2024's ins and outs
Habit stacking, overdressing, less sweating the small stuff
The first week of 2024 is officially complete.
In the spirit of the New Year, people have been reflecting and sharing their ins and outs for the year ahead.
I’ve pulled together the online favourites and some personal additions for the lists, all in one place and categorised - so you don’t have to.
But first, let’s discuss ways to de-mystify achieving those dreams.
2024 in actionable steps
There’s a lot of pressure in January surrounding self-improvement. Often, people try to do too much at once for 3 weeks and then surrender to previous habits.
Whether you're prioritising your career aspirations, health and wellness, fashion and beauty, or overall lifestyle choices, there’s a reformed approach for turning this new leaf.
Rather than reinventing your whole being, adopt the “1% better every day” mentality. This process requires living with intention and putting in concentrated work on your goals and habits - so much that you eventually get so used to the process that it becomes a part of you.
To be the best version of you, you must think in the long term, set a goal and stick to it.
Putting in small but consistent amounts of effort over long periods breeds the best habits, routines, and results.
How to get there
Dreaming, imagining and vision boarding is a brilliant dopamine hit and motivational boost. But when the daily noise gets a little louder, long term aspirations can fall out of your head, and suddenly the Easter bunny is around the corner and not much has shifted.
Goals will continue to be a dream if you don’t make the time and take the actionable steps to hit them.
There’s a reason you’re paid each month to tick off your daily tasks, apply the same principles to your life. Plan your dreams similarly as you would a work project.
So, make your favourite beverage, sit down, and plan the route you will take to get there, and set deadlines to hold you accountable.
365 days to plan is an outrageous ordeal. Instead:
Set your long-term goals and achievements for the year - be specific! We want to manage and set expectations so these can be truly actionable
Look at the month you have ahead. Write down what you want to - and will - achieve at the start of each month to align with your ambitions
Now, each week break down your goals into small tasks to inject into your daily routine that will nurture those long-term goals and achieve your desired lifestyle over time
You are what you do
Feeling overwhelmed? Motivation faltering? Didn’t meet your +1% yesterday?
No problem, today is a new day - pick up where you left off.
When off-piste and unsure where to improve, refer to the goals you’ve outlined. Position your vision board so you can see it every day to engrain it into your subconscious (check out The Source, listed below for more on this!).
Once you’re clear and have been reminded of what the better version of you looks like, start acting like them.
For example, if you want to achieve your ideal weight, consider what your day-to-day looks like at that size. Probably, future you has a nutritional diet rich in protein, paired with daily movement that feels GOOD.
Need some inspiration for your 2024? Read on to find out this year’s ‘ins’ and ‘outs’.
Resources:
Atomic Habits, £17.99 - how to habit stack, and create an environment to achieve success
The Source, £11.35 - written by neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, this book uncovers how you can re-wire your brain by changing your thought patterns to unlock the life you wish to achieve. The self help book and scientific explanation behind manifestation
The Productivity Method, £23.40 - spelling the end to your endless, overwhelming to do lists. Goal setting made achievable
Now with a Digital Planner integrated with Notion and 40% off, £25.20
The Five Minute Journal, £24.99 - achievement requires not only repetition but self belief. This is a great journal for reinforcing the positives, building esteem and actively growing and learning through daily reflection
Outs of 2023
Poor form:
Being tired and making this a conversation opener - snore, it’s out!
Mindless snacky snacks due to said tiredness
Dry lips
Sweating the small stuff
Rotting in bed
Excessive alcohol consumption and mixing drinks
Doom scrolling
Unproductive screen time
Limiting fashion and beauty:
Only wearing neutrals
Heat damage
Single-use makeup wipes
Micro trends
Overconsumption
Negative thoughts and behaviors:
Letting inner self critique get too loud and limiting beliefs that stop you from slaying
Overthinking others’ opinions
Victim mentality
Complaining and negativity
Oversharing
Being unproductive
Reluctance to try new things
Fear of growing up - this is a privilege
Reaching the age of 25 and saying “I feel so old” - p-pardon?
Living life for others
Social and cultural no-no’s:
Following the masses
Zara staff - are you guys ok?
Not having a tourist walking lane on Oxford St.
Relationships:
Always being reachable
Negative comparison to other people - stay in your lane
Men - Julia Fox
Bank account drains:
Hoarding - get selling!
Mindless spending on unnecessary things
‘Treats’ masking a shopping addiction and impulse buys
Buying coffee out, and more than 1 coffee a day
Ins for 2024
Self-care and wellbeing:
Early to bed, early to rise
Ritualistic wind down from 9pm - it’s the hours before midnight that count
Eating earlier instead of 1hr before bed
Reading and journaling
Staying in and self-care nights
Practicing gratitude
SPF
Rest time for imagination and reflecton- not mindless scrolling, but doing absolutely nothing at all. This doesn’t need to be for hours, 15 minutes will do. Take a breath
Health and fitness:
Long hot girl walks and lower-impact workouts
Daily movement, and workouts that are FUN - not a chore or punishment
3 litres of water per day
Magnesium for hot girl sleep
Getting enough protein
Homemade meals
Educating yourself on gut health
Fashion and beauty:
Overdressing is IN
Skirts and groovy tights
Outfit repeating
Lash lifts
Trying different hairstyles
Renting clothes
Overall looking sleek
Signature scents
Swapping trainers for boots
Dressing like the main character
Heatless curls
Productivity:
Habit staking over willpower - Disciplined people design their environment to work for them. They structure their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control
Productivity planning - from making time for hobbies to personal admin and managing your workload
Financial wisdom:
Investing
No spend months
When boys leave clothes at your house - putting on Depop and Vinted
Paying with cash
Delayed gratification - saving for something special
Mindfulness:
'Let them mentality'; let people show you who they are, and spend less energy agonising over it
Failure - living like a toddler, so when you fail when trying new things, pick yourself back up and try again
Repetition, not perfection - establish habits before improving them
Challenging yourself - “I can do hard things”
Lifestyle and culture:
Fact-checking
Kindness
Referring to feet as hooves and trotters, and hands as paws
Mocktails
Frequenting the cinema
Relationships:
Instead of “how are you?” asking friends for their “mental and physical” rating out of five stars
Host more dinner parties and girls' nights
Friendships that fill your cup - your friends are your cheerleaders, and you are theirs
Surround yourself and communicate with those who inspire and support you
You’re the main character
See under ‘Outs’, thoughts and behaviours - Living life for others.
You know what other people’s ins and outs are. But what do you want?
Questions to consider:
What are my top 5 motivations?
What do I wish I had more time to do?
What do I need to change in my daily life to reach my goals for the year?
What is my biggest challenge?
What get’s in the way of my productivity?
What habits can I build to overcome these challenges, and what habits can I break?
Just like small adjustments in an airplane's axis can either lead it to it’s desired destination, or steer it in the opposite direction (aka, set backs). Daily 1% improvements can guide you to transformative success over time - and you’ve got plenty of it.
Good luck, and remember - miniscule activities lead to massive improvements.
Let’s make this year count. x
