Holy cow! 2016 is just about over and it's been one hell of a year I'll tell you that. I've created a list of resolutions that you may want to try on... For this generation these are pretty "tough".
1.) Go grocery shopping with your parents!
Yes, go help your parents with the groceries every once in a while. Help them pick out certain new foods to try or just tag along and observe. It's important to spend as much time as possible with those you love. I'm sure they'll love having you help out. Who knows, you may be able to sneak some sweets into the cart!
2.) Clean your room...
Every morning, before you even look at your phone CLEAN. YOUR. ROOM (I sound like a mom... wow). But seriously. We're all getting a little too old to be bringing company over to a dirty room. The easiest way to force yourself to clean your room is if you don't allow yourself to touch your phone until it's DONE. You'll make yourself proud, trust me!
3.) Take your dog on daily walks!
They need more than just a bathroom break every two hours. Stop letting your dog sit in the house all day while you go have fun! Dogs don't have cellphones or laptops to entertain themselves with, they only have you! Take her/him with you the next time you decide to go to the park, or simply to the mailbox and back. They'll thank you later.
4.) Get along with people you don't get along with.
I know this one may seem a little hard... You may have to be around a certain unlikable individual (coworker, classmate, step-parent/sibling, etc...) every day and that's okay. Be mature enough to get along with that person, for the sake of your own happiness. Find a way to cope with the tension between the two of you, and if you want to patch things up, let the other individual know how you feel about them in a constructive kind of way without being rude.
5.) Go to bed at a reasonable hour.
"I'm tired." "I can't keep my eyes open." "I'm so exhausted." These are the words that I hear come out the mouths of people who don't SLEEP. Stop letting yourself stay up until 4AM on a school night. Lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems and even put you in danger. Allow yourself to sleep at least 7 hours a night. If you need to finish a project, go to bed and get up early (just my advice).
6.) Call your grandparents.
There's nothing better than being able to speak with the wisest people on earth! Call your grandparents every once in a while, they'll appreciate it!
7.) Get off of Tinder.
Admit it. You've used Tinder, found a really cute girl/guy, made plans to meet up with her/him, only to find out that she/he were just messing with you to pass the time. GET OFF OF TINDER. It's not worth the time and effort, honestly. If you want to meet the love of your life, GO OUT and find them on your own. It's a lot more meaningful face to face, than it is screen to screen. Besides, they'll be less of a chance of being catfished...
8.) Stop competing with other people.
The only person you should be competing with is the person you were yesterday. Challenge yourself to become better every single day, and learn new things. Invest in yourself, and don't let anyone crush your dreams. Sure, there are people out there who can jump higher than you, run faster than you, dance "better" than you, and paint "better" than you, and those are the people who've challenged themselves, and invested in themselves. If you want something you have to go get it.
9.) Drink water.
Please, please, please, please, PLEASE drink water. Our body is made up of 50-65% of water and without it we'd fall ill. With all of these sodas and energy drinks becoming popular, it's easy to forget about how important water is. Do yourself a favor and AT LEAST drink 2 whole cups a day.
10. Speak out.
I've heard that "the quietest people have the loudest minds". My dear quiet people, please speak out. Whether that be in a meeting, protest, or in class. The world needs everyone's voices, especially at a time where tensions are high. We need more leaders to fight for what's right.
11.) Donate!
Whether that'd be donating your time at a local food bank, hospital or donating money to charity, go out and donate! Help change someone's life, including your own.
12.) Apologize.
Apologizing is powerful and for some reason it's viewed as a weakness and it's NOT. It's being mature enough to realize that you may be wrong. It's emotionally healing, and helps us stay connected to our friends, coworkers, parents, siblings or soulmates.
13.) Put the phone down.
You're on a trip to California for the first time in your life. Of course your first instinct would be to snap a bunch of pictures, and go live on Instagram, but don't go with your first instinct. Put the phone down and just live in the moment. Now, I'm not saying don't snap a few pictures to look back on later, but we don't need to know where you are 24/7. Plus, you're not fully enjoying your vacation if you're updating us constantly. Enjoy life with your eyes, and give us your highlight of the day before you go to bed.
14.) Have faith!
You failed your math class and have to take it again, you've been hurt in an accident and you may not be able to play football again, or you've lost hope for all of humanity. Everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that. Do your best to keep your head high and trust in the man upstairs. He can do wonders.
