Happy New Year!! Some Fresh and Thoughtful Resolutions for 2014

Now that the Holidays have passed and 2014 is already off and running, isn't it time you find yourself a new, and possibly out-of-the-box resolution idea for 2014? With a little help from the International Business Times' article here are some great suggestions to make the new year the best one yet!

1. Get specific about your weight-loss goal

It's one thing to say, "I want to lose weight." It's a whole other thing to say, "I'm going to lose weight by jogging Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and by only eating fast food once a month." Make specific goals for yourself. They don't have to be big; simply walking home from work instead of taking the bus is a step in the right direction. 

If you have a specific weight range you want to target, try drawing up a tailored workout plan to achieve that goal!

2. Get your finances in order - and keep them that way

First of all, don't spend money you don't have. Has that credit card balance added up? Shred the plastic. Making too many compulsive purchases? Realize you don't need half the stuff you think you do. Eating out too much? Get a cookbook and visit a grocery store.

Trouble tracking and documenting your spendings? Try Mint.com. It's a fun and free way to see your portfolio.

3. Clear out the clutter

Clutter and stress go hand-in-hand. That week's pile of mail on the dining room table is actually a bundle of stress. That staircase riddled with stacks of clothes, laundry detergent bottles in various states of emptiness, and workout gear? Also stress. Clear the clutter.

Take the time to purge your apartment or home of things that no longer serve you, and organize the things that do. Set up three large boxes in your living room. Separate everything by things to "keep," things to "donate" and thing to "throw away."

4. Be more positive

"Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations," Mayo Clinic notes. 

Being positive can do wonders for your psyche. It can also have a desirable effect on your overall health. Studies have shown a correlation between positive thinking and increased life span, lower rates of depression, better resistance to the common cold, lower levels of stress and better coping skills during adversity. 

5. Turn your smartphone off more often

Apps are addicting, games are fun, and has anyone else noticed how other people's face just aren't interesting as my smartphone screen?

If friends constantly call you out on your iPhone addiction, maybe your New Year’s resolution for 2014 should be to put the phone down and just…talk. We get it; the second that cell phone glows with a new message, it’s hard to stifle the intrigue. But really, it can wait. Engage with the people around you and pledge to give the messages and emails a rest.

6. Watch less TV

It’s simple: read more. Reading will expand your vocabulary, and give you something else to talk about at dinner parties other than the dog or the weather.

Maybe you’re not a novel kind of person. In the age of social media, where 140 characters seems like a lifetime of words, it’s hard to have the attention span for something with 300 or more pages. We get it. Instead, subscribe to a weekly magazine or two.

11. Get more fresh air

It’s important to get outside more often. According to Prevention, kids who get more “vitamin G,” a shorthand way of saying more time in green spaces, have less stress, perform better in school and have fewer ADHD symptoms.

Find ways to spend more time outdoors. Pick up gardening, or get a dog. A dog is as good an excuse as any to take a walk around the park. Or, find day trips you can do outside the city. Even a winery will do!

2014 is already full of bright and positive outlooks. If you’re looking to make the most of the year to come, just try one of these fresh ideas to springboard you forward in the coming year!