As we approach a New Year, most of us have goals and resolutions on our minds. I don’t have to give you the stats, but most resolutions won’t make it past the first few months of the year. This year can be one of the greatest of your life or the same as every other year.

Life is short; we know this in our minds.

However, too often we don’t live life this way. We have goals and big dreams that we put off for “later” and later usually never comes. You only get one life to live, which is why this New Year should be the start of a revolution in your life.

This should be the year you chase every dream that you have in your heart and do all the things you’ve always wanted to do.

Here are five things you should do differently to radically change your life.

1. Stop wasting time

Time is the only thing we’ll never get back, which is why it’s one of your most valuable resources. Life goes by in the blink of an eye and too often we spend a bulk of our time on things that we don’t want to do, or that aren’t beneficial to what we want from our life.

Stop wasting time on things that aren’t really important to you. Spend time working on your dreams. Spend time with those you love because we won’t have those people forever. Learn to live each moment fully present so you don’t miss the little moments. Those moments are what you’ll remember at the end of your life.

2. Live a healthy lifestyle

I’ve struggled with my weight for 12 years, but after a year of focusing on living a healthy lifestyle, I lost 170 pounds and changed the way I think about food. I feel so much better, I have more energy, and I can be there (physically) for my children.

Living a healthy lifestyle goes beyond dieting and exercising. It means making choices that are beneficial to your body and lifestyle. It’s too easy to cheat on a diet, but if a healthy lifestyle is a part of your life, making the right choices will be second nature. Your body can be a well-oiled machine if you treat it that way.

3. Get a better work situation

Gallup tells us that we now spend 47 hours of our week working. That time could be spent doing something you love or hate.

Too many of us are in jobs we hate, which affects every other area of our life. You can’t spend 47 hours being miserable and expect to turn that off once you leave work. It will add stress and anxiety that stays with you beyond the working hours.

We live in an amazing time where the Internet and technology have created opportunities to earn a living in ways that were never possible before. It may take some time, but you can find or create work you love. Use this New Year as the jumping off point into spending those 47 hours fulfilled in your work.

4. End toxic relationships

Love can be a funny thing. It can make you feel like you’re flying over the clouds or like you just got punched in the stomach. Here’s the thing to understand about love, it’s not a feeling, it’s a decision.

You choose to love and you can choose whether to stay in the relationships in your life. It can be a significant other or friends, but if the relationship is toxic without the possibility of improvement, it’s healthier for you to part ways. You have to determine if the relationship is salvageable, but trying to fix something that’s broken is a waste of time and affecting your state of mind.

5. Step outside of your comfort zone

You can live a comfortable life without stepping outside of your comfort zone and probably end up just fine. However, when you live life this way, you miss so many amazing opportunities.

Sometimes it’s smart to play it safe, but too often we don’t do all the things we want to do in life because it’s outside of our comfort zone. It can be leaving a job you hate or moving to a cool dream designation, but whatever it is, those dream are in your mind and heart for a reason. It’s time to stop putting off what you really want to do because before you know it, life will pass you by.

The stats about New Years resolutions don’t have to apply to you. You don’t even have to call them that. You don’t even have to hit those resolutions this year. Making big changes and chasing dreams might take you more time than even this year. But you can use this year to get started.

The point is, as much as possible, to live life without regrets. At the end of your life you’re not going to remember all the stuff you accumulated, you’ll remember your experiences. Choose your dreams over stuff. Choose the life you want over what’s comfortable.

Make this the year you say, “Screw it” by chasing your dreams and making them your reality.

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” – Melody Beattie

What changes will you make for the Year 2022?

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The new year is a natural time to pause and think about what we might want to change in the year ahead. Before setting new year’s resolutions and goals, it’s important to take some time to reflect on what went well last year, as well as what didn’t go quite as planned. Mindful journaling is an excellent tool to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, discover our deeper desires and dreams, and make new goals and intentions. Accessing a list of mindful journaling prompts can be a fun and powerful way to find the clarity, insight, and ease for a new year’s journaling and goal setting practice.

Why use mindful journaling?

Journaling can be a powerful tool to support a mindfulness, yoga or meditation practice. It helps us to focus on the things we need to improve upon, and it also allows us to see ourselves clearly. When we write about our experiences, we gain insight into who we are and what we value. This can be incredibly useful in reflecting on the past year, and helping us decide about our future. Journaling is a great way to figure out what our growth opportunities and goals should be. It’s also a great way to make sure we don’t forget about them when they come around again next year!

