Camel coat and Sezane sweater
Camel coat and Sezane sweater
Sezane sweater and white jeans
Camel coat and Sezane sweater

wearing & Other Stories earrings, Sezane sweater, vintage Brooks Brothers coat, Ana Luisa necklace, Abercrombie & Fitch jeans, Miista boots, and Rebecca Minkoff bag

New Year’s resolution and 2020 goal posts seem to be all the rage right now, but I feel like all of these lofty self-improvement goals often lead to disappointment before we hit February. What about just vowing to be happier? More fulfilled? As I get older, overall contentment has increasingly taken precedence over having the perfect body, the perfect home, honestly, perfection in general. At some point during the middle of 2019, I made a silent pact with myself just to be happier. This meant to stop beating myself up – for not getting every item checked off my to-do list, for not taking advantage of every great opportunity, for not being perfect. At the same time, I also made a vow to start giving more self-praise – for everything I do get accomplished (no matter how small), for renewing personal connections or making new ones, and for learning new things (even if they’re from failures). And you know what? I came into 2020 feeling better than I ever have. I have a few personal goals for this year, but nothing crazy. Mostly to continue being kinder to myself and appreciating what I have. So if any of you have similar goals to be happier in the new year, here are a few simple rules I follow that really work.

Practice gratitude.

You can find a multitude of resources on this topic right now, but it’s certainly not new. Maybe it’s become so popular in recent years because we live in social media-fueled FOMO culture of wanting what everyone else has. Regardless, it’s probably one of the cornerstones of living a happier, more fulfilled life. I don’t have any specific regimen, but I like to hit the mental pause button on special moments throughout the day to really appreciate what’s happening. This can be the most mundane stuff like a pretty sunset while I’m sitting in traffic, or my son singing a song he learned at school, or sharing a laugh with my husband about a stupid TV show. For me, appreciating the little things every day greatly contributes to my overall feeling of contentment.

Forgive yourself when you fail.

No one beats themselves up more when they fail than I do. Or at least that’s how it feels, but I’m sure I’m not the only one. As I mentioned, this past year, I made a conscious effort to stop myself when I start to beat myself up. I try to talk to myself the way a good friend would and remind myself others make the same mistakes and move on, so I should too. I listened to a podcast about happiness that had a great tip: when you fail, throw hands up in air and say “woohoo!” It sounds really silly, but I’ve done it and it works. Doing the exact opposite of what I’m feeling when I’m down helps bring me out of the funk and move forward. I also think it helps rewire my brain to see failure is a positive thing I can learn from. 

Don’t be afraid to say no.

This holiday season was more relaxing and fulfilling than many in recent memory. I can attribute a lot of this to carefully curating the events I attended and projects I committed to. This meant a lot of turning down opportunities and, as much as it pained me to do so, I was happier in the end. I actually had time to bake, read, and even a few days of nothing at all. I’m trying to carry this strategy into the new year, placing a finite limit on the number of weekday events I can attend and projects I can commit to. For me, it’s always going to be struggle not to have FOMO, but reminding myself how good I feel when I’m not burned out certainly helps.

Recognize your natural productivity rhythms.

For me productivity and happiness go hand-in-hand – I feed good when I’m getting things done. A couple years ago, I read this article on productivity and it states that everyone goes through productivity states of peak, trough, and rebound throughout the day. For most people, this means they’re most productive in the mornings, hit a productivity trough around mid-afternoon and then recover in the late afternoon to early evening. Though it’s not always feasible, I try to knock my big “thinking” tasks like writing, meetings, and problem-solving in the morning. Since I know I tend to encounter an after-lunch slump, I try to save the menial tasks for that time of day. I also know I get a creative boost in the evening, so I often reserve those types of projects for the end of the day. Being conscious of these waves has made a definite improvement on my personal productivity and leaves me feeling less frustrated when I hit a slump, since I know I will eventually recover.

Get outside.

I’ve always struggled with sleep and tried to implement better sleep hygiene over the last few years (I wrote a blog post about it here). One recommendation I see again and again from sleep experts is to make sure you expose yourself to enough daylight during waking hours and minimize blue light at night. Even during winter work weeks, I try to get outside at least once a day, even if it’s just to walk the dog or run an errand. I find it helps elevate my mood and boost productivity if I’ve hit a wall. Getting back to the “natural rhythms” point, mid-afternoon is a great time to do it.

Find times to disconnect.

My husband and I are both very busy during the week, so we try to put the phones down during family meal times and on the weekend. At least once a quarter, we try to plan a weekend getaway that involves little to no cellphone usage. It helps us connect with each other, be more present for our son, and we always feel more refreshed after a break.

