2023 has officially arrived! The start of a new year kicks off the annual tradition of setting new goals and making new resolutions for oneself.  Starting each January, many people try for a fresh start by breaking bad habits and committing to new healthier routines. Goal setting is important for your physical and mental wellbeing. It helps your mind to have things to work hard for and to look forward to. Goal setting is also a great way to keep yourself motivated and inspire you on your journey of self-improvement.

One of the most popular new year’s resolutions is to focus on fitness. Specifically, running, working out, mind and meditation, yoga, dieting, etc. Fitness is a great goal for your physical self but surprisingly your mental state. According to ResearchFinds, a survey of 2,000 American adults found that 79% said they feel happier when they stick to a regular exercise routine. Staying fit can affect you in amazing ways.

Volunteering, showing yourself to your community. You can meet new people and enrich your personal life by helping around your town. Volunteering does not always mean helping pick up trash around town or donating food to a food bank. It can also be counseling at camps, coaching sports teams and more. Some volunteering groups in Maple Valley are the Greater Maple Valley Community Center, Corner of Love, Puget Sound WildCare, Maple Valley City Hall and many more. You can visit more on the City of Maple Valley page, volunteer opportunities. Volunteering your time is not only sharing your time and effort towards the people in your community but also showing your love and companionship.

An organized schedule is a recipe for success. A commitment to better time management is a great new year’s resolution as well. Instead of starting your homework at 5:00, you can start when you get home from school. Also, start any before-bed routines you have earlier. An important one to focus on is getting ready the night before so you’re not cramming everything in the morning when you’re tired. This can lead to forgetting things and or not giving your best efforts. This can mean packing your lunch and filling your water bottle the night before, picking out what you might wear and getting your schoolbooks in your packed bag ready to go.

Lastly, commit yourself to your learning. If you have a test at the end of the week, you can start studying for thirty minutes every night instead of three hours the night before. Education is a teens most important job in their life. So staying committed and putting your best effort can bring you remarkable success in your future that you will never regret.

Overall, setting goals for yourself is a simple task to keep you motivated every day. Your goals don’t have to be deep; they can also be simple tasks like starting a new hobby or interest, creating new monthly budgets or updating your resume. No matter how big or small your goal for the new 2023 year, you are doing yourself favors.