30 Simple But Meaningful New Year’s Resolutions To Replace The Ambitious Ones Nobody Ever Sticks To

1. Don’t cancel on people at the last minute unless you absolutely have to—you know, because of an actual emergency and not because you just don’t feel like doing something anymore.

2. Don’t commit to things you don’t actually want to do. Try saying “no” from the outset instead of putting yourself in the position to make a lame excuse later.

3. Always own your errors by openly admitting when you’re wrong.

4. Pause to think about what you can learn from every single failure, large and small.

5. Never dwell for too long, though. Move forward, armed with more knowledge and experience than before.

6. Always apologize with more than “I’m sorry.” Find a way to explain, sincerely, that you understand and appreciate your role in whatever went wrong.

7. The next time you’re right about something, don’t gloat.

8. Never make negative comments unless your criticism is genuinely constructive.

9. Pledge not to “like” or “favorite” any online posts purely out of some sense of obligation.

10. Unplug from the Internet for a day here and there.

11. Ban yourself from checking social media for a stretch once in a while.

12. Unfollow every single person you’re “hate following,” whether it’s a celebrity you secretly can’t stand or a frenemy.

13. Don’t “hate read” anything, unless you sincerely yearn to understand the counterpoint to your personal beliefs or opinion.

14. Resist the urge to post anything in the digital sphere out of vengeance.

15. Leave your phone at home when you go to dinner with your significant other or closest friends.

16. Buy someone you love a gift for no particular occasion.

17. Whenever you pass a stranger who seems like they could use a little extra kindness, pay them a compliment.

18. Splurge on yourself for no particular reason.

19. Take a mental health “me day” once in while, even if you have to fib and call in sick to get your solo time.

20. Try substituting a side salad for the fries and see if you’re any less satisfied by that burger.

21. Exercise regularly, but be sure to take breaks without feeling guilty when you’re just not feeling it.

22. Read a book (or watch a bunch of Youtube videos) on a subject you’ve always wanted to know more about.

23. Take a vacation to someplace you’ve never visited, even if it’s to a bordering state or a village a few hours away from where you live.

24. The next time you can’t remember something, resist the urge to Google the answer. Challenge your brain to recall that useless tidbit instead.

25. Whenever you’re mad as hell at someone, draft an angry email to them. Do NOT click send.

26. Listen to an album all the way through.

27. Instead of ghosting, tell the person you no longer want to date that you’re just not interested (by text message if you have to).

28. Eat dinner at a restaurant bar by yourself, or at a table for one.

29. Go see a movie in the theater every so often.

30. Pay for content out of respect for the artists and creators behind it, even if it’s easy to pirate.