You might have made an extensive list of new year’s resolutions for 2021- I’m sure more than a few of us can admit we haven’t come close to being consistent with all of them!

I can only begin to imagine how empty so many of us feel as we approach the new year. Emotionally drained from the chaos of Covid. Physically drained from countless nights awake doing university work. Mentally on autopilot as a way of coping with daily life.

I believe the best way to set yourself up for success for 2022 is to be ‘full of yourself’…

Invest so much into who you are as a person that all your outward actions flow from a place of self love and recognising your inner value. This sets you up to meet those deadlines, show up consistently for the people you care for and take time to care for your mental health. You are worthy of good decision making and follow through, and you recognise that!

You’ll know that investing in gym subscriptions, professional skin treatments and a whole new wardrobe aren’t exactly the most financially viable. I strongly advocate for making the best of the resources you have at hand that can be accessed independently, and most importantly, for free!

Levelling up mentally

This involves changing the dialogue of your inner voice. This can be done through affirmations and challenging thoughts that arise from low self-esteem. We hinder our personal progress when we tie ourselves down to assumptions we make out of insecurity, or made up scenarios that come from anxiety.

We all know the teacher’s speeches on ‘having a growth mindset’ and while they seem so cringe and overdone, they have a point! The first step means getting to know what areas of yourself need developing?

I was able to identify these areas by doing personality tests like the Myers Briggs test, which can highlight your strengths and weaknesses. For me, this detailed self-assessment helped me gain a more developed insight on myself. It helped to affirm my assets as a good team leader and a charismatic socialiser; from this I joined a network associated with my degree and I’m now part of their communications team as well as being a student representative for my course! Build yourself up instead of just focusing on what areas you need to improve in. Naturally you’ll flourish in activities your personality has a strong alignment with. Use this to engage in opportunities that can add to your CV, or as an investment into a hobby you have!

Self investment isn’t just for you

Whatever you pour into yourself won’t just hydrate you. Everyone in your circle benefits from you becoming a better version of yourself! For example, identifying my attachment style and working on its associated behaviours helped me become closer to my friends by encouraging emotional intimacy. Undoing unhealthy behaviours caused by negative experiences in the past will help you have a better self relationship. It also means the people around you aren’t paying for the hurt you’ve gone through with others. An amazing YouTube channel I recommend is the Personal Development School (which has online courses that you can access on a free trial too!).

Money can buy happiness (kind of)

Taking daily vitamins, eating a balanced diet, and exercise are the common pieces of advice for self investment. These are purchases with long term benefits rather than focusing on clothing and makeup which, while being helpful forms of self expression, can trap you into the capitalism fuelled cycle of instant gratification from purchases. Think about what will make the most lasting difference. This will mean different things to different people. For me it’s choosing to buy skin care products instead of a new high end foundation and concealer. Take care of yourself in the right way by investing in a healthy lifestyle in whatever way you can. Even if that is just starting small with making sure you have vitamins and drinks enough water for the day!

I hope everyone has a 2022 they can be proud of using any advice I’ve provided in this article! Comment down below and let us know! ☺️

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