My 2024 Resolution Alternatives: Bonus

 
(Photo by Dreaming Ace of Dreaming Ace's 2024 Daily List) 

(Despite me writing 1/1/23 LOL)

For me my daily list helps me find the right balance of structure and unstructured planning for the new year. I have been doing daily lists for several years now and this is in part why I don't need to have New Year's Resolutions. I have worked on my lists until it covers pretty much everything I hope to incorporate at the beginning of the year.

My daily list includes a few categories I want to do each day, and the list does change slightly over the course of the year depending on particular seasonal focuses I want to have. For me I find open ended categories to be more useful than being super specific but it comes down to knowing yourself. 

After working with daily lists for years I have come up with categories that I can accomplish no matter what kind of day I am having, how many spoons I have, or how busy I am. What you choose for your own list could be anything really. For me the key is is categories because for example I might not have a cup of tea everyday I can do something related to "self love".

My 2024 Daily List for January 

Fitness: 

I include any fitness activities I do, walking, yoga, stretching, dancing, an fitness app etc. (I use a great fitness app that includes all types of fitness routines from cardio and strength, to stretching and meditation. In addition there are fitness routines of all lengths including 3-4 min stretches that work even on the most low energy days) 

Health: 

I include taking a multivitamin, brushing my teeth, using mouthwash etc. 

Self Love: 

I include getting outside, having a cup of tea, using lotion, self-massage, going to a free wellness/selfcare event, etc. Lots of small doable activities that show myself self love.

Food: 

Honestly I started this after reading about how historians love having data on what people actually ate (There are amazing historical mysteries such as a condiment that was once used by pretty much everyone but no one bothered to write down what it was because at the time everyone "knew") so this category is for future historians. (You're Welcome LOL) 

I also find this category helps me check in and see what I have eaten each day This is never about judging what I eat instead it is just about self-awareness and making sure I eat food every day in a semi-timely manner. I fall firmly in the there are NO "bad" foods (other than ones you are allergic to and therefore "bad adjacent" for you personally) 

Everything Else: 

This is a list of everything I accomplish in my day, everything from listening to a podcast, or writing a blog post, to going though email, or doing chores. I find "Everything Else" useful because I am the type of person who quickly forgets what they have accomplished and defaults to I didn't do anything today, this week, this season etc. Writing it down both means I have proof that I have gotten stuff done and tends to motivate me to do more things so that I can write them down in my journal.