1. Drink more water

I say every year I will drink less soda, but it doesn't work out well. Maybe drinking more water is a better goal. And with all that sparkling water, maybe soda won't feel so necessary!

2. Text people first. 

Texting people seems almost mandatory nowadays. I constantly have some kind of conversation going, whether that be on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, or over text. That being said, it is easy to forget people to the void if you aren't seeing them as often.Texting people first can solve a lot of that loss. I'm not talking about a quick "Streaks!" message on Snapchat. Making the effort to message someone just because can be a huge help, and you never know what good it can do for someone else.

3. Take more pictures. 

I have said this one a lot, but I still believe there are so many pictures and memories to be captured, and we don't do it enough (especially out of fear of thinking people won't care). I am resolving this year to try and take pictures every day I do something outside my home that isn't work or something ordinary and mundane. If I am out with my friends, I am going to take photos. Boyfriend? Photos. My dogs playing with toys? You got it. Photos!

4. Get involved in service. 

This can be taken as small or big as you want. You can pledge to volunteer your time somewhere, donate money, or get involved in a cause, but whatever you do, try to help someone else. A super easy way to do this is to get involved with a 5K walk/run or donate to causes that matter to you. Facebook fundraisers have done a lot to make it super easy to get involved in what your friends want you to see, and GoFundMe has TONS of worthy causes, if you're looking for a financial route.

Time-wise, you can do ANYTHING and make it count. So get out there!

5. Check news sources for 'fake' news. 

This is another one that people share a lot, but I am sure we aren't doing it as much as we should. Even checking Snopes real quick before sharing or looking for other articles about the same topic from other news sources can make a huge difference.

In journalism, we call it the "3 rule." If you read something on one source, look for two more that say the same thing. If you can't find three articles saying the same thing, it probably didn't happen the way you think.

6. Gossip less. 

This one is going to be hard for me because I LIVE for drama. But there is an easy way to cut down on gossip. If it was a secret told to you, don't tell it. Even easier- don't badmouth people. If someone starts talking negatively about someone, you do not HAVE to jump in. In fact, try to change your impulse activity from joining the conversation to trying to politely shut it down. 9 times out of 10, people stop if there isn't a reason to continue.

7. Save money wherever possible. 

This can be as simple as spending less or downloading an extension to your computer to automatically apply discounts. However you think you can save money, attempt it. I'm not saying you'll overnight be saving hundreds, but maybe cutting back from coffee four times a week to two will help a bit.

Also, saving gift cards for when you really need them, not when you want to spend, can be super helpful. I have $35 to Dunkin' Donuts for the holidays, and I am going to try hard not to spend it all in two weeks.

8. Treat yourself. 

I know, I know. This goes against everything I just said in the last point. But treating yourself doesn't have to be buying something. You can schedule in times to just relax, to stay in, or sleep. Whatever makes you happiest, plan it.

My friend Abby uses her planner for everything, and she makes sure to plot out when she is going to sit down and do nothing. I used to laugh, but that seems like a pretty good idea, And it'll be fun to watch my phone pop up a reminder to do a face mask, right?

9. Pay attention. 

This can be anything you want it to be. It can be doing that extra communicating with people. It can be reading someone's Facebook post and thinking they're depressed and actually messaging them to see if they want to talk. It can even be sitting in a lecture and staying off your phone for class time. Whatever you want it to mean, just pay attention.

10. Keep track of the good things. 

I stole this directly off Pinterest, but I am starting a jar full of good things. Every day, starting yesterday, I am going to write down one good thing that happened to me, even if I don't think anything good happened. At the end of the year, I'll have a jar of 365 good things to reflect on, and I think that after a while writing down good things will make me more positive.