To ask you to recommend me your last year's resolution?

[sunseeker19]

Posting here for traffic as I'm looking for inspiration for my new years resolution/s. What resolution did you make last year and manage to keep, which you'd recommend because it's really made a difference?

My resolution is to do a life planning exercise (where do you want to be at 80, 70, 60, 50 years old etc.) Then DH and I can compare goals and see what we can both achieve together and separately and how we can support one another. He's done his and I feature heavily to my surprise so I'll do that and I can build other long term goals into it like, what is important to me for e.g. my health, my life long learning, my work, my relationships.

Mine was to stop saying yes to things I didn't want to do. Inevitably I'd waste time being angry that I'd agreed and then waste more time trying to come up with excuses to get it out of it. Now I just say "I won't be able to make it. I hope you have fun though"

Also I decided to do at least an hour of exercise on more than 50% of the days of each month. I failed in two months this year but the overall year to date figure on Monday will be over 220 days out of 365. I have a page per year view diary and circle the days where I've done exercise. It's more motivating than I expected

This last year I went nearly vegan (I still eat eggs) so i plan to get rid of eggs. Also this last year I wanted to give my kids an adventure so took them on a mini tour of Europe camping! Was great!

Also deleted Instagram - this year it’s facebooks turn!!

This year- declutter, sort our finances, be consistent with exercise, buy less travel more.

Oh, and stop giving a fuck about what people think

Brilliant thread

Something nice and positive for the new year has got me feeling motivated!

Loads of great ideas here. I've taken some of the ideas here into my goals of;

Be nicer to myself
Be nicer to others
Be nicer to the environment (though I already work hard on reduce, reuse, recycle)

Happy New Year everyone

Last year was to lose weight - lost 1.5 stone but need to lose another 2.5.

Do more walking - this has now changed to running 3 times a week!

This year is to stay on track with my PhD and try and get a paper published. I am only funded for 3 years so must finish on time!

I'd like to do more swimming this year, esp sea swimming.

I have a few;
Take myself more seriously at work. I am in a v senior role but tend to downplay it and this can lead to people not taking me as seriously as they should.

Be a bit more selfish. This sounds terrible but I am sometimes ran ragged by
Kids work etc and stop looking after myself.

Keep a journal. I've started this over Christmas and really enjoy it.

Lose 10lbs for a big wedding in May.

Stop drinking in the house. 2018 has been a really tough year for various reasons and I have been self medicating with wine which has not been good at all. I need to break this habit in the New Year.

Thanks Esca. Sounds like it gets easier, the more you do it. I'll have to figure out how to load food as recipes and how to copy foods.

My resolution a few years ago was to stop reading anything about Katie Hopkins because it always made me ragey. Still ignore her to this day 😂
I like the 19 for '19 idea, I feel a list coming on

To say no and to stop being a people pleaser - was the best thing I've ever done.

It was mine and DH joint resolution as we used to put everyone else's needs before our own, for example:

I love seeing my niece and nephew but despite the fact I work 8 hours a day and my DH is disabled we were always asked to provide childcare throughout school holidays and they would never be picked up when they were supposed to be. So through the year I've said no and I have them on my terms like for a fun sleepover every now and again and the difference is I enjoy seeing them. Also me and DH aren't tired and cranky about the house in chaos.

I also used to get invited some places and say yes to keep the peace and either end up going and feeling miserable or cancelling with a lame excuse at the last minute. Now I just say thanks but no thanks if I don't fancy it and only do the things I enjoy.

There is loads more examples but seriously it's the best thing we ever did and the world didn't end 😂 when we told people no.

This years are to make more effort with birthdays and save money.

Great thread and lovely to hear about successful resolutions! Mine successful ones have been:

2015: start running for the first time ever. Got running lycra gear and shoes. Did the NHS Couch to 5k app and am still running (mostly) regularly.

2017: take part in a Tudor re-enactment, which involved sourcing authentic fabrics and making authentic costumes for me, DH and the DDs, starting from a very low base of dressmaking ability. Very proud I achieved that!

