If life is a book, this year’s chapter is coming to an end. For all of you that had an amazing 2017, this may be a sad realization, but if you felt like this was a year with more downs than ups, you may be looking forward to a fresh start in 2018. Regardless of how 2017 treated you, the good news is we can strive to make 2018 even better! Cultivate the following habits in 2018 to make it a chapter you’ll want to read over and over!

Read Regularly

In our technology-driven society, many of us are opting for a quick Google search or YouTube video to gain knowledge or be entertained. If your idea of reading is a tweet or Facebook caption, you should really consider picking up an actual book in the New year. 

If you’re still convinced reading is not for you, here are some benefits of this activity:

• Helps prevent cognitive degeneration, such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia; 
• Increases our knowledge;
• And helps relieve stress. 

Pursue Your Passions

Life can get so busy, with work and other responsibilities that we begin to feel burned out, disconnected from our work and not motivated. Setting aside time to pursue your passions gives you an outlet to enjoy yourself and also helps you achieve a better work-life balance. 

You may feel guilty about using your time for pleasure and not productivity; however, taking time for yourself will improve your productivity and overall quality of life in the long-run. 

Be Thankful

So much of life is about perspective. If you focus on the negative, well life will seem pretty lame; however, if we shift our focus onto all that we have to be thankful for, we can realize our lives aren’t so bad and there are others who are much worse off. So, in 2018, make it a goal to focus on all the positives in your life and be thankful for them!