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New Year Resolutions After 50

Friday, March 17, 2023
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Be inspired to include several simple goals in your 2023 New Year’s resolutions. They are relatively easy to achieve but can help you to create better routines, improve your well-being and your retirement lifestyle.

It is that time of the year again. The time when millions of Americans make New Year's resolutions. Only to realize, twelve months later, that they did not keep them.

Perhaps you are one of many NY resolution-makers who consistently fail to stick to their annual list of good intentions. Perhaps the set of goals you create at the beginning of 2023 will still be languishing in the “to do” folder when 2023 draws to a close.

But don’t let that stop you from making your own shiny, brand-new catalog of NY resolutions for 2023!

Loving couple over 60 dancing on Christmas day at their new retirement home

A Plea in Favor of NY Resolutions

The very act of creating New Year resolutions is a good thing, even if you don’t achieve (most of) them. 

Every NY resolution you make is about taking a good look at yourself and being honest with yourself. And that is the starting point of improvement. You know what you want. You are taking the first step! This alone contributes to your emotional and mental well-being.

Making New Year’s resolutions is an optimistic thing to do. It means that you want things to get better. It also means that you are more likely to take action in the right direction. 

Your 50s and up are the perfect time to check some things off your  bucket list! You know best what they are. They might be about living healthier, making more time for loved ones, improving finances, relocating, or traveling. 

For our part, we decided to pinpoint a handful of simple goals that you may want to include in your list of 2023 New Year resolutions. They are relatively easy to achieve but can lead to important changes and help you create new, better routines. Find out which ones resonate with you. 

By all means, try to accomplish your New Year’s resolutions. But even if you don’t keep every one of them, the act of listing your intentions and striving toward them will have positive effects. 

Choose the Stairs

It’s all fine and nice to optimistically take out an expensive gym membership at the start of a year. Some of us will even actually go to that gym. But most of us will do it for only a few weeks until the guilt over festive overindulging wears out. 

Instead, opt for a free and simple way to improve your physical fitness. Just say yes to stairs. If there are too many floors to conquer, climb one, two, or three flights of stairs on foot. Only then resort to the less arduous option and push the button for the elevator. 

The health benefits of going up and down the stairs are worth the effort.  

Beautiful tree in the middle of a field covered with grass

Step Outside

Connecting with nature is the easiest way to improve your health and well-being. Take walks in a park, visit the local botanical garden, or organize picnics in nearby scenic countryside spots.

Scientists have noted many physical and psychological benefits of nature. Natural outdoor environments inspire us to be active, invigorate us, but also relax us, reduce our stress levels, and boost our mood. Strolling along the sea coast or a river is especially beneficial, as is forest bathing - that is, walking through a wooded area.

A couple of hours a week is all it takes to feel long-term improvements, but even shorter outings will set you on the right path.

Put a Plant in Your Room

The presence of indoor plants will make any room look more inviting. That is why interior designers use them so often in those alluring Instagram-worthy photos. 

From a purely aesthetic point of view, houseplants bring to life empty corners and create warmth. Researchers also say that bringing nature into the home can lower our stress levels and make us feel better. 

You don’t even need to have a green thumb. Many low-maintenance plants will practically take care of themselves, such as aloe, philodendron, and succulents.  

If you still struggle to keep houseplants alive, go for fake plants. They are better than no plants!

Indoor pot plants in retirees’ home

Put a Plant on Your Plate

Reinvent some of your everyday meals to include more plants. It is easy to do. Just top your morning bowl of oatmeal with freshly cut fruit, add veggies to your sandwich or pizza topping, and make sure to include a side dish of salad with your lunch.  

Study after study confirms that plant-based diets are beneficial for the health of people in their 50s and beyond. They help keep your blood pressure in check, as well as your weight.

You do not have to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet to reap the benefits. It is enough to put a little more vegetables and a little less meat on your plate.

A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and legumes is good for your health. Given a chance, your taste buds will also love it.

Laugh More

Watch a funny movie. Read a joke. Take your partner to a comedy club. Spend more time with that funny friend of yours. Hang out with your grandkids. In short, actively pursue situations that make you laugh. 

