Prioritizing Self-Care: 10 Ideas for Rest and Rejuvenation in 2024

New Year’s Resolutions didn’t fool us this year. Two years into an unexpected pandemic and we know our best laid plans can get derailed in an instant.

So, we’re cocooning. Languishing. Trying to hunker down into soft things and distractions as the chaos unfolds. And somehow, the idea of setting the bar as higher than we can reach just seems…well, tiresome. We’re just trying to make it through the day, OK? Once I can see tulips outside, let’s talk. Until then, I’ll be here. Hunkered.

This year, instead of the usual frantic rush of pummeling debt, stocking up savings, and aggressively charging forth into our financial life with the enthusiasm of an angry hippo, what if we set the bar a little lower? Like make our transformations a limbo rather than a high jump. Limbos are more fun anyway, right?

Maybe you skipped the resolution this year, or just aren’t ready to make it yet. But how about this: ten intentions to give a gentle nudge to your year.

Intention #1: Less

Do less, have less, need less. Call it a year of minimalism and simplicity. You might declutter. Downsize. Organize the pantry. Decline the invitation. Say no to the commitment. Welcome to your year of less!

Intention #2: Savor the Flavor

Ok, I’m partial to this one. It’s mine this year. Welcome to the cleverly all-encompassing intention to find more delight in everyday things. From enjoying the cruciferous vegetables that I am trying to eat more of, or just staring out the window instead of delving into my phone, we’re savoring. It’s noticing that your 15-year old car has extremely comfortable seats. That your old jeans are perfectly broken in. That the cup of coffee you just brewed tastes divine.

Intention #3: Rest

When your bones are weary, your eyes are droopy, and not even a triple shot of espresso can jolt you. This is the year for you to rest. Let bedtime take center stage. Empty your weekends of plans. Take a nap on Sundays. Put your feet up and sit for a bit.

Intention #4: Flow

You make plans, then they change. It’s hot then it’s cold, it’s yes then it’s no. You’re in then you’re out. You’re up then you’re down. Ok, thanks, Katy Perry. This is about going with the flow despite life yanking you around. Your feathers don’t get ruffled. No ruffling here. Play it cool, inside and out.

Intention #5: Disconnect

Addicted to screens? We get it. When you crave and covet a less connected, always-on experience, this could be the year of disconnect. Delete the social apps from your phone, turn your whole phone off for a stretch, or stop checking work emails after dinner. Disconnect from the digital world and connect in your physical world.

Intention #6: Invest

So you want to be bilingual, write a novel, learn to cook. Invest, my friend! Invest your time into your pursuits. Commit to tiny little habits: a page a day, 10 minutes a day, a coffee date a week. Just like our invested dollars, our invested time compounds over the course of a year. 

Intention #7: Simplify

You’ve got piles of papers, a list of to-do’s, passwords to remember. Life is complicated. Make this the year to simplify! Cut down on complexity, consolidate, and find a better system.

Intention #8: Thrive

If you’re ready to put those languishing days behind you and bloom into a whole new existence, it’s your year to thrive. More saying yes, more chasing after the good things you want, starting that business, making that leap. You’re ready to take chances and reap the rewards.

Intention #9: Stabilize

The world is still wacky, that much we know. Focus on controlling the controllables and let all else go. Work to build a firmer foundation for your mental, physical, emotional, or financial health. Take daily steps and embrace the slow progress of adding stability to an area of your life.

Intention #10: Abundance

The opposite of abundance is scarcity. And we know scarcity all too well: toilet paper, rapid tests, boba for bubble tea. But when that feeling of “never enough” soaks into your psyche, it affects how you go through your days at a deep level. Look at its opposite: abundance—that there is more than enough. More than enough time, more than enough resources, more than enough money, more than enough brilliant ideas. Do you feel this shift? The year is filled with a little less clutching at pearls and a lot more openness to others. 

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Did any of these themes feel like just your cup of tea? We’re taking it easy this year, at least for now. Don’t feel like you need to stock up on all ten. Pick one, write it down, and remind yourself frequently, and let your year unfold.