Mindful journaling prompts for the New Year

We’ve broken down our list of mindful journaling prompts into two categories, reflecting on the past and looking to the year ahead. We recommend choosing a handful of writing prompts from both to guide your New Year’s journaling. After you’ve selected your list of questions to focus on, plan a time to sit down for your journaling session. Make sure there will be no distractions, and feel free to create a ritual by lighting candles, playing music, burning incense, chanting mantras, or maybe even a fire ceremony. You might want to start with a meditation or yoga practice to help ground and center yourself before writing.

12 Prompts to reflect on the past year

Reflecting on the past is an excellent way to get yourself thinking about what has been going well and what hasn’t. You may have made progress in certain areas of your life, but if you’re feeling stuck or unhappy with something, this is the perfect time to look back at the last year with compassion, curiosity and mindfulness.

1. What were my biggest successes in the last year? What goals did I achieve?
2. What challenges did I face last year? How did I overcome them?
3. What changes did I make in my life last year? How did they affect me?
4. What word best summarizes this last year? Why?
5. What is something that has helped me grow this year?
6. What were my biggest lessons from last year?
7. How did my yoga and meditation practice grow over this past year?
8. What do I want to remember most from this year? What is my favorite memory?
9. What is my happiest moment of the year? What is my saddest moment?
10. Was there anything that I perceived as a failure but now can perceive as a gift?
11. Who inspired me the most this year and why?
12. Who encouraged or supported me the most this year?

14 Prompts to look ahead to the new year

Mindfully journaling about the year ahead is a great way to help you set goals and aspirations for the coming year. If you’ve already written your goals, you can review those and add additional ones. If you have written nothing down yet, now is a great time to mindfully reflect on your thoughts and feelings for the year ahead.

1. What things do I want to learn or experience in the next year?
2. What are my hopes and dreams for the next year?
3. What are my most significant weaknesses, and what can I do to improve them?
4. What can I do this year to bring me closer to my ideal life?
5. What are my top fears and concerns for the next year? How are these fears holding me back?
6. What can I do to become more present and mindful in my life?
7. What can I do or change to create more joy, happiness and peace in my life?
8. What will bring me an increased sense of calmness, contentment, and spirituality?
9. What will bring me deeper compassion, connection, and understanding?
10. Who do I need to forgive and where do I need to let go of anger, frustration and resentment?
11. Are there any bad habits I want to change? What good habits would I like to start this new year?
12. Are there any self-care, health and wellness practices I’d like to try this year?
13. What would make my life more fulfilling and rewarding?
14. What would bring me greater wisdom and insight?

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New year, new me. How many times have you already said that to yourself? Maybe each new year, but something distracts you from building that new character and personality. What is it? Right, old habits and views. You know that it is hard to start doing something, and the reason is that the human brain is reluctant when it comes to learning. If it were up to it, Neanderthals would be lying on their stone couches in pajamas (the same way you lie sometimes). Hence, to progress in your life and set the foundation for a good year, grab your thoughts in your hands and do these 3 new things.

1. Try Something Accessible

How many times have you passed by that interesting coffee shop you wanted to enter? Many. Have you thought of visiting the ice skating rink nearby? Yes, you have. And how many times have you dreamed of participating in a master class related to your hobby? You certainly dreamed of that at least once a week. These examples show you that new things are at arm’s length. However, you haven’t tried all of these new activities due to work obligations and promises to family, friends, neighbors, and relatives’ cats. This year, remember to prioritize yourself, and your wants to make those new things come to your life.

2. Try New Format Of Gatherings

COVID-19 had people live at home for more than a year, affecting their relationships. Think about how you can rekindle relationships with your friends or family members or anyone you have been missing. There are several things you can do in this regard. For example, you can think of a gathering under your roof. It should not necessarily be a gathering where not everyone knows each other. There can be your friends from different job sites or relatives that have not seen each other for a long time. Gather your favorite people and create exciting memories with them. Play games, sing karaoke, cook and clean together, and most importantly, take many photos. Finally, make a board for them to look at all those cheerful people every day you wake up. The more positive your everyday attitude is, the better your day will evolve.

3. Try New Recipes And Foods

Have a look at your everyday diet. Has it changed a lot during the previous year? Have you tried good-looking festive dishes or healthy and easy-made recipes? If you haven’t, you know what to do. If you have, what about making it a habit at New Year’s? First, you can search what traditional dishes different nations eat at New Year. For instance, in Central Asia, people used to eat dishes from meat that they had long preserved (mutton meat in oil). Second, you can try a lovely dish that contains things you don’t like that much. Who knows, maybe sauces and design can turn your “No, I don’t like beans” into “Give me more.” Finally, if you are into healthy canna consumption, you can try pantry cannabis cookies and jellies. The bottom line is that the new year should start with new impressions that may lead to enjoyable habits and hobbies.

