Our condolences for your loss, that is your hopes and dreams for the entirety of yet another year. Let’s give it another shot, shall we?
If you’ve tried setting up a list of new year’s resolutions before and have failed to stick with them, a new set of resolutions may come off as unattainable to you. Here’s the deal about new year’s resolutions for women in their 30s. The goals you’ve set before were probably unrealistic ones that were too broad and vague. Having failed to achieve them may have hurt your confidence too. You won’t be doing that this year.
New year’s resolutions are personal wants and desires that are already in you. They’re not homework that’s being dictated to you. They’re things that need more of your attention. Plus, it’s not about leaving your old self behind and trying to become someone you’re not.
It’s about improving yourself and enhancing what’s already there. It’s still you but with a clearer mind and a growth mindset. A new year is a new gift that’s full of possibilities. To help you grab some of those possibilities, here are 30 attainable new year’s resolutions for women in their 30s. Pick the ones that you think you need to work on and start from there.
30 New Year’s Resolutions For Women in Their 30s
1. Delete all dating apps.
I’m really sorry but you need to hear this. You’re 1 date away from ending up in a dumpster. You know better than not to invest your precious time into some “guy feeling lonely in the crowds looking for something real”.
There are safer and more efficient ways for physical and emotional satisfaction. And you know too well that you’re not going to meet the one on Tinder. So, deleting all dating apps is your primary new year’s resolution as a woman in her 30s.
2. Get rid of unnecessary people.
Stop trying to stay in touch with people that don’t mean anything anymore. Girlfriends, ex-boyfriends… If it hasn’t evolved into something meaningful already, what makes you think that it ever will?
Delete their numbers and clean up some space in your mind. No more drunk calls or texts!
3. Take early morning walks.
Sometimes, the mere existence of people prevents you from going outside and getting some fresh air. Because you want to be invisible.
Early mornings are when the streets haven’t been swarmed with people yet. That’s why it’s the best time to get out and get your share of unadulterated oxygen.
4. Less vodka, more wine.
For us 30-somethings, hangovers are becoming excruciating. The aftermath makes us miserable and it takes all the fun out of drinking.
Switch to wine if you haven’t already. Plus, the buzz from wine looks way more classy than the buzz from vodka.
5. Set short-term goals.
Setting unrealistic long-term goals that require extreme dedication sets you up for failure. Try daily or weekly goals. Whether it’s for work or your social life, set short-term goals.
These accomplishments actually fuel your motivation to go even further.
6. Learn something new about your profession.
Choose one aspect of your career that you need to work on and find a course to get better at it. Get yourself a new degree or a certification. Do something new about your career.
In your 30s, it’s important to find new challenges for yourself. Trying to gear up for your career, you’ll sharpen your mind and your resume.
7. Get a hobby.
It doesn’t always have to be about your career. Find a hobby that you can enjoy in your free time. It’s better if it doesn’t require too much work at the beginning. Start small and don’t give yourself any excuse not to do it.
8. Get limber.
Remember how limber and flexible you were when you were out dancing in your 20s? Currently, with back pain and knees, most of us have the flexibility of a stick.
Being physically active and flexible elevates your mood. Do some yoga or pilates this year and feel more confident in your body.
9. Declutter your wardrobe.
If it was “such a cute piece”, you’d be wearing it. Declutter your wardrobe and get rid of the clothes you’re not wearing. They’re taking up space in your wardrobe.
Cleaning up space in your living area has a weirdly positive effect on your mood too. Try minimalism this year. It’s good for you and for the environment.
10. Get rid of old makeup products.
Old makeup products are filled with germs and too filthy to use on your face in your 30s. 20-somethings can afford to roll the dice and maybe even recover from the breakouts.
But you shouldn’t take that chance. Throw them away if it’s older than one year. If it becomes trendy again, you can buy new ones. You’re 30!
Related: How To Become a Smarter Beauty Shopper
11. Do something about the wrinkles.
Wrinkles and lines are appearing and they’re not going to go away on their own. If you’re not happy about them, do something about it this year.
Don’t be afraid to take pride in your looks! Get a facial or pick an anti-aging treatment to get back that youthful look.
12. Find a cause to be passionate about.
Your 30s are your decade of giving back. For women in their 30s, it’s the best time to find a cause and fight for it because we’re able to do something about stuff as opposed to just talking about it.
Injustice, animal rights, hunger, or education. What annoys you the most about the world? Pick one and get loud about it.
13. Meet new people in person.
It doesn’t matter how many social media platforms are coming out this year. The best and the most real connections start when you’re face-to-face with the person.
Ease up on swiping people on OkCupid and try saying “hi” to people in the gym, at work, or when waiting in line. Talk to people in real life.