And most importantly…

Don’t go crazy with New Year’s resolutions.

So many resolutions fail because they involve drastic changes to your existing lifestyle. Before you embark on any major goal, look at the big picture “why?” If you can honestly say this is going to make you a better, happier person in the long-run (not just because you feel like you should), then by all means, go for it. But be realistic about what you’re trying to accomplish and start small. This fall, I decided I wanted to get back into pilates, but didn’t want to commit to expensive classes I might not enjoy. I started slow with easy videos on Youtube and gradually worked my way up to ones that were more difficult. Now it’s something I actually look forward to and I do it almost every day with ease! By not diving headfirst into a punishing workout, I didn’t make myself sore to the point I wouldn’t want to continue. I think the same philosophy could be applied to healthier diets and a cleaner house – break it down into feasible steps and you’ll want to keep it up. After all, life is too short to be miserable!

I hope these tips help you with your personal happiness goals this year. I’d love to hear your tips!

Photos shot by Pablo Raya at Eaton Workshop.

Shop the Look

22 comments

Reply

Definitely a great mindset for the new year! I struggle to make resolutions because I know I won’t be able to keep them. But this one sounds perfect, definitely something I can do.
Looooove the texture of that sweater too! So pretty
https://www.closet-fashionista.com/

Reply

Excellent article. I’ve been doing a lot of expressing gratitude, being present in the moment, finding time to connect with others, and enjoy being a homebody as I’m able in addition to volunteering in my community. Your article is spot on and I’m glad you’re making happiness a priority. Happy New Year to you and your sweet family!

Reply

I’ve never been one to formulate any sort of New Year’s resolutions. I just always thought it was a complete waste of time. With each passing year, it becomes even more important to live in the moment, embrace experiences/success/failures and just enjoy being alive. That’s my mantra.

Reply

I like it! Being present is so important to feeling happy and fulfilled.

Reply

I definitely need to try this for this year. 2019 wasn’t great for me.

Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated

Reply

I’m so sorry to hear that! I really hope 2020 is better for you!

Reply

I hear ya . Yes, also giving up on dreams and going for new ones and not feeling like a failure.
I should vow to be happier in 2020, it would do me and anyone well.

Reply

That’s a good one! There’s a lot of pressure to “never give up on dreams,” but priorities change throughout our lives and we shouldn’t be ashamed for having to restructure goals.

Reply

These are great tips and practices to live a more mindful life. Not always the easiest to pull off but in the long run it is worth the positive results. And LOVE this look here! What great boots!

Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com

Reply

“Practice” is definitely the operative word here – mindfulness is an ongoing process and you have to exercise it just like you would a muscle! I certainly haven’t mastered it, but every bit helps!

Reply

these are all amazing points! Especially the one about productivity- I’ve never thought of splitting my day like that, but I’ll have to try it out and see if it helps me get more done.

-Anna | https://TheYoungEclectic.com

Reply

It was a total game-changer for me! Even just being aware of it helps me push myself harder in the morning and take breaks when I need them in the afternoon.

Reply

These are such great tips! It can be so hard to say no to people sometimes, but it really does improve our lives and relationships with others. I also love the tip about dropping New Years resolutions. It’s impossible for me to make goals for an entire year haha!

Jill
https://jilliancecilia.com/

Reply

It’s totally unrealistic and priorities change throughout the year! We shouldn’t feel bad if our goals change!

Reply

Love these shots! Also very much agree with your point about not being afraid to say no, so important.

Kathleen / http://www.madeinthe1990s.com

Reply

This one is particularly hard for me, but the key for me is reminding myself how good I feel when I’m not exhausted. 🙂

Reply

So chic and edgy! Lovely photos you have here too dear.
Jessica | notjessfashion.com

Reply

What an excellent blog post, dear! I totally agree with what you said. It’s so important to find times to disconnect and to forgive yourself when you fail. Happy New Year to you and your family!

xo, Andreea | https://www.budistyle.com/en/

Reply

Love this! I’ve been trying to practice gratitude and it’s been harder than expected at times. Old habits die hard, but going to keep trying!

https://sundaydahlias.com

Reply

That camel coat is gorgeous!
I don’t make resolutions either.

Reply

I love this, babe- it’s such a refreshing way to approach a new year (or just a new approach to life, at any time). Being happier is where we all want to end up!

-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge

Reply

Gosh you look so chic! I love your browny goldy jumper you look incredible.
Laura xo
http://www.shehearts.net

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *