Each year millions of us make resolutions, and each year it’s a struggle to keep them. Change is difficult. Promises that begin as hopeful glimmers amid crackling New Year’s fireworks later smolder, morphing into arduous tasks on an already long list.
What if this year you try something new? What if you focus on adding specific elements to your life that not only bring you positive and lasting results, but are also enjoyable in and of themselves?
1. Learn a language connected to something you’re passionate about.
You don’t have to become fluent to reap the benefits of learning new languages. Even mastering a few key phrases can be enough to turn heads and spark conversations. Becoming a polyglot makes you more perceptive, a better decision-maker and delays the cognitive decline associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
So, how do you pick that new language, and more importantly, how can you stay motivated to practice? Consider those diehards at Comic-Con who learn to converse in Klingon, a language from a fictional universe: if you connect your goal to something you care about, perhaps even obsess over, you set yourself up to win.
Are you an avid fan of Brazil’s soccer team? Dabble in Brazilian Portuguese so you can cheer (or curse) like a local. Do you love the hit show Vikings? Pick up some Icelandic to delve further into their world. The language of Viking explorers has hardly changed since they settled in Iceland in the late ninth century.
Eftir hverju ertu að bíða? [Icelandic for: What are you waiting for?]
2. Earn a shiny new certificate.
You know the satisfying feeling you get when you check an item off of your to-do list? Positive emotions resonate when you complete your goals, and if you can learn something new in the process, it’s even better.
Enroll in a certificate program for an ability you want to develop. It could be something career-related such as effective negotiating, a life skill such as CPR or something physically challenging such as Scuba diving.
A certificate is a small commitment compared to a degree,…