This year it’s time to make new year’s resolutions to improve your physical, spiritual and mental health. 2025 is the perfect time to invest in slow living, and focus on a personal growth plan that will help you enjoy the simplicity of everyday. Make this coming year the best yet with a fresh start and achievable resolutions all about slowing down and enjoying the little things.
01. Plan a Trip Every Season
Having something to look forward to is the key to enjoying life in the winter months. Whether you have a low or luxury budget, you can plan a mini break which focuses on nature, exploring local culture and enjoying a new place. It’s the perfect time of year to try a solo trip and get to know yourself better in a different environment. Trips away don’t have to be packed with plans or focused on alcohol, they can be geared towards history walks, trying out cosy cafe’s and trying new forms of light exercise.
02. Find Your Seasonal Colour Palette
A great way of improving your daily routine, is to find the colours that are most suited to you in terms of fashion, hair colour and makeup, so you never have another morning of having nothing to wear. Take some natural light photographs and analyse what colours highlight your complexion, or if you have the budget pay for it to be done professionally either online or in person. This is one of the best ways of eliminating clutter in your wardrobe and focusing on a capsule collection of items that make you feel your best everyday.
03. Choose a Creative New Hobby
Slow living is all about doing things for your own enjoyment, rather than being productive. New hobbies are a great way to learn a new skill and enjoy the simple pleasures of making something with your own hands. Hobbies you can get stuck in to at home are things such as painting, drawing, knitting or sewing. A new challenge that does not have a financial goal is a great way to encourage your personal development and find out about your own interests outside of the 9-5.
04. Do Something That Scares You
Although slow living is all about finding the beauty in your everyday routine, finding new ways to venture outside of your comfort zone and exploring new opportunities may be just what you need to feel alive again. Whether you feel like flying on the highest zipline in the country, or taking yourself out for a solo date, it’s all about spending quality time with yourself and feeling that sense of accomplishment that comes from new things.
05. Make Dinner Time Special
New years resolutions can often be focused on improving our eating habits. However, it’s important to make meal times feel special and important by adding that personal touch to the daily practice of cooking. Spending time cooking with care and making meals aesthetically pleasing is a great way of improving your mental health and daily routine. If your personal goals revolve around following a particular diet or eating regime, set the mood with happy music, your favourite shows and plenty of time to do things at a slow, relaxed pace.
06. Learn New Mocktail Recipes
Cutting down our alcohol consumption is a very popular resolution at this time of year. Lowering our alcohol intake is not only a great way of improving our overall health, but a good way of reducing our expenditure too. However, it doesn’t mean you need to avoid bars or events completely, but instead focus your attention on mocktails and soft drinks that still help you feel part of the celebration. If you want to set boundaries with alcohol this coming year , the first step is to learn new recipe’s to share with friends and family so you can feel excited about this little change in your life.
07. Start Writing a Diary
A popular resolution for the slow living community, is often writing a gratitude journal to show what you are thankful for in your daily life. If that feels challenging, simply writing a journal to detail your day, any worries you have and even about your new year’s goals is a great way of cleansing your mind and spirit. Diary writing is a way to practice self-care and spend time away from social media. If you are looking to improve your mental health this year, put aside some personal time each day to get out all of your feelings and frustrations, so you can wake up the next day feeling refreshed.
08. Try Some DIY Home Improvements
Making your home space a cosy sanctuary that you love to relax in is essential for taking part in the slow living movement. Why not learn a new skill and focus your energy on some DIY improvements to your living space? Whether you want to paint your walls a fresh colour, or build a new bookshelf, you can search for some inspiration on Pinterest and make your dream home decor ideas come true. Set yourself achievable goals with easy ideas, such as buying more plants for your space or buying new throw pillows. You don’t need to make significant changes to have a big impact on your mental health, you simply have to make your space a place you want to spend your personal time.
09. Rate All Your Local Coffee Shops
A good reason to take yourself out on solo dates is so you can learn to love quality time alone, but also gain confidence in social surroundings. Low energy day time activities such as coffee dates, are a great way to get started. A simple resolution may be to test out your local cafe’s and rate them based on products, decor aesthetic, service and price, all to give you some ideas on where you enjoy visiting and getting to know your own likes and dislikes. This resolution idea is perfect for anyone struggling to find a new hobby or interest that takes them outside of the home, it’s all about the small achievements in this slow life.
10. De-Clutter Your Wardrobe
Cleanse your mind by living more simply, and getting rid of excess clothing in your wardrobe this year. Make a positive change to your living space by only keeping items you know you love to wear, and suit your colour palette well. Next year, a great target area is to reduce excess spend by focusing on finding items that suit you and your ideal colour scheme, as well as having practical use. Any items you aren’t getting good use out of can be donated to a local charity shop, or sold online for a small bit of extra income. Make this the best year yet by avoiding the build up of excess clutter and have a fresh start for 2025.