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Deciding to go on the journey of losing weight and changing your health can be a difficult decision to make and an even more difficult process to maintain.

Because of this, it can be extremely helpful to have support and encouragement along the way. If you’re on your journey or thinking about getting started, we’ve got some extra inspiration for you.

Here are 20 success stories from people who lost 20 pounds or more this year. And for more healthy eating tips, make sure to check out The 7 Healthiest Foods To Eat Right Now.

“I lost over 50 pounds in a period of about 8 months, and the biggest change I implemented was with my lunch during the workweek. I found that my lunch at work was my worst meal of the day. I went from eating fast food each day to meal prepping grilled chicken, vegetables, and nuts (almonds) for the week.”

“Not only did I reduce my calorie intake by almost 800 calories for just that meal, but I also found myself not as hungry throughout the day because I was getting a good ratio of protein, carbs, and healthy fats.” – Jeff Moriarty, who lost 50 pounds

RELATED: 14 Lunch Habits That Help You Lose Weight

“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2019, and having the accountability of everyday workouts and a community through Onnit was an absolute god-send for my road back to health and recovery. I participated in workouts on a daily basis that were engaging, but also nourishing, teaching me the importance of proper mobility and recovery.”

“If you’d like, you can hear more about my health journey on my podcast!” – Seth Marcus, who lost weight with Onnit

RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!

“Things like meal prep and finding a supportive community were some of the keys to my success. I learned it all through the Onnit 6 Challenge, and the Onnit community continues to give me the tools and support I need for my results to be sustainable.” – Angie Sanders, who lost weight with the Onnit Challenge

“Being frustrated by my lack of progress and excessive snacking were some of my greatest challenges, so I set out to address each one of those obstacles.”

“I started nightly meditation and breathing exercises, and have learned to be kind toward myself, remind myself how far I’ve come, and go into every day with a plan. Having a plan each day and tracking my intake through Lose It! has helped me avoid mindless snacking.”- Daniel Acevedo, who lost weight with the Lose It! app

“I had a hard time doing normal tasks such as walking up stairs and playing with my daughter, so I began tracking my meals and getting in daily exercise using Lose It!“

“I realized I was drinking so many of my daily calories, so now I drink around 150 ounces of water each day. I log my food for the day each morning so I know what to expect throughout the day. I also make sure to get in some form of exercise every day.” – Michael Murphy, who’s lost 110 pounds

RELATED: Major Side Effect Of Not Drinking Enough Water

“I have lost 101 pounds so far, and I did that by drinking a gallon of water every day, taking classes 5-6 times a week, and focusing on my cardio. I did weight loss challenges at The Camp Transformation Center and learned to really push myself every time even when it got hard and I wanted to give up.”

“To maintain my healthy lifestyle, I’ve limited my alcohol intake, tried cutting out a lot of processed foods, fast food, junk food, continued to drink a lot of water, and continued my workout routine.” – Alex Alvarez, who has lost 102 pounds

“I’ve lost 70 pounds so far and I’ve done it through changing my eating habits by following the nutritional guidelines at The Camp Transformation Center.”

“I’m more conscious of what I eat and what I put into my body. I don’t eat rice as much, even though you know us Filipinos love our rice. I now sometimes substitute my rice with salad instead. At the end of the day, it was dedication, consistency, and the eating habits I changed that helped me lose the weight.” – Gian Muya, who lost 70 pounds

“I lost 20 pounds this year after gaining weight during Covid. I decided to try an Isagenix program, even though I was hesitant because of the price. It was a tough 30-day regiment and I had to completely change the way I was eating. I cut out dairy, red meat, alcohol, and in the first 30 days I lost 14 pounds.”

“I decided to continue the plan but phased a few alcoholic drinks in here and there (just clear alcohol like vodka or tequila if I went out with friends). In May, I lost another 6 pounds.”

“It really taught me to eat differently in a sustainable way. I can now go into a restaurant and know what to order. I treat myself occasionally, but I realize that my body doesn’t really crave a lot of the stuff it used to anymore.” – Erin Talbot, who lost 20 pounds

“The biggest thing with my weight loss was getting my diet under control. Previously, every burger was a double cheeseburger, every scoop of potatoes and cheese had a second one behind it. Dessert was a ‘yes, please!’ But I realized no amount of exercise can undo this.”

