With 2023 in full swing, many of us have self-improvement on our minds. New Year’s resolutions are certainly not a new concept, but the issue usually isn’t making the resolutions, it’s sticking to them. If you are looking to better yourself this year, you need some practical goals that you can stick to long term.
No matter if your goals include fitness, lifestyle, or investing in your hobbies with new tools like Ubisoft’s guitar tuner, you should start with something achievable. If you need some tips on how to get started, here are some of the best ways you can stay smart, safe, and healthy in 2023.
Stay Smart
One thing that has many of us concerned going into 2023 is inflation. The cost of living has been skyrocketing over the last year and it is only predicted to get worse through 2023. One smart thing you can do this year is to try to brainstorm ways to increase your income and lower your spending. While this is certainly easier said than done, there are a few things you can do to make a difference by being smart about your finances. Here are some of our favorite ways to increase your savings and help to make your money go further in a difficult economy:
- Invest: This option only works if you have savings to invest, so if you don’t have savings, skip to the next section. If you do have investable income, then you will want to go ahead and do so. Investing, even in small amounts, can help offset the harmful effects of inflation by ensuring that your savings account grows with the increasing cost of living. Traditional investing hasn’t been getting as much attention with the addition of cryptocurrencies, but either can be a great option if you know what you are doing. Companies like Gryphon Digital Mining and their Bitcoin miners are paving the way for more sustainable forms of digital mining, which will help keep crypto around long-term.
- Reduce Monthly Services: Monthly subscription services can be hard to let go of, but with many of the major streaming services splitting off into fractions, it can get difficult to justify having multiples of the same thing. Prioritize which streaming services you use the most and ditch the rest. You can also try password sharing amongst your friend groups so you don’t have to compromise any of your services. After all, it’s a win-win situation.
- Pick up a Side Gig: Side hustle culture has been eclipsed by the importance of work-life-balance in recent years, however, many of us are left with no choice when it comes to inflation. Try to maintain your work-life balance by picking a part-time gig that doesn’t take up too much of your energy or time. Something like data entry or dog sitting are great options for those who want to avoid burn-out. You can also freelance in an area you have experience in. For example, freelance writers can make a good amount of side money, especially when using applications like The Word Counter’s random word generator.
Stay Healthy
Staying Healthy is the most common goal that people have when the new year rolls around. There are a variety of different ways that you can maintain or improve your health that don’t include countless hours of cardio or unhealthy starvation diets. If you hate spending your gym time on a treadmill, try out strength training instead. If you don’t know where to start, look for instructions online.
BarBend’s guide to Bulgarian split squats or shoulder presses is a great way to build your foundation. Another simple way you can improve your health is by taking daily vitamins. Vitamins are great at filling any nutritional gaps that may exist in your diet. You can also find targeted vitamin formulas, like these vitamins for clear skin from JSHealth.
While weight loss is often a common goal for new year’s resolution makers, let’s switch it up this year and focus on eating for health rather than weight loss. The key is to focus on foods that nourish your body like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, and complex carbs. This year is the perfect time to leave crash diets or diets that eliminate entire food groups in the past.
If you don’t know where to start, you can check out this guide to meal prepping from Healthline for some tips and tricks on planning healthy meals. You can also try out a meal delivery service if lack of time is what prevents you from making healthy meals. These services are great for anyone who needs the process simplified.
While eating well and incorporating regular exercise are important factors in leading a healthy lifestyle, there is far more to it. It is important to remember that not all health goals have to be diet or fitness related. Staying healthy also includes personal care. You should make an effort to cater to your own individual health needs on an annual basis. That can include getting a new pair of prescription safety glasses from Stoggles or keeping up with tattoo aftercare using Mad Rabbit’s products. Whatever health needs you may have, you should always participate in routine maintenance. These small acts will help you avoid more serious issues down the road.
Stay Safe
No matter what your specific goals are, we all have the desire to make 2023 a fantastic year. With a little effort to keep ourselves safe, smart, and healthy, we can all be the GOAT—you can find the meaning on Rock the Bells if you aren’t up to date on current slang terms. Take care and be kind to yourself in the new year, and don’t forget to make the most of it. Here’s to 2023!
