20 New Year's Resolutions for 2020 - Experiences over stuff

It’s not uncommon for New Year’s resolutions to fall by the wayside. Why do you think this happens?

Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert says one reason may be that we choose resolutions that aren’t specific enough so we procrastinate about starting. To combat this, we’ve detailed 20 highly specific resolutions below that cover wellbeing, self-improvement, productivity and spiritual topics so you can pick one that’s perfect for you. Alpert also cites resolutions being framed negatively, like “I will stop smoking”. This causes us to focus on exactly the thing we’re trying to give up rather than thinking about what we want to achieve.

One way to make resolutions easier to keep is by linking them to things you enjoy. Naturally, we think travelling more is the most fun New Year's Resolution and should be on everyone’s list! So how about linking your other resolutions to plans to see more of the world, and up your success rate at the same time?

Wellbeing

1. Start a diet
Starting (and sticking to) a diet is on almost everyone’s list of resolutions. Be it to lose weight, gain weight, to make better choices for your health, or for the environment… Whatever your motivation, often the hardest things to change are the habits that have developed because of intrinsic parts of your lifestyle.

Often pass a coffee shop that smells of pastries just next to your office? Your probability of kicking the habit of grabbing something sweet when you think you need an energy boost can be improved by removing the temptation altogether—start while you’re on holiday! You’ll be more likely to make better food choices because you’ll have the time to do so.

2. Get fit
Why start a diet if you don’t plan to pair it with a fitness plan? Moving more to get the happy hormones flowing will help you stick to your diet, and if you plan to holiday in Ibiza in 2020 getting out in nature will allow you to enjoy the island’s World Heritage beauty as well as starting your exercise intentionally.

3. Find a work-life balance
It’s not hard to say, “I’ll be less stressed next year,” but this resolution is problematic for two reasons: as Jonathan Alpert says, we should positively frame resolutions, and also because you won’t realistically happen upon balance unless you’ve set aside time for yourself to think about it. Make sure you plan some trips away from home, so you both have something to look forward to, and to remind you to make time for yourself.

4. Care for your mental health
Many of us know we should cultivate healthier outlooks on life. But the reality is that work, family commitments, personal obligations, and even health issues can get in the way. Luckily, travel can do wonders whether you plan some low-stress travels to reconnect with yourself, or an action-packed trip to help you disconnect (and later appreciate the tranquility of your normal routine!). Planning this for 2020 will certainly help you reevaluate your current situation. You could even choose a resort that caters to your relaxation needs, such as Invisa’s La Cala, our hotel with spa in the quiet Santa Eulalia.

5. Cut down on a vice
Quitting alcohol, fast food, smoking, excessive caffeine or sugar is never going to be straightforward. Travel can help in two ways: you can either use the time away from home to kickstart your new attitude, or use the trip you have planned for the future as a reward, a sort of target date by which you plan to have left your vice behind.

Remember to frame this resolution positively too. “I will go for a run every time I fancy a cigarette,” will help you stay on track better than, “I won’t smoke this year”.

Productivity

6. Get organised
Undoubtedly, you’ve seen those social media videos showing you tricks to pack light, or to pack a lot but in a small amount of space! Challenge yourself to take only one outfit per day that you’ll be away, or even pack a smaller suitcase than usual. Ensure you carry this habit into your life at home when you get back by pairing down and creating useful storage solutions based on how you function, not everyone else.

7. Improve your concentration
Resting is necessary for us to concentrate. There’s no point setting a goal to improve your focus if your brain is chronically tired. Find an isolated beach like Cala Llentrisca or Cap d'es Jueu early in the morning, and commit to spend time meditating every day of your holidays in Ibiza 2020. Once you’ve mastered this, try the same in the afternoon as more people arrive. You’ll eventually be able to concentrate even in a busy office with news screens turned on, surrounded by gossip and phone call chatter.

8. Earn more money
Traveling to places where you’ll meet people you wouldn’t usually is the best way to network and identify new opportunities. The objective needn’t be to find a new employer, but to spark some ideas of your own. You might run into an entrepreneur looking for a partner, or see something that inspires your own invention. If you’re an avid traveler and also a budding writer, you might even be able to write about your experiences for sponsors!

9. Save money
If your aim in 2020 is to spend less, or save more, this doesn’t mean you should cut out travel altogether. Simply choose a destination that doesn’t cost the world, like the Balearic islands to which there are frequent flights. Another way to save money without sacrificing travel is to fly off season. This is why we think Ibiza is ideal for all budgets—even in low season the weather is fantastic!