14. Don’t shy away from calling people out on their BS.
This should be one of the essential new year’s resolutions for women in their 30s. You know how some people talk and lie straight to your face as you nod and listen because you’re too polite to say something?
If you let them feed you their BS, they’ll keep assuming you’re an idiot. Say something this year!
15. Be more grateful.
It’s been 30+ years since you came around. I’m sure you’ve had lots of ups and downs. Now that the worst is over, why don’t you take more time to cultivate gratitude this year?
16. When in doubt, go for what scares you.
Change is always scary in almost all aspects of life. But that’s when things start to improve and get exciting. It’s more empowering than it’s scary. So, try to take more chances this year to remind yourself how full of surprises life really is.
17. Establish your me-time.
Pick a day of the week when you can be by yourself and enjoy your own company. This is an amazing opportunity to clear your mind, cultivate self-love and confidence, and recharge.
Never bail on your dates with yourself. Let people know that this is your own time and don’t make other plans.
18. Consider financial investments.
Getting close to your 40s, it might be a great time to think about investing in stuff or owning something. A car, an apartment, or a new account… Financially invest in your future self so that she can keep enjoying life.
19. Make time for art.
Not to sound like a hippie, but art brings joy and perspective into your life. Whether it’s a trip to a museum or to the opera, create some space in your life for art.
Plus, a study by UCL says that people who are involved in arts have a 31% less chance of dying early.
20. Avoid people who bring you down.
Why would you want to keep spending time with people who are constantly bringing you down with their negativity and criticism? They’re not good for anything and you don’t need that kind of garbage in your 30s.
Find people that bring joy into your life and that make you laugh. Even if you don’t have someone like that, being alone is still much better than being surrounded by people full of negative energy.
21. Focus on things you can change, not the ones you can’t.
Constantly complaining about things is a way of reinforcing negative emotions and thoughts. Make peace with things you can’t change.
Otherwise, you’re going to drain yourself emotionally and mentally. These things don’t deserve your energy. Instead, use your focus on things you can improve.
22. Believe in yourself more.
By now, you should know that you deserve more credit. After all, you’ve been around for decades and you know a thing or two about taking chances.
As a new year’s resolution, why don’t you start believing in yourself more? You’ve been through enough to decide when to seek advice and when to listen to your gut.
23. Don’t shy away from the spotlight.
Every day, you promise yourself that you’ll wake up feeling better, dress fancier, and go by your day feeling yourself. Then comes the morning and you go for the safe option and pick the plainest outfit for the day.
This year, try to get out of your comfort zone and get under the spotlight more often. Give people something to talk about.
24. Try being unreachable.
When you’re on social media, you become reachable and available. Well, that’s the point. But if you withdraw into your own shell every now and then, you’ll have a chance to see who is actually making an effort to reach out.
Make people make an effort to contact you. Quit social media for a month and see who notices.
25. Buy yourself something expensive.
Because you can! Instead of going on a shopping spree where you spend irresponsibly on stuff that’s good for only a week, buy one expensive quality piece that you can wear for several years.
You can consider minimalism this year and build your own capsule wardrobe.
26. Start using retinol.
If you haven’t already, get a retinol cream or a serum. You’re in your 30s now and the best skincare routine for your 30s is an anti-aging one.
Starting this year, healthier skincare should be among the top 10 of your new year’s resolutions list.
27. Look in the mirror more often, but with appreciation.
When you look in the mirror, you tend to focus on what’s missing. It’s a thing we all do, we point out what we perceive to be wrong with our looks. First of all, this is so rude! You’d never do this to someone else.
You’d never look at a person in the face and start insulting them. Why are you doing that to yourself? That’s what parents are for. Stop it and show some appreciation.
28. More weekend getaways.
When you make long-term travel plans, you give yourself a lot of excuses to get out of it. The planning, the budgeting, the shopping… It becomes a whole thing.
If you focus on short weekend getaways, you can easily do that every couple of months. That way, you’ll not only have time to relax but also won’t have to deal with pre/post-travel exhaustion.
29. Talk less about your goals.
Nobody knows what it is. But when you talk about your goals, they become harder to reach. One theory is that talking about your goals gives you the illusion of accomplishment, making you less motivated to keep going.
Another theory is evil eyes try to sabotage your goals by sending out negative energy to the universe. Whatever it is, there’s some truth to it. Don’t talk about your new boyfriend, your promotion, or your plans. Protect them by keeping them to yourself.
30. Write down your resolutions.
Most importantly, keep a journal and write down your resolutions. Checking your accomplishments off the list is going to motivate you to keep going.
And at the end of the year, it’ll make you feel more confident about yourself and your potential. And this will make you set more goals for the next year so that you never stop trying to be the best version of yourself.
Read Next: How to Meet Men in Your 30s
