Sunday, January 5, 2014

14 things to make 2014 20 times better

You've moved past your resolutions. ( I definitely have!)

Let's accept it, they don't last beyond January. Okay February for you, because you are so very good.

You've moved past the must-haves and the must-dos for the New Year.

In any case it's just another year, another month, another week and another day.

So here are some things that you could strive to do instead. The best part is that they are not time bound. Just do them to make 2014 better than 2013. Maybe two times better. And just maybe 20 times better. Here are 14 ways.

1. If you do make a resolution, make just one! (For greater tips on that click here: Resolve this...)

2. Find one friend to connect with once a month. Devote all the time to that friend.

3. Find one cause. Just one cause to devote some spare time to next year. The key word here is not cause or devote but time. Money is not a substitute.

4. Start a new hobby. Anything. Something. One thing that you learn from scratch. From zero. From ABC.

5. Live more outdoors. Live less in your screens. (My close friends will ask me to follow this advice myself but... never mind)

6.Take time off from work every two months at least. One day. Or two days. But real time off - rest, recharge and come back whole.

7. Read one book a fortnight. Read anything. But make this a pact you sign with yourself. And stay with it. (and once you read, do share with the rest of the world. It's so easy now!)

8. Watch one movie a month. Make it a comedy. Time off should be spent in laughter - no compromises there.

9. Take time to meditate. Just 15 minutes a day is a good start. More than that is better. Start today. And make it a habit. It's almost like having a shower for your mind every day. And the results will definitely be there to see.

10. Replace one bad habit with a good one. They say habits cannot be changed. They need to be replaced. So maybe.. coke with water? Cigarettes with gum? Coffee with green tea? (Don't give me that advice. I am not taking it! And anyway who says I have to practise what I preach!)

11. For just one minute a day, count your blessings. Just one minute. Just one blessing. No matter how difficult your day is, just one minute a day, this one minute, can make you feel better.

12. Say three nice things about yourself out loud every day! (I can think of 6 but hey! I am modest.)

13. Meet one new person a month - a colleague you don't know outside office, a pal on the net, a twitter follower? (Note not stalker, follower please!)
And finally...

14. Call Mom. Ideally now. Call her cos she is waiting and you'll make her day!

So there you go. Pick anything that suits your fancy. Do it and make 2014 much much, read that as, 20 times, better! Happy New Year again.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! I loved it and can do some of it! Some, I have been doing in excess and some, just can't do it! No matter what, your advise is really good, resolution or not, even if we follow it throughout the year! Victory!

Ypsilon said...

I'm glad you loved it! Yes it's very doable stuff... Except some bits that I cannot do... But then we don't have to do all of it, do we?

Piyush said...

Nice list!

I already do #7 (three times the suggested), #8 and #14.

#2, #4, #7 and #11 seem doable too; #13 is very interesting; #12 redundant in my case (though I do get your reason for putting it in the list)

That makes nearly half the list, the others are too difficult for me to execute.

Best,
Piyush

Ypsilon said...

Hey Piyush

Thanks for your comments! If you managed these I'm sure you can get by with the others too! Also... A couple of these are really more than enough. As I've honestly said, I can't do all of it myself :)

Sunil Munsif said...

Fantastic list! Will try and adopt 10/14. Thank you for sharing.

Ypsilon said...

Thanks Sunil. Each one has the power to make us change the new year! All the best!

Sunil Munsif said...

Just so that you know, I have captured the 14 things on a slide and stuck it on my desk, as a daily to-do checklist. :-)