I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s ready to say hello to (hopefully) a brighter and better 2021.

This time of year, despite the year that has been 2020, is also my favorite time to think about how to make the most of a fresh new 365 days ahead. It’s this time of year where we’re all thinking about our health—in every sense of the word—and what we can do to stay happy, healthy, and more productive every day.

But, hey, being happier, healthier, and more productive doesn’t mean that we have to go on diets and commit to crazy exercise regimes that just aren’t going to serve us in the long run. When it comes to feeling good and growing, sometimes all you need are some simple reminders to enjoy, well, the simpler things in life.

So keep reading to see a few helpful reminders to carry with you in 2021.

Slow Down

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that you just slow down.

It’s easy to think we have to be productive to make up for 2020, but let’s get out of that mindset, yo! The year went exactly as it went, we can’t feel bad for all the missed opportunities.

So instead of rushing to make up for 2020, remind yourself to slow down in 2021, no matter how tempting it is to speed up and rev our engines. Taking it slow can open a lot of new doors for us, with new epiphanies, realizations, and lessons we can take with us to face a new day.

Have Fun

Hey, you’ve got big goals. I get it.

But remember to have some fun this year! Sure, you’re working hard, you’re doing your best to hit your goals, but take time for things that bring joy for no reason other than that you enjoy them.

For example, something I always do just for genuine fun? I play my favorite video game! (Stardew Valley, for you curious cats out there.)

For you, that might mean something just as small like your favorite video game. That could mean splurging on a fun activity, like a beach trip. Or heck, it could be picking out a pet for you and your family! (And when you’re not sure where to start with welcoming a new pet, places like this site can help!)

Add More

As a step on from that, when it comes to your body, it’s a really good idea to be thinking about the things you can do for your body and not necessarily take away.

Dieting isn’t always good for you, after all! (Especially when you’re starting a diet only to lose weight, and not always in the healthiest way.)

Instead, looking to add more nutrient dense foods to your diet is the best way to do it. As you start to enjoy more foods that are nourishing your body, you’ll realise just how great you feel in yourself.

Plus, this reminder applies to anything you feel is missing in your life! What else can you add more of: fun? rest? meaningful relationships?

Motivate Yourself

The next thing that you might want to think about is how you can motivate yourself to look after your mind and body more.

How can you invest in your mindset? How can you invest in your mental and physical health?

My personal favorites are reading books, especially self-help books! I’ve also invested in workout programs and memberships to fitness sites, but you’re 1,000% able to get so many resources for free.

Calm Your Mind

Next, you’re also going to want to make sure that you are able to take a look at your mind and see what’s going on there.

Sometimes, you can let too much stress in and when that’s the case it really affects your overall health and happiness. So aiming to quiet your mind and enjoy some more calming moments might really help.

Taking a bath, meditating, aiming to be more mindful, switching off your devices can be great options to help you here and make a big difference to your mental health.

Set Goals For Yourself

Another thing that helps you to feel good is having goals for your life.

Whether this is in your person life, family and relationships, or even work, having goals can help you to feel good and on track. So maybe you want to be able to have some goals in place that can help you stay accountable and achieve something good.

Check out this blog post of mine that shows you how to set goals for your life and passion project using the SMART Goal-Setting framework!

Be Positive

Finally, you’re then going to want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to be as positive as possible in your life. This can be really hard when you’re stressed and you have different things to work on and manage, but it can be such a good step to take. We’ve all had such a tough year, but it’s so important to try and focus on the good things and what we have to be grateful for—there are so many things when we stop and think.

And when you decide that you’re going to have a more positive outlook in life, everything changes. It can help you to be a lot happier on a daily basis.