2019: I need to change job in 2019 and try to be a better wife!

Very inspiring stuff!

Mine seems a bit daft in comparison to some of these wonderful achievements, but this year mine was to have a “pamper night” every Friday. I felt like and looked like a bloody mess this time last year with a one year old and a new born so every Friday I vowed to do a bit of pampering/grooming. Shave legs/moisturize/hair mask/tweeze eyebrows etc.

I kept/keep a couple bottles of nail varnish and those Korean face masks in the kitchen, so even on nights I’m too tired to move off the couch when the kids go to bed I still manage to do something.

It’s a small thing but it’s actually been great, I’ve stopped neglecting myself (I was barely showering when I started this!) and I don’t have to think about it for the rest of week.

Now that I’m somewhat back in the land of the living I think I’ll aim a bit higher this year

Stop buying magazines. And to buy myself fresh flowers at home and at work every week. Just daffs or tulips usually, but it always brightens my day

I was just talking to my partner about this the other day! In the past (can’t remember the years but within the past 5) I have:

• stopped buying magazines: at one point I was buying 3/4 mags a week, the usual celebrity and beauty stuff. Not only was it a complete waste of money it also began to make me feel bad about my body / appearance from all the focus on diets & skinny bodies! I didn’t buy a magazine for well over a year and even now I only buy them very rarely (train journey / holiday)

• going back to being vegetarian after a break of about 5 years (still veggie now)

• going cruelty free on all my cosmetics and household products - did this in 2018. It’s difficult but I’m committed

Next year I’d like to have a financial goal, I’ve already started looking at budgets and savings. I just need to work out the details.

Great thread!

Less screen time and more reading in an evening which is better for my sleep
I rediscovered reading when I went on holiday in September and spent far less time surfing since but it’s slipping back and I need to make it a resolution
That’s the first
Second is only drink at weekends
Third get back on SW
Fourth is to spend a bit more time and money on beauty eg blow dries for occasions and have my nails done more often
I will struggle with number 2 the most

Mine was to use my nice stuff and stop saying them for 'best'. Best might never come.

Not rtft so this might be trivial-never put anything in the freezer without labelling it. Was mine a few years back and stuck to it ever since. Definitely improved my life.

Mine were to stop smoking, lose weight and get qualified for a better career! First 2 I can tick off, and number 3 is on track!
This year, it is to take better care of myself in general (less stress, nicer hair and clothes, better food habits) and to buy a house!

I did buy more stuff from independent shops. I really loved it-needed to be more organised to get to the market instead of I live ASDA but it’s grest buying veg from real people and cheaper too.

This year I’m going to reduce plastic use and go vegan (if January works out ok).

Last years resolutions that I managed to keep
Use hand cream , face cream and body lotion every day ( some cheapos and some rather nicer )
Book the next haircut as I’m paying for the last one
Eat more veg and fruit , and less cake and biscuits

Very much like the 19 in 19 😀

I can't believe how many people replied and shared such great ideas, I'm definitely inspired.

Among several others I've picked up on the thread I think I'll add not being so hesitant to start a Mumsnet thread in 2019. I'm pretty shy so in the 3 years I've been on here I've always lurked just hoping someone else would start a thread on whatever I was thinking about at the time. After this great response, I'll be brave and ask the question myself more often, thanks everyone!

never put anything in the freezer without labelling it.
Have to ask how you label? I've yet to find a method that stays put.
Sticky labels fall off and even permanent markers seem to rub off.

We have a new dish in our house - chillognese. This happens when I attempt to get out portions of either bolognese or chilli but invariably end up with a mixture as they've lost their labels and look the same!

Lakeland freezer labels stay on pretty well so I use those or a sharpie.

Give up smoking was last year's and I did it.

This year is to lose weight through healthy nutrition not diets, no wine or processed sugar in the week, reduce my debt significantly and start saving some money.