“I also found intermittent fasting to be a game-changer for me. It turns your body off fat-creation mode and puts it into fat-burning mode.”

“And finally, regular exercise was a necessary part of it for me. It’s not about being a gym rat, although I kind of am, it’s just using your physical body to become stronger and healthier.” Ben Nettleton, who lost 35 pounds

RELATED: Try This Intermittent Fasting Tip To Lose Stubborn Fat, Expert Says

“Because of my occupation (recipe developer), making large lifestyle changes just wasn’t an option, but I started to make a conscious effort to control portion sizes by using small plates.”

“I also eat all of my veggies and proteins first and then if I am still hungry, add carbs. Lastly, and the biggest change for my journey was daily exercise. I make sure to do a 30 minutes run/walk combo every morning on my Nordictrack.” – Jessica Formicola, who lost 35 pounds

“My buddies and I actually made a bet to see who could get in shape the fastest. I know it may sound strange, but I believe that to achieve your health goals, you have to make it about something bigger than you. Making a pact made me do the things I said I was going to do even when no one else was watching.”

“I used a free app called MyFitnessPal and input my goal of losing weight. I tracked my daily calorie intake while still getting enough macronutrients to gain muscle. I also made sure I hit my step count by adding a 1-hour walk alongside my steps at work.  My accountability started to slip so I hired a personal trainer who kept me accountable to my workout.”- Kawan Karadaghi, who lost 22 pounds

“I recently lost over 30 pounds just by doing some very basic things. I learned to manage my portion control, track my daily calories, and change the types of desserts I have after meals.”

“I’m not a big workout or exercise person, but I try to walk a few miles on the weekends if possible, nothing crazy! I’ve found that sticking to the basics and being aware of your caloric intake vs. what you burn in a day is all you really need sometimes.” – Sarah Levy who lost over 30 pounds

“I lost over 100 pounds in the past 3 years from CycleBar. I was looking for a way to up my fitness game to actually see results and lose some weight. I started noticing results and fell in love with the classes at CycleBar, that I quickly decided to apply to become an instructor and teach my own classes!” – Amy Schuerman, who lost 100 pounds

“I’ve gone from 265 pounds to 213 pounds, and I did this by making some key changes in my life. I gave up soft drinks, limited my intake of processed sugar, spent more time outside, and made more meals at home from scratch.” – Baron Christopher-who lost over 50 pounds

RELATED: If You Drink Soda, This Is What It Does To Your Body

“The biggest thing I did to jump-start my weight loss was meal planning. Having a plan each week for what I would be eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a fridge stocked with food for those meals was a game-changer. Instead of running out for fast food at lunchtime, grabbing a last-minute pastry with my morning coffee, or calling for takeout because I was too tired to figure out what was for dinner – I followed the plan I had made.”

“This truly changed everything for me. Most of my unhealthy eating stemmed from choosing unhealthy foods in the moment when I was too hungry or tired to think about a better choice.” – Kristen, who lost over 20 pounds

“I came from a large, southern family who indulged in unhealthy foods and couldn’t find time to make nutritious meals with their busy schedules.  As an adult, I found myself falling into the same bad habits and weighing about 200 pounds.”

“I discovered Pure Barre back in 2017 after taking advantage of a free week of classes and have been a member ever since. The welcoming atmosphere and encouragement from the studio’s community have helped me overcome the intimidation of exercise and negative perceptions of my body.” – Allison Schweickert, who lost 50 pounds

“I was 49-years-old and 245 pounds when I was diagnosed with neuropathy diabetes. I reached out to Medi-Weightloss and the staff there taught me healthy eating habits, meal prep, how to monitor my blood pressure, and gave me ideas for exercise routines that would change my life for the better.”

“I enjoy going for my hour-long morning walks and eating my favorite whole foods, and I feel more confident in holding myself accountable.” – Rachelle Rivera, who lost 85 pounds

“I am 44 years old and I have lost weight with WW and intuitive eating.  I followed their program and I did very light exercises. It was the first time I really considered how hungry I was and why I was eating what I was eating.” – Pesha Perlsweig, who lost weight with WW (formerly Weight Watchers)

RELATED: Ways Intuitive Eating Can Help You Lose Weight, Say Dietitians

“It’s been a wild ride, but something that really helped me was discovering intermittent fasting, as well as realizing I wanted to limit my meat intake to chicken, pork, and bacon only on special occasions.” – Leslie Jacobs, who lost over 100 pounds

“I started with power walking every morning, 6 days a week—rain, heatwave, or shine. To amp that up, I threw in taking the stairs more. Walking in the door with a sweat is key after every walk.”

