4 Resolutions for 2021
2020 has been a year like none other. As January 1 approaches, it's time to think about what you want to commit in the year to come, whether that's being more sustainable or learning a new skill.
Even if you made a New Year’s resolution for 2020, you may not have been able to keep it. Not because your intentions weren’t good, but because going to the gym regularly or picking up a new hobby soon became vastly more difficult for reasons beyond anyone’s control.
However, that’s no reason not to make a resolution as we move into 2021. If anything, this past year has forced many of us to pare life down to the essentials: spending more time with our immediate family, prioritizing self-care, and finding creative ways to connect with our friends. So as we look forward to 2021, take the time to make a resolution that will meaningfully change your life for the better, no matter what life looks like in the months to come. Here, four ideas that will help you do just that.
Be More Sustainable
If fighting climate change is important to you, now is the time to act. Find things that you can do every day to be more sustainable, so that you can go to sleep each night knowing that you’re part of the solution. For example, you could buy goods that are durable or second hand instead of spending on fast fashion; walk, bike, or take public transportation when you can instead of driving; and invest in reusable products instead of relying on disposable ones. One more thing that’s absolutely critical? Spend more time outdoors getting to know the planet you’re protecting. (A Hatchet Backpack can be a great partner for everything from hikes to picnics.) Because the more you can keep your goal front of mind, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to keep your resolution.
Learn a New Skill
Chances are many of us will be spending most of our time at home and indoors for months to come. That makes this a perfect time to learn a new skill—whether you’re longing to speak a new language or turn into a DIY pro. Keeping your brain engaged is a great way to break up the monotony of lockdown and gives you something valuable to do with your time. Just be sure to pick a skill that you can learn at home. Dancing might be out, but learning to cook or bake can help you bring joy not only into your own life but also into the lives of the people you live with. (And if you’re back in school, a Lunch Break can help you enjoy the fruits of your labor all week.) Need a little more inspiration? Photography, knitting, sewing, gardening, or coding are all worth looking into.
Find Ways to Find Your Balance
This has been a hard year for everyone. There’s good reason to hope that 2021 will be easier, but there will still be other moments of great stress or anxiety in your life, even once the pandemic is over. JanSport’s #LightenTheLoad is a great place to start investing in the skills and resources that can help you continuously take care of your emotional and mental well-being. You can watch live conversations with real therapists or join the #ShareItChallenge by expressing some of the worries or anxieties that are weighing on you. Getting into the habit of self-care can serve you both now and for a lifetime to come.
See the Country—or Your Corner of It
After spending so much time at home, you may be itching to get out and travel. Camping is a great way to do just that while staying socially distant, especially if you opt to drive to your destination. The great news is that this country is vast and varied—and home to more than 400 national parks where you’ll find a range of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, from the windswept desert of Joshua Tree in California and the Grand Canyon’s iconic red rocks in Arizona to the granite peaks of Acadia in Maine and the lush mangroves of the Florida Everglades. Even if you’re unable to venture out of the country right now, you can still throw your Far Out 65 in the car and visit stunningly beautiful places that hold a well-deserved place on bucket lists for jet-setters around the world.
What’s your New Year’s resolution? Let us know! Share it with us on social media with #LifeUnzipped.
By: Jessen O’Brien