A good sense of humor is a priceless gift, so nurture it by trying to look at the funny side of life. As somebody wise said, laughter cannot solve our problems, but it can dissolve them and help us deal with them with a clearer head.

 Couple over 50 laughing after downsizing their home and moving into a smaller place to retire

Spread the Good Feeling 

Make a conscious decision to be polite and to smile more. People who are constantly angry or grumpy are more likely to suffer from anxiety, headaches, and high blood pressure.

Being kinder and more compassionate will have a positive impact on your mood and your health. Also, remember to treat yourself with kindness and care, like you would treat a dear friend. Think about what you like about yourself and pat yourself on the back more often.

Read a Book

Depending on your taste and inclination, go for fiction or nonfiction. Read novels of different genres, biographies, history, or political books. 

Read to learn new things, become more aware of how other people live, exercise your critical thinking, give wings to your imagination, improve your vocabulary, or read simply for the pleasure of it.

Write a Book

You may feel that you will never be a published author, and perhaps you don’t even want to be. It is still a good idea to include writing in your 2023 New Year resolutions.

You can start the novel you always wanted to write, note down memories of people you have known and events that you remember, or keep a journal.  

Writing will enable you to express your ideas better. When we transfer what’s in the mind to paper, we have to organize our thoughts and follow a certain logic. All that improves our thinking process and our communication skills.

Doctor measuring blood pressure of a patient in retirement

Go for Birthday Checkups

Let 2023 be the year when you decide to have regular annual medical checkups. Schedule your visit close to your birthday month. That way, you will be less likely to forget them. You’ll also give your doctor a chance to wish you a happy birthday!

Relocate in 2023

You may be a grandparent who wants to live near the grandkids. You may be looking to downsize your home. You may be eager to move to a sunnier spot or a less expensive area.

There are many reasons why people want to relocate starting in their 50s. There are also many reasons why they keep putting it off. If you are in that group, make relocating one of your top 2023 New Year’s resolutions.

Shyft Can Help You Relocate

Relocating is a huge undertaking, even if you move just a few blocks away. There are so many things to take into account that you may feel overwhelmed.

Fortunately, there is one important segment of relocating that can be worry-free. The act of moving becomes a breeze when it is handled by AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft, 

This is how moving home works the Shyft way.

Firstly, you go to AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft website, fill in a short form, and click on the “Get Free Quotes Now” button. If you’d rather talk to a human, dial 1-888-501-3181.

You will be asked to download Shyft’s free mobile app for iPhone or Android devices, called Shyft Next. 

Once the app is on your device, arrange a video call with a Shyft representative. This representative will be your dedicated Move Coach. Your Move Coach will advise you about the best relocation type for your budget and take care of your entire relocation experience.

During the video call, you’ll guide your Move Coach through your house and show them the belongings that you want to move. In less than 30 minutes, they will put together an inventory list. That means that you will not have people walking around your home.

The list that your Move Coach makes during the video call is accurate in 95% of the cases. You can add or remove specific items to make it more accurate. Once your list is complete, it goes to a secure Shyft platform, together with your moving information (without your personal details). There, independently verified moving companies submit their offers. 

Shyft will send to you three or more top moving quotes so that you can select the mover that fits your needs and budget. Once you accept a quote, the price is locked. This means that the price cannot be changed unless you add or remove items, change the move distance, or fail to book your move before the quote expires.

Your dedicated Move Coach will oversee the entire process from door to door. No matter which company is handling your move, Shyft ensures the same quality standards for all.

With Shyft, AARP[CK1]  members get up to a $250 discount for every move booked. That’s right, up to $250 off, only for AARP[CK2]  members, no matter how many times you decide to move and where you decide to move to.

You can learn more about AARP® Moving Services powered by Shyft on Shyft’s website, or you can call 1-888-838-5981.

Shyft is available to you seven days a week. 

Keep your 2023 New Year resolution to relocate with the help of AARP® Moving Services Powered by Shyft.

Get Free Moving Quotes