With the New Year just starting, many people are making resolutions and planning how they are going to radically change or improve their life. They are making weight loss goals, planning how they will save money for retirement and do better in their personal work life balance. But I am going a little different route. I understand that many people make resolutions this week only to see them fall apart next week. I am sharing the 5 Things we all should do in 2016. Maybe these things will resonate with you as you plan for the new year!

5 Things We all Should Do in 2016

Some people pick a word for the new year. I love the word “possibilities”, and have chosen that word for me! So whether you have a word, a list of resolutions or just some ideas for making 2016 AMAZING, here are some tips we can all learn from!

Grow.

I love learning new things, but sometimes with the pressures of life, work and family it’s easy to take the easy route and quit taking the time to learn. I don’t want 2016 to be a stagnant year. I want to keep growing and constantly be looking for new ideas and skills. What are some of my skills I want to improve? I have several areas where I want to grow, but two things I want to do are learn CSS code and buy a new sewing machine so I can start quilting again.

I inherited a sewing machine years ago and love working on simple projects with my daughter. A few years ago my daughter and I worked on our first sewing project. Natalie’s first sewing lesson resulted in a small quilt for her dolls. We used some left over pieces of fabric from my wedding 20 years ago. I love sharing the things my mom taught me as I was growing up.

Get healthy.

Working from home means it is easy to just sit at the table or on the couch and get my work done. But I have a treadmill desk that allows me to walk while I’m working. The problem is that I sometimes get a bit lazy and forget to spend time focusing on my personal health. I don’t want 2016 to be the year that I get lazy.

Many people make resolutions that this will be the year to lose extra pounds or buy gym memberships in the first few weeks of the year. Instead of making a big goal that you can’t keep, find small baby steps that you can definitely DO and focus on that one thing first!

Be Prepared.

Ever since we experienced the fun of the ice storms a few years back, we have made a definite decision to be prepared for winter storms. We buy a few extra cans of soup and make sure we have batteries and toilet paper on hand. But I want to go a step further and make sure our family is prepared for any emergency – whether it be a financial challenge, health issue or weather situation.

Last year on January 1, I started a toilet paper challenge. I wanted to know how much toilet paper our family of 5 uses in a 30 day period. This is a great time to start stocking up on the essentials that the family needs!

Aim at Balance.

Ever gotten to the end of the week and realized that you are worn out with no time to give back to your family? Some jobs allow you to walk away at 5:00 and truly checkout. But other jobs are a constant pull on your schedule. I never want to stop working when there are still things that must be done, but when the projects are at a place where I can walk away, I want to remember to take the time to be present with my family.

Read Books.

In 2015, I read 11 books. That’s a horrible number for me. I love to read but often get so busy that I just forget to let myself get lost in the pages of a book. So in 2016, I plan to at least hit 12 books and maybe even more! My kids love their AR program at school. Maybe we need to establish an Accelerated Reading program for parents? Wouldn’t that be fun?!

Do you love to read but don’t like paying full price for books? Here are some resources to help you find free books to read and review!

What are you planning to do or not do in 2016? I’d love to hear your tips for making this year the most amazing year ever!