19 Ways to Make 2019 Your (Best) Year

Make 2019 your best year yet. To get you thinking, we’ve rounded up some ideas on how you can make that possible.

Read on for our 19 ways to make 2019 your year.

1. Focus on experiences, not things.
Invest your money where your happiness is! While that new watch or new sweater might make you happy in the moment, experiences will give you moments to relive for years to come. It could be as simple as reconnecting with an old friend, taking cooking classes, or taking a roadtrip.

2. Eat better, not just healthier.
Be adventurous with what you eat: try new cuisines, learn new recipes, and buy something you’ve never bought before each time you go grocery shopping. Just because we’re getting older, doesn’t mean we need to stop playing with our food.

3. Learn how to make cocktails (so adult!).
Be everyone’s favorite dinner party host, by knowing how to whip up the basics – like an old fashioned, martini, negroni, and of course, margarita. Your wallet will thank you too, since you won’t be imbibing in that $15 favorite at your local as often.

4. Learn a new language.
Whether it’s for work, for love, or for fun, learning a new language opens you up to entirely new worlds and connections. At the very least, you’ll be able to understand the menu better at your favorite Italian restaurant.

5. Travel more — especially to places where you can practice a new language!
Choose a few destinations you’ve always wanted to see, close or far, and promise yourself that you’ll start making your travel plans for 2019. And if you’re learning a new language, why not go somewhere you can chat with the locals?

6. Read a book in another language.
This is hard, we know. But, it’s also a great way to challenge yourself and brush up on your reading skills in another language. If you’re new to the language, pick something on the easier side (maybe even a children’s book) and read it cover to cover.

7. Watch more movies and shows in the language that you’re learning.
If you’re guilty of watching more TV (ahem, Netflix) than you should (like most of us), then why not make more productive use of that time? Start watching more TV in a language that you’re learning, and you’ll not only improve your listening abilities, but you’ll open yourself up to another culture.

8. Break down your goals and make them more concrete and attainable.
Do you want to get promoted this year? Get in shape? Run a marathon? Big goals can be daunting, which is why you should get a paper and pen, break it down into step-by-step goals, and take it one day at a time. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

9. Do something that scares the crap out of you.
Be courageous in 2019. Whether it’s asking someone out or hiking a mountain if you’re afraid of heights, go out there and get it done. The outcome could be magical, or not — either way, you’ll be proud of yourself.

10. Do the thing that you’ve been meaning to do for ages.
It’s scary, we know. Whether it’s cleaning out your closet for the first time in a decade, writing the next great novel, or going on a backpacking trip across Europe, take small steps to make it happen. You’ll feel far less guilty, and one step closer to being your best self.

11. Learn something you never learned as a kid.
These are the things we could put off for a lifetime, but it’s now or never. Learn how to finally ride a bike, swim, surf, tie your shoes, or whatever it is you wish you had learned as a kid, and learn it now.

12. Be a better local.
Shop locally, get involved in your community, and keep an eye out for local concerts and festivals. By giving back to your community, your community will give back to you.

13. Become an expert on something.
Get obsessed with something, whether it be wine, art, the history of Andorra, or Tupac. Anything goes, but learn so much about it that you have a new conversation starter.

14. Kick a bad habit — and replace it with a good one.
We all have bad habits that we’ve waited too long to give up. With the chance to reset in 2019, get your friends behind you and commit yourself to replacing your bad habit with something positive. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your efforts.

15. Make gratitude a part of your routine.
Practicing gratitude makes you 100% happier. Say thank you more often, write down one thing you’re grateful for every day, be kind to those with thankless jobs, and don’t take anything for granted. A cool little resource to make it super easy is the 5 minute journal.

16. Learn to love the people you love better.
In this day and age, we’re all so busy and consumed with our own lives that it can be hard to pay the proper amount of attention to the people we love. Small acts of kindness — like leaving handwritten notes for your partner, taking your friends out for coffee, and calling your family every week — will not only make your relationships stronger, but make you more fulfilled.

17. Laugh more.
Lighten up your mood and check out your local comedy clubs and hot stand-up comedy specials on Netflix. Laughter keeps you healthy and happy, so never lose sight of your sense of humor and the people who never fail to make you laugh.

18. Say yes more.
Make 2019 the year that you decide to say yes to life. Of course, exercise common sense, but realize that saying no will get you stuck in rigid routines you can’t escape from. Saying yes opens doors to new possibilities to keep you inspired as the year goes on.

19. Bring more play into your life.
Whoever says adults can't ply is wrong! Integrating more fun activities into your work or life can not only increase creativity and productivity, but it also makes you feel good. Return fun to your life throughout 2019, whether it's in a meeting, a night out, or with new friends.

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