The new year is right around the corner and everyone has started jotting down some of their New Year’s resolutions. Now, the thing about New Year’s resolutions is that you’re technically not supposed to start them until the new year; January 1. You actually can start them whenever you want… people just choose to wait until January 1st so that they can get all of their bad habits out at the end of the year so that when the new year comes, they can start on a clean slate.

A clean slate is the appealing part of New Year’s resolutions if you think about it… it’s the opportunity for another chance to do better. Whether you’re trying to get that beach body or climb the corporate ladder, forming New Year’s resolutions dates back to ancient times. According to livescience.com, Bronze Age people as well as Babylonians practiced the art of New Year’s resolutions, granted each people had their own traditions and variations of it, the art of self-improvement has a rich and ancient history.

So the fact that you aim for self-improvement in the new year, is probably embedded in your DNA from our ancestors but nonetheless, self-improvement is a resolution that everyone should strive for no matter the time of year but since the new year is coming, it makes perfect sense to get yourself prepared to take on your resolutions when January 1 hits.

Everyone, of course, has their own personal resolutions that they want to reach, whether it be traveling or simply drinking more water, it’s all about self-improvement. If you’re having a hard time coming up with some self-improvement resolutions to start in 2020, try jotting these down as a good starting point to get your new year started in the right direction.

New Year’s Resolution 1: Exercise At Least 3 Days a Week

Exercising is the most failed New Year’s resolution ever. Why? Because people approach it all wrong. When people make the resolution to exercise more, they think it means that they have to join a gym or get a personal trainer. Now, if that’s what you want to do, then by all means do that but that’s not solely what it means.

Exercising more means just that… exercise more. You don’t have to join a gym or get a personal trainer. Going for walks in the park or in your neighborhood counts as exercising. Downloading an exercise app on your phone and working out in your living room counts as exercise too, you just have to narrow it down to how often you want to do it, to make your goal more concrete. Exercising three days a week is a realistic and doable goal to achieve.

New Year’s Resolution 2: Splurge on Yourself More Often

As an adult, and especially if you have children, it can be very had to do things you enjoy. From buying school clothes and supplies to paying your mortgage and car note, it’s sometimes hard to carve out funds to splurge on yourself. In order to enjoy the fruits of your labor, try taking out $10 to $20 dollars every pay period and treat yourself to something you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just as long as it’s something you enjoy. Whether it’s going to the movies or buying scratch-offs, it’s not selfish to spend your hard-earned money on yourself from time to time.

New Year’s Resolution 3: Embark on a New Career Journey

Embarking on a new career journey doesn’t mean you have to step on others to get there. In fact, embarking on a new career journey can be whatever you want it to be. Maybe you’re currently working in the finance industry but need a change in scenery; maybe you want to transition from finance to human resources… the industry options are endless.

Maybe you have a side hustle that you want to turn into your full-time job. Go for it! Making the decision to become an entrepreneur is a beautiful but tedious journey to take on but it’s so worth it. There are of course some important things to take into consideration like what your competition looks like, if you want a professional service to form your LLC, and how much it will cost to start your business… but even with those considerations, there are resources out there that will show you step-by-step how to become an entrepreneur.

New Year’s Resolution 4: Go to the Doctor

You’ve heard the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right? Well, that’s the mentality of lots of people when it comes to going to the doctor. Many people think that if they’re not physically ill, there’s no reason to go to the doctor. Well, the only thing wrong with that mentality is EVERYTHING!

When people say that “health is wealth” it couldn’t be any truer. Your health is the very thing that keeps you alive and functioning each day… without it, everybody would be walking around like ticking time bombs waiting for the moment to die. Going to the doctor is the key to prevention. If you’re someone who is fairly healthy and rarely gets sick, then great but it’s no excuse to not go to the doctor… you need to go to the doctor at least once a year.