Becka Wall – @beckawall

Every January, I brace myself for all the messages of body-shaming and demands that my only desire for 2016 be to lose weight.

Making a vow to better ourselves in the new year doesn’t have to involve weight – I promise! Here are five resolutions you can make that have nothing to do with changing your body:

Eat Healthier. This doesn’t mean restricting calories or avoiding certain foods, but instead trying to add more healthy foods to your regular meals and snacks – eat an apple before you can have a piece of chocolate, that sort of thing.

Try a new exercise class. Who knows? Maybe your true exercise soulmate is actually Zumba instead of SoulCycle! Talk about a scandal.

Procrastinate less: I know, I know – it can be hard to quit procrastinating and do that thing you were supposed to do. A trick I’m going to try this year is if something will take  five minutes or less, I do it on the spot – that way, I can check it off the list immediately!

Spend more quality time with friends. A new year means a chance to strengthen the relationships you have with friends! Here are a few ideas to take it beyond the usual “coffee or drinks.” Run errands together; Go on a hike (and bring that apple I was talking about); Make a complicated, involved recipe together without setting fire to the kitchen; DIY your space together – enlist your friend’s help to finally create that collage,
or offer to help them hang up the new lights they bought!

Learn something new. Whether it’s playing guitar or learning how to make pasta, challenge yourself to do something you wouldn’t have done before! Keep your mind sharp and fresh in 2016.