15 Habits To Make 2016 Your Best Year Ever

It can be difficult to make big changes in your life. After all, you get used to doing things a certain way, and you can get stuck in a bit of a rut. Sure, everyone makes endless lists of resolutions at the start of the New Year, but those resolutions are often way too ambitious and just end in failure and disappointment. Instead of trying to completely overhaul your life in a matter of days, work on developing a few small habits that will eventually lead to huge changes.

It might seem like you're not really doing much with certain habits. After all, they take so little time, and you often don't see the impact right away. However, if you stick with them, you'll likely find that you've changed your life for the better when 2017 rolls around - without even really trying! It's all about the baby steps.

So whatever you're hoping to accomplish in the New Year, why not take January to set out a few habits that will help you achieve those goals? Here are 15 habits that will get you on your way to having your best year ever.

15 Set Goals

You don't need to have the entire year mapped out in the first month - after all, where's the fun in that? However, if you want to make it a phenomenal year, you need to at least have some goals in place so that you know what you're working so hard to achieve. You might encounter some setbacks along the way, and you'll definitely take a few detours, but if you're constantly setting goals for yourself you'll get there a lot quicker and be more motivated to work your hardest.

14 Celebrate Success

It's an incredibly fast paced world, and it can be easy to move on to the next thing the minute you've completed something. After all, how will you get it all done if you stop after you finish one task? While it's important to keep working towards whatever you're trying to achieve, it's equally important to take some time and celebrate when you've achieved something - or when someone close to you has. Go out for those cocktails, spend an extra hour chatting over coffee, give a high five to your BFF, whatever it takes. Just make sure that you're not so focused on the end product that you forget to celebrate along the way.

13 Find Time To Do What You Love

If you're absolutely in love with your job, and feel like going in to work every day is basically a vacation, then you're lucky. However, not everyone ends up finding a job that they're passionate about, at least not at first. Sometimes, you have to put in the time and work somewhere that pays the bills rather than somewhere that inspires you on a deeper level. Here's a news flash, though - your job is not your entire life. If you're not quite fulfilled at your 9 to 5, you don't need to let it make you miserable 24/7. Instead, find time to do what you love. Make some extra time in the morning to read and slowly savor your coffee or tea. Find new running paths to test out on weekends. Browse different neighbourhoods looking through boutiques for that perfect vintage find. Whatever inspires you passionately, make time for it.

12 Fix Your Sleeping Habits

Look, we get it - at this point, it's almost a badge of honour to say that you sleep the least out of everyone you know. It seems like everyone is constantly competing, trying to prove that they're the busiest and most exhausted. However, let's be real here - your body needs sleep. While it's easy to stay up late and chug caffeine all day to compensate, you need to fix your sleeping habits if you want this to be your best year - because a well-rested you is a productive and happy you. If you have trouble falling asleep, try to limit screen time before bed and indulge in a ritual like a hot cup of tea and relaxing book. If you find yourself waking up too early, try to find a way to get to bed at a more reasonable hour. Whatever is preventing you from getting a good night's sleep, address it so you get some much needed shut eye.

11 Wake Up Early

Okay, we know - most of us need to wake up early to get to work, and it seems like we're always hitting the snooze button on our alarms. Setting your alarm for an even earlier hour sounds like pure torture, right? Well, not really. Giving yourself a small window in the morning will tremendously improve your day to day life. Why? Imagine this. You wake up and for once you're not rushing around, trying to somehow squeeze an hour's worth of things into a twenty minute time span before you need to rush to work. Adjust your schedule to wake up just a bit earlier and instead of starting your day stressed out and panicked, you'll have a bit of quiet “you” time before the chaos of the day begins.

10 Take Care Of Your Body

It's easy to take your body for granted, so in 2016, make a commitment to caring for your body. This can mean different things to different people. If you're in the habit of restricting your calories too strictly or spending more time than you should exercising, perhaps try to get in the habit of relaxing a bit in the new year. If you live a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, try to incorporate walks into your daily life, and then slowly expand that to include a more strenuous exercise regime. If you find yourself scarfing fast food and preservative-packed treats on the regular, commit to eating more whole fruits and vegetables. The point is, get in the habit of treating your body right and it'll serve you well for years and years to come.

9 Make Time To Read

Do you remember when you were younger and would get lost in a book for hours, only interrupted when your mother or father called you to dinner? Well, it seems like a luxury to find time to read anything fun nowadays. Sure, we read countless e-mails and messages on social media, but it's difficult to carve out time to read that book you've been meaning to, or even to sit down with the newspaper on a Sunday. Make a habit of carving out a small amount of time every day, even if it's just ten minutes, to read something for enjoyment. Whether it's a light and entertaining novel, a newspaper, or a non-fiction book about something you're interested in, it'll have a huge positive impact on your life.