10. Learn a new language
We all know immersion is the best way to really speak a language, so if learning Spanish is on your To Do list, why not start with classes in Ibiza, followed by some socialising with some natives over lunch or dinner? There are multiple language schools on the island, but even if you decide to holiday elsewhere most tourist destinations are populated by kind locals who are willing to lend a hand by speaking a little slower so you can practice their native tongue.

Self-improvement

11. Say yes to new experiences
Ever seen Yes Man with Zooey Deschanel and Jim Carrey? His motivation to start saying yes might have been the same as yours… We wouldn’t recommend you go as far as Carrey did in that film! But a little bit of adventure is a great way to find yourself.

If you’re not the adventurous type, the best way to commit to something you might not usually do, is to book and pay in advance. You can often get better deals by doing this too.

12. Meet new people
You don’t have to hit the nightclubs to meet new people but they’re a great place to start. Anyone who plans to visit Ibiza in 2020 will definitely chat to plenty of like-minded free spirits, but if you want to narrow down the selection of potential friends to those you’ll likely keep in touch with back home, consider taking a course in something you enjoy, which leads us to...

13. Pick up a new hobby
What better place to learn something new than a location where no one knows you, like a foreign country? You may want to turn something you wished you did more into a regular hobby, and picking up a few skills during downtime on holidays is a great start.

14. Discover new recipes
A cooking class is a low-pressure way to meet new people, even if you go as a couple. If you plan to learn new recipes this year, we highly recommend starting with a popular traditional dish from Ibiza, zarzuela, a saffron-flavored stock with mussels, crab, scallops, prawns, and squid, often with lemon juice and bay leaf. Or if you’re not an experienced chef, ask your cooking teacher to show you how to make Flaons: circular pastries filled with cottage cheese and ground almonds, or pumpkin jam and honey.

15. Find a significant other
While finding a partner might not be something we consciously plan to achieve, we may be subconsciously looking for that. Making an explicit resolution is genuine, and highly endearing to people who are looking for the same. Travel, hobbies, and experimenting with experiences will all get you closer to this goal.

Spiritual

16. Give back
If your resolution is to be more philanthropic but you’re unsure how to get started, consider volunteering at a charity during your destination holiday.

Something that’s even easier than a week of volunteering is to investigate centres at your holiday destination that accept donations, rather than donating to organisations in built-up areas back home. These likely receive plenty of hand-me-downs from the local population. If you spend your 2020 holidays in Ibiza, Caritas is an international organisation that runs a network of solidarity stores where people can access clothing and household supplies as well as dining rooms and day centres for the homeless and families in need

17. Choose someone to forgive
It’s hard to do justice to this intricate theme, but the concept of deciding who in your life you’d like to forgive is key to self-acceptance. Recognising others are flawed, just as we are, is an incredibly mature thing to do, and an even kinder thing to do for ourselves. Distance can give us perspective, and make reflection on forgiveness more spiritual and less reactive.

18. Contribute to others’ happiness
Traveling makes us feel like better people, and we can also do good while away. Start with little gestures like smiling at a stranger, helping someone into a cab, giving up your seat to someone who looks tired. This should make it easier to build up to paying for someone else’s coffee, or spending time listening and talking to someone who needs the contact.

When abroad, it can be easier to feel freer about trusting and helping others. Just don’t forget to bring your contribution to others’ happiness back to your home country.

19. Spend more time with loved ones
Decide to travel with your loved ones, or spend some of your time away planning the next few get-togethers and calling people you miss. Whichever you choose, take advantage of the miles between you and your obligations to truly connect with your social circle.

20. Be more thankful
Even though our parents teach us to be thankful, life is full of desires that make it difficult to stop and appreciate all that is good. However, research has linked gratitude to lower suicide risk, and contributes to successful relationships. Start by writing down 3 things you’re grateful for every day. The extra free time of a holiday might facilitate this, but you can start anytime, anywhere.

So you see, by mixing and matching your resolutions with travel, you can make it easier and more fun to keep your New Year's Resolutions. Having the privilege to travel should awaken in us a greater sense of self, as well as of those around us. Hopefully this 2020, you can fulfill all your resolutions, as long as you choose to promise yourself things that will make you happy.