It’s time to step into a new year and a fresh chapter of your life. These blank pages are just waiting to be filled with the ink of new year next level habits. These next level habits aren’t just about resolutions that fade away with January – they’re impactful commitments that have the power to rewrite your story going forward. This year is going to be a year of evolution, growth and of course, leveling up.
Quick Access
Maximize your Mornings
The first new year next level is to stop wasting your mornings. Waking up late, rushing for breakfast (or skipping it), then running out the door already stressed isn’t anyone’s ideal start. How you start your morning often directly impacts the course of the day ahead. Use whatever time you have in the morning to set the stage for the rest of your day.
A good morning often starts the night before. You want to get as much as you can prepped to set yourself up the next day before you go to bed. There are a lot of ways to get ahead the night before. It could be setting our your clothes, programming the coffee maker, or just putting your keys where you won’t have to look for them.
Making the most of your mornings can be as simple or complex as works for you. Of course committing to a morning routine is a powerful step, but you want to start small. Adding one new next level habit at a time is far more sustainable long-term.
Banish in-Bed-Browsing
Your morning alarm rings and you grab your phone to silence it. Almost reflectively, you unlock it and check your notifications. That inevitably leads to you scrolling and losing track of time.. That is not a next level move.
Starting your morning by scrolling is not a productive way to start your day. Instead, focus on yourself and waking up. Worry about what’s going on in front of you before you get concerned with what’s happening in the online world. Try to go an hour after waking before you pick up your devices. This is such a more mindful way to start your day.
You want to avoid the impulse to use your phone in bed at all. That also includes not bringing your phone into bed with you at night. At this point, we’ve all heard the damage that the blue light from our phones can do to our circadian rhythm. Try to stop using your phone about an hour before you go to bed to get a better night’s sleep.
Required Reading
When you’re cultivating new year next level habits, it’s important to keep learning daily. One of the best ways to do this is through reading non-fiction books. There are so many non-fiction options out there – from creativity to psychology to finances.
Reading non-fiction books helps expose you to different perspectives and many offer practical advice or actionable steps you can apply to your life. Even if the books don’t give you steps, they can inspire or motivate you to overcome challenges you might be facing. Knowledge is also just an empowering resource that can help you make informed decisions.
Even if you don’t have much time, dedicate a few moments each day to expand your mind. If you aren’t a regular reader, or you’re a slower reader, it’s ok to start small. Even reading just 5 pages a day is 1,825 in a year. Small, consistent steps will accumulate over time as your knowledge base grows.
Maintain Movement
One of the simplest ways to contribute to your health and overall well-being is just to get in at least 30 minutes of movement each day. I don’t mean a 30 minute workout either, traditional exercise isn’t the only way to add movement to your day. You can get in movement by just doing things you would normally do during your day. That kind of movement is called Non-Exercise-Activity-Thermogenesis, or N.E.A.T. for short.
You don’t need a gym membership to prioritize your physical health. Taking walks, dancing around your house, tending your garden, riding your bike, and chasing a child or pet are all ways to get more movement into your day. Low impact exercises like yoga and tai-chi are also great. Even just parking a little further away when you go to the store, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, count towards movement.
Develop Discipline
Your brain loves shortcuts and easy solutions. It would rather spend as little energy as possible. Following the path most often taken is easier than forging a new one. That’s why you have to work out your discipline muscle – the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Instead of allowing your impulses or mood decide, discipline allows you to be more intentional about your actions. I would never suggest that you suppress you emotions, just don’t let them take the wheel.
New year next level habits aren’t about what you “feel” like doing in the moment. They’re about committing to yourself so that you can reach your long-term goals. Discipline is doing what you said you were going to do, even when you don’t want to.
When you don’t have discipline, it can be easy to fall into the trap of short-term gratification and comfort when things feel hard. Relying solely on your emotions tends to result in inconsistency in pursuing your goals. Cultivate your own discipline to work with yourself and your emotions.
Mindful Moments
Everything in modern life moves so quickly, it can be difficult to find moments of calm. That’s why you need to establish a mindfulness practice. Before you make any assumptions, that doesn’t mean you have to sit cross-legged on the floor and meditate for two hours before the sunrises. Being mindful is just about connecting with the present moment.
Too often we are caught up thinking about what’s next, or what already happened. We forget to “be” in the moment we are actually living. Even when we have moments of stillness, we tend to distract ourselves by consuming some sort of media. You’re checking social media while waiting for your appointment, you’re watching a show while you wash the dishes, and you’re listening to a podcast while you drive. When’s the last time you actually just listened to your own thoughts?
