23 Little Ways To Make Your Life A Bit Better This Year

    This year, we will all support each other.

    Greta Alvarez
    by Greta Alvarez

    BuzzFeed Staff, Español

    1. Try to lead a more minimalist and organized life.

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    “I’m reading a lot of books that are helping me get my place organized (I recommend Remodelista and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up). I also follow Instagram accounts with useful tips, not just on minimalist decorating, but on how to stay motivated to lead the lifestyle I want. I’m also planning on freeing up some space at home and educating myself on how much I’m consuming and how it’s impacting the environment.”

    —Greta Álvarez

    2. Learn how to make coffee like a barista.

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    How to achieve this: "I bought a cheap coffee maker (around $50), and I've been watching videos on YouTube to learn how to make different drinks. I made my first espresso on January 1st, and this weekend I plan to learn how to make cappuccinos."

    —Gustavo Serrano

    3. Recover an abandoned talent: writing more.

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    "I'm going to buy a mini notebook that I'll carry around with me so that I'll be able to write down any idea that comes to me at a moment's notice and so that I'll stop using the excuse that notebooks are too big to bring with me. I'd also use it to keep a written log of some of the things I do (my moods, exercising, etc.)"

    —Conz Preti

    4. Compliment strangers more often.

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    How to achieve this: "Focusing only on positive aspects when interacting with strangers."

    —Sir-Ken Celli

    5. Refrain from buying clothes for a year.

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    How to achieve this: I want to turn my closet around without purchasing any new clothes. I'm also planning on continuing to update my blog, but only using my current clothes creatively.

    —Belén Pulgar-Figueira

    6. Stop buying the story that everyone on social media is insanely happy (and stop feeling incomplete as a result).

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    How to achieve this: "I'm going to limit my time on Instagram and Facebook and use those extra minutes to meditate and write in my gratitude journal."

    —Karla Zabludovsky

    7. Learn Japanese with a language learning app.

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    How to achieve this: "I'm going to start using Duolingo and invest at least five minutes a week to learn a new language from now until December."

    —Karla Agis

    8. Go on a honeymoon.

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    How to achieve this: "By getting out of debt and saving more money. My husband and I want to travel for our honeymoon. We've been married for six months and this year we want to learn to love one another more."

    —Yamira Ramos Esteves

    9. Do what fills my soul: reading, listening to music, watching movies other than big blockbuster movies.

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    How to achieve this: "I've found the best way to pull this off is with a team, so I'm already planning an album club, movie club, and monthly reading goals. Also, it's a great way to see friends and share your passions. If you schedule things, you'll stick with it longer since you're holding one another accountable."

    —Javier Aceves

    10. Lead a healthier life.

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    How to achieve this: "I want to eat fewer ready-made and fried foods and introduce more natural and nutritious foods into my diet. I also want to walk and bike more, and continue with my dance lessons and practices. (I'm learning the Lindy Hop, which is pretty energetic.) I would like to do more strength training routines as well."

    —Diana Rosentul

    11. Reconnect with all the old friends I've lost contact with.

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    How to achieve this: "I'm going to look for them online, using Facebook or by asking friends we have in common to put us in touch. I'd love to meet up and reminisce on the old times."

    —Eleonora Scarpati

    12. Drink more water and keep hydrated.

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    How to achieve this: "Make sure to drink two liters a day and replace all the soda I drink with water. I also want to avoid processed juices and will opt for more natural juices. Keeping hydrated is going to be base for my personal health this year."

    —Adrián Sánchez Muñoz

    13. Stop grieving and start write about my experiences.

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    How to achieve this: "My dad died in 2017, I dated a boy who I found out had a girlfriend, I filed for bankruptcy and went into debt, and I decided to move to Chile. This year, in addition to overcoming my grief, I've started an inspirational blog where I'll write about my experiences."

    —Yanniela Z. Angel Bitter

    14. Learn to eat better.

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    How to achieve this: "I'm going to stop eating fast food or anything from a street cart or food truck. I'm also seeing a nutritionist and I want to learn how to cook more creatively."

    —Giovanni Hernández

    15. Get my Uber rating up.

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    How to achieve this: Honestly, my New Year's resolution is just to get my rating on Uber up, which will probably require an attitude adjustment of some sort."

    —Bibiñe Barud

    16. Avoid getting into fights on social media.

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    How to achieve this: "Whenever I have an opinion, I'll share it privately with my friends. It's an election year where I live and I'm sure there will be a lot of arguments online, and I'm committed to not getting into it with anyone. I don't want to lose any friends over such silly little things."

    —Rafael Cabrera

    17. Improve my work/life balance.

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    How to achieve this: "I want to optimize my quality of life, and improve my work/life balance, which will require being more productive and managing my time more effectively. Essentially, I want to waste less time."

    —Fernando Rosales

    18. Save money, travel somewhere with my partner, and go to a big music festival.

    Christopher Polk

    How to achieve this: "It'll be tough, but I think the main thing I'd need to give up is eating out so much. It's something I've been meaning to do for a long time."

    —Adrián Leandro

    19. Add more skills to my resumé.

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    How to achieve this: "I'm going to enroll in some tailoring classes on the weekends and take German lessons."

    —Oriana LS

    20. Earn more money at work.

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    How to achieve this: "I'll offer my boss cost-effective solutions that will translate into higher revenues for our business, adding some tangible added value to the work I'm doing."

    —Juan Marcelo Hernández G.

    21. Save money so I can afford a gym subscription.

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    How to achieve this: "Whenever I'm craving cookies or treats, I'll opt for something more healthy instead, and put the money I would have spent on sweets into a savings account so I can afford a gym membership."

    —Manuel Plascencia

    22. Paint one painting a month.

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    How to achieve this: "Every month, my goal is to use my mornings before work to sit down and work on one medium-sized or two small paintings. I want to get into acrylics and geometry."

    —Isaac Bencid

    23. Take care of my mental health.

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    How to achieve this: "I want to start seeing a therapist again and to dedicate my days to doing things that make me feel fulfilled and satisfied. I'll say no to plans more often if I'm really not into them and I'll try to improve my work/life balance. I need to figure out how to leave my problems behind at work and only work during work hours."

    —Alfredo Murillo

    This post was translated from Spanish.