort zone and help you gain new skills and opens your mind to other possibilities.

It’s easy to say you’ll step away from work or difficult life situation and take a breather, but travelling actually forces you to do it so that you can give your brain a much-needed break, boost your mood, and instill yourself with the confidence to know that you do have the power to control certain situations.

The absolute best part about travelling is that you are in charge. Pick a time, choose a destination, make the necessary travel plans, and go. If you’re like me and decide to make travel your career, here are some of the best travel jobs to work and travel the world with!

Boost Your Self-Confidence

Start out on the right foot by building your confidence to reduce self-criticism, cope with negativity, and raise your motivation. There are several concrete strategies available to build up your confidence so you can banish your self-imposed limitations and really hit the ground running this year.

For example, try rehearsing some positive mantras throughout your day. These statements should reinforce the positive habits you’re trying to build and reflect the personal qualities you’re working towards.

It’s also important to take good care of yourself to encourage self-love and realize your own value. Finally, set smaller, more realistic goals so you can get a regular self-esteem boost from achieving them instead of facing impossible ambitions.

Pursue Your Goals

Since we spend one-third of our lives working, our job satisfaction plays an extremely important role in our overall happiness. This year, think about your career goals and get prepared to meet them. Do you wish you were in a different line of work?

Do you have your heart set on an important promotion? Whatever your objective, avoid waiting for the opportunity to fall in your lap. Take concrete actions, like polishing up your resume — be sure to learn about different resume formats and choose one that really highlights the exact skills, qualifications, or personality characteristics that are needed for the particular job you’ve got your eye on.

While you’re at it, make sure your cover letter is specially tailored to each job you’re applying for. This will help you stand out to the hiring manager and encourage them to call you in for an interview.

Schedule Time For Self-Care

Everyone feels like they’re too busy to exercise, pursue career goals, cook healthy meals, or explore new hobbies. However, according to CBS News, we have much more free time than we think. Even people who work full-time have about 4.09 hours of leisure time each day. That said, most of us waste this precious time scrolling on social media, watching TV, or otherwise being unproductive.

These activities reward us with immediate gratification but contribute absolutely nothing to our overall happiness. So this year, try valuing your free time a little more and filling it up with activities that help you become the person you want, expose you to new experiences, and expand your knowledge.

Of course, this means you’ll have to be ready to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term gain — check out this article by IQ Matrix for tips on overcoming the pull of instant gratification.

Make Small Changes to Your Spending Habits

Frivolous spending is another one of those things that give us immediate pleasure and hurt us in the long run. Think about your daily latte, takeout lunch, or that recent impulse shopping spree. Even the insignificant act of buying a coffee every day can cost you between $240 and $1,200 every year. So, it’s safe to say that an accumulation of larger expenses, like gym memberships and restaurant outings, can take a huge chunk out of your budget.

Try tracking your expenses for a couple of months to get a clear picture of your spending habits. Identify spending areas that can be reduced, and make a plan for the money you save. Whether it’s travel, building up your retirement savings, or treating yourself to a luxury item at the end of the year, this will keep you motivated to stick to your new spending habits.

Self-improvement is a continuous process. As you enhance different aspects of your life, don’t settle for simple satisfaction. Keep adopting healthy habits and setting new goals as you strive for greater happiness, success, and a higher quality of life in 2019.

Find your passions

This is one of the most important tips of this list. A passion is like “home for your mind”. It could be advocating for something you believe in, giving back, becoming a travel blogger! As a child, we develop some passions that we tend to lose when we grow up, but it’s one of the most powerful tools to regenerate your mind. I believe everyone should pursue their passion in life. It’s what makes life worth living, and gives our lives true meaning and purpose.

Each time you work on something you love, it creates joy inside you like nothing else. Finding a way to use your passions to give back to the world will give your life ultimate meaning.

If you can’t manage (or aren’t ready) to work on your passion for a living, be sure and make time for it every day. By working on your passion and becoming an expert in it, you will eventually have the opportunity to make money from it. Be ready to seize that opportunity!