You can practice mindfulness anywhere and at almost any time. Sip your tea slowly and really taste all of the flavors, savor each bite of your lunch, or take a walk in nature and engage all of your senses. If you are someone who deals with anxiety, you definitely don’t want to skip this habit. Mindfulness can be very beneficial when it comes to anxious feelings.
Document Daily
Journaling is a must-do habit when it comes to personal growth and leveling up your life. Journaling can be a path towards self-discovery and a way to document your progress. Keeping a journal isn’t about perfection – it’s about the opposite actually. Your journal should be a private place where you feel safe to express your feelings, thoughts and experiences authentically. There are no rules and no need for fancy materials. All you need to start a journal is a blank notebook and a pen.
You don’t need to think of anything to write, release your expectations and just begin. Give yourself permission to write messily and uncensored. Pour out your worries, joys, fears, hopes, frustrations, dreams and everything in between. Record the little victories and highlights of your days. You may find it to be a cathartic and liberating process. If you’re still experiencing writer’s block, I have a whole collection of journaling prompts to get you started.
Get Grateful
If you are seeking abundance, you should focus on gratitude. An attitude of gratitude is more than just saying “thank you”, it’s a mindset shift. Instead of focusing on what is wrong with your life or what you want to change, focus on what is right and good already. There is always something that you can be grateful for. If you’re struggling, start with the simple things: You woke up today, the sun rose, you have good food to eat and clean water to drink.
What makes gratitude such a next level habit is the fact that it has tangible impacts on your mental health. If you are struggling with mental health issues like depression or anxiety, gratitude can be especially beneficial. The changes can be gradual, but will have lasting effects on your brain. Instead of constantly pursuing the things you don’t yet have, pause and reverse your priorities. It can be easier to complain, but few things worth while come easily. The more you focus on the things you’re grateful for, the more things you have to be grateful for.
Dine Domestically
I’ve got some confidential information for you. The “secret ingredient” most restaurants are using? It’s sugar, salt, or fat. What makes the food taste so good has nothing to contribute to a healthy diet. That’s why it’s so much better for you to cook at home. When you make your food at home, you can tailor foods to your specific dietary needs, and you have control over exactly what ingredients are going into your meals.
On top of being better for you than eating out cooking at home can also greatly reduce your food expenses. Buying ingredients and using them in multiple meals is certainly more cost-effective than ordering delivery. You avoid redundant fees as well as the need to provide a tip to your delivery driver.
If you don’t know how to cook, it’s never too late to learn. There are also tons of easy recipes out there you can try to get you started. Cooking can be a creative act as you explore new ingredients, recipes and cuisines. It also provides an opportunity for bonding if you cook with someone else.
If you really want to level up, pair cooking with meal planning. By planning your meals in advance you reduce the amount of decisions you have to make. Typically, you will also make healthier decisions when you aren’t having to decide what to make when you’re already hungry. You also can reduce food waste by using the ingredients that you have efficiently.
Positive Perspective
When you have a growth mindset you are better able to embrace that failures are just lessons and obstacles are just opportunities in disguise. When you have a growth mindset you believe in the power of practice. You know that hard work matters just as much as talent and that everyone starts out as a beginner. Of all of the new year next level habits, this is probably one of the most impactful. Having a growth mindset is so important that I actually dedicated an entire post it, if you want more information.
You also want to have a positive outlook on life – studies show that optimists actually tend to live longer. Being positive is not about ignoring reality, it’s about choosing what to focus on. You don’t dismiss your difficulties, you just choose to focus on the potential for growth. You will face challenges and tough times, but you know that you will come out on the other side stronger. Having a positive growth mindset helps build up your resilience and foster perseverance.
Slumber Soundly
In our busy lives, sleep often takes a backseat. We have so much in our schedules, that sleep tends to get neglected. We treat a good night’s sleep like it’s a luxury, when really it’s essential. Sleep is the foundation upon which your health is built.
Not getting enough sleep leads to a lot more than tiredness. Lack of sleep also elevates stress levels, impairs your decision-making abilities and even weakens your immune system. If you continually think of sleep as something trivial, the lack of it will catch up with you eventually.
You have to prioritize getting a good night’s sleep, it won’t just happen on it’s own. The first step is to create a consistent sleep schedule for yourself. That’s right, you need to give yourself a bedtime. Once you set which time you want to be in bed, start to disconnect from screens about an hour before that. Start relaxing and doing calming bedtime rituals that let your body know it’s time to get some rest.
These new year next level habits are the cheat codes you need to level up your life this year. Think of them as the companions in your quest for personal growth.
These habits aren’t just something else to tick off a list, they’re the building blocks of a fulfilling life. It’s the little things that we do every day that stack up create to the biggest achievements. Each of these next level habits contributes to a new year of purpose and abundance.
Which one will you start with? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below!
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