8 Treat Others With Kindness

Everyone likes to think that they're kind, but when you're stressed and exhausted it can be easy to snap at someone, or to judge someone too harshly. We all do it, and even though we all generally regret it afterwards, it can be a tough habit to break. So make 2016 the year that you begin consciously practicing small acts of kindness. They can be things as small as helping someone with their groceries, holding the elevator for someone, or letting a car in front of you on the road. It'll add a moment of brightness to their day, and trust us, you'll feel a lot better too.

7 Check Your Phone Less

We know that everyone has a busy life with important obligations, so it can be tempting to keep your smart phone glued to your side 24/7, 365. After all, what if you miss an important e-mail or phone call? Well, while there are definitely certain times you need to be connected, there are other times when it's really just not necessary. Think about how all the times in 2015 that you found yourself spending time with friends or family, and glanced up to see everyone engrossed in their smart phone rather than in the people around them. Technology is handy, but it won't be there for you like a BFF or sister. Get in the habit of putting your phone away for short periods of time to fully engage in the world around you, and to give you full attention to your loved ones during time spent together.

6 Take Time To Breathe

Okay, this one might seem a little bit out there, but hear us out. We know that you are fully capable of actually breathing, a.k.a. letting oxygen into your lungs. However, we're talking about a different type of breathing. While meditation might be a bit far-fetched for your tastes, make a habit of taking one or two minutes a day to just sit quietly, close your eyes, and slowly breathe in and out. It can be so easy in our stressful world to never take a moment to pause and really truly allow ourselves a few deep breaths to relax and re-centre. Make it a priority.

5 Drink Water

There are countless studies about the impacts of drinking water, and it seems like everyone has a different amount you should be drinking away, or a different health assertion that it does or doesn't accomplish. Whatever science says, let's just be real for a second - you just feel better when you're well hydrated. It might not give everyone perfect, glowing skin, and you might not suddenly feel as energized as you've downed a shot of espresso, but if you make a habit of increasing your water intake you'll find yourself feeling a lot healthier.

4 Incorporate more whole foods into your diet

There are so many people who vow to lose weight or totally revamp their eating habits as soon as the New Year rolls around. While it's definitely admirable to make the effort, trying to completely transform your diet at the drop of a hat often leads you to feel discouraged, simply because you find yourself indulging once or twice. No one is perfect, and no one has a completely perfect diet. Instead, make the habit of incorporating more whole foods into your diet. Instead of reaching for a sugary juice, eat a bowl of fruit. Instead of crunching on processed snack foods, prepare some crisp veggies and a healthy yogurt-based dip. Soon you'll find yourself with an overall healthier diet without even realizing it!

3 Create A Budget

Everyone has different financial goals and different things that they're working towards. Whether you're trying to pay off your student loans or save for a down payment on a house, pretty much everyone can benefit from creating and following a budget. The beauty of creating your own budget is that you can set it up however you want. If your daily Starbucks run is a priority and brings happiness to your day, incorporate that into your budget. If you know that you want to save a certain amount every month in order to reach your goals, look for places you can cut back a bit. Once you have a plan and know where your money is going, you'll find it much easier to achieve anything you put your mind to.

2 Find Something You're Grateful For - Every Day

It can be so, so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, rushing from commitment to commitment with barely any time to breathe. Quite simply, it's easy to take things for granted when you're just too distracted to notice anything at all. So, in order to make 2016 your best year ever, take a few minutes every day to find something that you're grateful for. It can be as simple as receiving a hug from a loved one to enjoying a wonderful croissant before work to taking a fifteen minute walk in beautiful surroundings in the evening. After making it a habit to acknowledge things you're grateful for on a daily basis, you'll find your outlook overall more positive.

1 Treat Yo Self

Okay, it might seem a bit strange to get advice from Tom and Donna in Parks And Recreation, but hear us out. It's easy to enjoy treating friends and family - after all, you want to show them how much they mean to you. However, when it comes to ourselves, it can be more difficult. You find yourself thinking that your time could be spent more productively, or that your money would be better off in your savings account than in a store's cash register. Now, we're not saying you should just throw all caution to the wind and indulge 24/7. However, it's important to do little things that bring you joy - it's important to treat yo self. Whether that means spending an evening reading magazines with a glass of wine, or perhaps splurging on that expensive candle that will fill your home with a delicious scent, it's a great habit to incorporate.