This is going to sound controversial, but hang in there with us for a second… We think that new year’s resolutions are done and dusted. Their reign of January terror is officially over. What’s in and what we’re completely here for is building sustainable habits over the course of the year. The kind of habits that highlight what’s good and make your life better. The main reason why there’s this movement away from new year’s resolutions is because, generally speaking, resolutions are basically rules that depend on your willpower and determination. And once the rules are broken, the wind goes clean out of your sails, and you abandon all your good intentions to lose a bunch of weight or exercise 4 times a week or quit smoking once and for all.
Willpower just isn’t sustainable. There are very few people who can stick to their guns for longer than a couple of months at the most, so don’t feel bad if you’ve already lost the battle and succumbed to a carb. Incidentally, carbs are a necessary food source, so you really shouldn’t feel bad. But that’s another conversation entirely.
Right now, we want to focus on sustainable goals that you can pursue over 2020 in the hopes of making your year all the richer and more enjoyable.
Here are some good habits that you can build on:
Deal with your financial admin on time
Very little good can come from leaving your financial admin to get lost in the buzz of everyday life. We’re talking about paying those bills that aren’t debit orders when they’re due, filing your taxes with a few days to spare, and sorting out your insurance. Those tend to be the big 3 and all are really important to the smooth running of your life.
We can help you with the insurance side of things by pointing you in the direction of super cheap insurance for your car and home or even just for your cellphone.
Decide on which things make you happy
It’s an easy goal to put on a list, but being told to stress less is not really achievable. Have you ever noticed that if you focus on a thing, it pops up more and more? Like when you’re thinking of buying a Toyota RAV 4 and then everywhere you look, there’s a RAV 4. It’s almost like it’s the only car on the road. We don’t want to get into the science (because it is in fact more science than magic if you’ve a mind to Google Arnold Zwicky and his confirmation bias theory) but what you think about most tends to crop up.
So instead of focusing on less stress, focus on what makes you happy. Get specific about what makes you happy. Literally sit down and make notes on personal and achievable things that you can pursue this year to bring you more joy. Such as painting, jogging on the open road, creating homecooked meals, or whatever else tickles your fancy. And then go for it.
Be intentional about your spending
We can talk about saving all the day long, but really, saving just comes down to being intentional about your money. Really consider how you want to spend it. Do you actually want to spend it on daily lunches and coffees and choccies at the fuel station or is it just happening? Because if you don’t want your money disappearing on these items, you’re going to have to consider your cash more carefully.
Actually, point 1 (dealing with your financial admin) kind of relates to this. You see, if you get intentional about your financial admin, you could save heaps more. Like doing your taxes on time and avoiding late penalties. Or getting a super cheap car insurance quote and switching your cover to something more affordable, like these decreasing premiums which ensures that your car insurance premium goes down every month without fail.
A lot of people see new year’s resolutions as a fickle thing and we agree. It’s far better to aim for goals that you can build over time and weave into the fabric of your life. So here’s to goals that’ll make you happier and healthier!
Posted in partnership with King Price Insurance
