Mid-Year Resolutions

Just because it’s not January 1 doesn’t mean that you can’t stop, take stock, and evaluate how this year is going. Since I’ve been gone so long, I feel like I have a clean slate to start on when I land back in the U.S. next month. With that in mind, I’ve been trying to think about what sort of mid-year resolutions will help me be happier and healthier in the second half of 2014. Here’s a few that I came up with:

1.    Think positively.

It’s really easy to get bogged down by the little things. Especially with finals and my summer job search, it seems like things grow astronomically out of proportion and leave me feeling really discouraged. I’m working on being more positive about those things and recognizing that, “it’s a bad day, not a bad life” is a great mantra for getting past the little annoyances or setbacks.

2.    Drink more water.

As anyone who knows me can attest, I am the absolute queen of coffee (iced, with milk and sugar, please). I’ve noticed that being in London has left me constantly dehydrated. It’s super important to drink plenty of water every day to keep your whole body healthy and I know I don’t drink enough of it. I’m planning on buying myself a new water bottle when I get home to help encourage me to do better about drinking more.

3.    It’s the small things that matter most

This semester I’ve tried to do more small things for the people I love. I sent a classmate’s five-year-old son a postcard to brighten his day (who doesn’t love getting snail mail? I know I do!) I sent my brother and sister Oxford University tee-shirts as a surprise gift when I realized how much I missed them. I try to send my parents emails with articles or links to things I think they would enjoy. I brought my boyfriend lunch as a treat when I knew he was hard at work studying. It doesn’t take much time, it helps other people know you love them, and it makes you feel better about yourself!

4.    Step away from the screen

One of the things I’ve noticed since I got my new iPhone for Christmas is that I have trouble stepping away from technology. I used to be frustrated when I would go out with friends and everyone would automatically pull out their phones at the table. It took my boyfriend being frustrated with my constant phone use (so hard when I’m away from family!) to make me realize I’d starting doing the very thing that used to drive me crazy. With so many social media platforms and iMessage promising constant contact, it’s hard to disengage and really focus on spending time with people. So one thing I’m going to challenge myself to do is mute my phone when I’m out with friends and limit myself to checking it once or twice.

5.    Treat yourself

With so many things going on all the time, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. I find that as the semester goes on, my focus and priorities shift and I sometimes overlook giving myself a little TLC. I don’t mean splurging on a huge shopping spree or a big vacation, but just little things that make you feel like a million bucks. For me, this is taking the time to go on a long run, get a pedicure, or just spend an hour reading a good novel instead of a big, heavy casebook.

If you had to evaluate how you’ve done on your New Year’s Resolutions, would you deem them a success, or join me in re-evaluating and making Mid-Year Resolutions?