“I then cut out things like rice and bread and mashed potatoes—that 3rd part I’m still working on. I also replaced fast food with smoothies, and learned to never skip a meal as well as enjoy fun cheat days.”

“Another important thing I did for my weight loss journey was cut out negative friendships and any old negative thinking patterns.” – Sam Russel, who lost over 45 pounds

Read these next:

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Do you have a big bold goal you have been wanting to accomplish? On the heels of the year we had in 2020, it may seem insurmountable. In the 25+ years, I have been coaching my clients to bankroll their brilliance, I have learned that so many people want more but are scared to get it!

I am talking about people who are ALREADY successful. You already have the career you always wanted. Matter of fact, you have the corner office, the title, and the expense account. You have it all and yet you feel like something is missing. However, because you are already successful, you feel guilty for wanting more. Does that sound familiar? 

Well, can I tell you that the reason you have that rumble in your belly is because you’re done with where you are. Your bio or resume is complete and so it’s time to permit yourself to stop settling for what you’ve already accomplished!  Yes, there is MORE for you to do!

The sad truth is that most people believe that going after that rumble in your belly, which is tied to your purpose by the way, is only for a select few. They spend their days in a career that is good enough, focus on climbing the corporate ladder or going after a larger paycheck instead of actually going after the rumble inside their belly which is their heart desire! Well, if you are ready for 2021 to be the year you go after your big bold dream, here are the three steps that will help you achieve it.

1. Be Willing To Do It Afraid!

What I hear from most people about going after what’s next is that they are scared. They are scared that they won’t reach the same success they have already obtained as they transition to this new way of exercising their gift. Well to that, I say ANYTHING you do that is great WILL BE SCARY! Ask Ava DuVernay, a little black girl from Compton who accomplished one insurmountable goal of being a publicist in Hollywood. To leave that career to go after her MORE and follow her REAL passion of becoming a director.

Let me tell you that when you are already successful, often times, it is THAT success that’s in your way. You see, the ranks you climbed to get to where you are can keep you in ‘‘good enough,’’ if you let it. Understand that feeling afraid is a normal part of the process. Your MORE is a new place you have never been before, so because of that, it’s going to be scary.

Just don’t let that fear paralyze you from moving toward your goals. Your comfort zone can keep you in very predictable spaces. Matter of fact, your comfort zone is where dreams go to die! So, don’t stay where you are choosing comfort and what may seem the easiest or most convenient thing to do. Let go of fear and your expectations of having to know and understand it all; accept that you may need to do #2.

“Life is from the inside out. When you shift on the inside, life shifts on the outside.” – Kamal Ravikant

2. Find Help!

When you are setting out on a path you have never been on before, there are some things that you just aren’t going to know how to do, no matter how brilliant you already are! So, stop trying to figure everything out yourself and find someone to help you move your vision forward.

Yes, you may be gifted enough to do this new thing but do you know the strategy you need to use or even how to grow it effectively? One of my favorite quotes by Bishop A.R. Bernard is “The Tools You Used on This Level Are Not Sufficient For Your Next,” so you must invest in a coach, a class etc… that will give you the strategy you need to move your dream forward.

3. Create A Winning Strategy

Often, overwhelm and/or fear sets in because you are working without a plan. And when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Instead, creating a strategy will assure you are on a path toward success. A strategy is a long-term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal or a set of objectives. When you have a plan and something goes different than expected, as it always will, you can make needed adjustments. Instead of being totally thrown off altogether. So YES, having an expert who understands this NEW lane you are walking into and helps you create a winning strategy is a MUST!

You may also wish to create your strategy into a vision board. A vision board is a collage of pictures, images, statements and/or affirmations of your dreams or all the things that you believe in your life. Vision boards became popular years ago with the introduction of the Law of Attraction, which is the belief that “like attracts like” and that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, one can bring about positive or negative results.

The idea is that by creating a vision board, you are surrounding yourself with images of what you want and therefore, your life changes to attract those things that you desire to come to you as you focus on it by making a Vision Board. It also is a reminder of what you are working toward and keeps you inspired to stay in action to obtain it.

If 2021 is the year for you to successfully MOVE into your MORE, stop looking for the shortcut toward the success that is yours; instead, put into practice 1, 2 or all 3 of these steps I have laid out for you. I know for sure that if you read this far down in this article, it’s because you know that you want more. So now, all you need to do is take positive action to go and get it!

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