Most people set themselves goals at the start of the year, such as losing weight, taking up a new hobby, or finishing a passion project. The problem, though, is that these goals are typically less motivated by what people want to do, but rather by what they feel they have to do.

It’s no good setting yourself resolutions that you aren’t completely sold on because otherwise, you’ll just end up ditching them before the end of January. Sit down and ask yourself what it is that you really want out of the year, and then focus on your goals for the next 365 days.

Speak With A Therapist 

Too many people view vulnerability and a willingness to seek help as a weakness when it’s actually a sign of strength. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you’re struggling and allowing others to get you back on your feet.

Whether you were having trouble before 2020, or the last year was the cause of it, it may be in your best interests to speak with a therapist. 

If you’re looking for someone with decades of experience in the Austin area, you’ll find a good match in therapist Dr. Mike Brooks. His client-centric approach to therapy will help you to break through whatever’s holding you back, so you can end 2021 feeling like you’ve conquered some of your demons.

Find A Work-Life Balance 

If it weren’t for our jobs, a lot of people would struggle to pay the bills. However, just because work is an essential part of our lives, that doesn’t mean it should dominate our every waking moment.

To be the best version of yourself in the new year, it’s important that you learn to balance your work priorities with your personal ones. You need to remember that relaxing and doing the things that you enjoy are just as important as reaching those deadlines and hitting your targets. 

If you find it impossible to take a step back from work during your downtime, you may want to consider whether your job is really what’s right for you or not. How can you feel truly fulfilled if you never have any time for yourself?

Share Your Gratitude 

A lot of people went into 2020 believing that it would be the year they finally got everything that they wanted. However, by December, many of them realized just how grateful they were to have all the things that they do in their lives. All those months being locked inside and trying to stay safe during a worldwide health crisis really put a lot of things into perspective.

For 2021, one of the best things you can do is hold onto that gratitude and share some of it with the world. Gratitude combats negative emotions, so if you treat every day like it's Thanksgiving, you might find the new year a lot easier to deal with than this last one. 

Plus, there are probably plenty of people in the same position as you who could probably do with a reason to smile.

There are so many ways that you can become your best self, some of which might require more than just a new year to be realized. These are great starting points to consider for the start of 2021, though, and they should help you to find plenty of happiness and fulfillment moving forward.