New Year, New Leaf
It is the time of year when many people try to turn a new leaf and make New Year’s resolutions in an attempt to improve their lives. Are any of the top 40 resolutions familiar to you? This list is the result of a research involving 2000 people and it reveals many of the problems typical of modern life.
Why should we make promises to ourselves? Perhaps because we know that resolutions are hard to stick to, especially when we want to give up a bad habit, like smoking, drinking, or eating too much chocolate. Another reason could be that they test our will-power. After all, going to the gym or cooking a healthy meal after a long day at work means making an extra effort. Traditionally, the beginning of a new year also brings the need for order, the need to get rid of the old stuff and magic some freshness and novelty into our boring daily lives. Selling old unwanted stuff on E-bay is definitely a modern solution to the problem and the money you get could help finance a resolution you’ve made, such as redecorating your home or renewing your hairstyle or wardrobe.
Many New Year’s resolutions focus on improving our health, fitness or finances, which often require sacrifices. Therefore, it is not difficult to see why so many of them last only for a month or so into the year. Why not pick something pleasant for 2020 instead? Taking up a hobby you’ve been postponing for years might make a difference in your stressful life. The poll also shows that many people try to focus on personal relationships as well: spending more time with the kids, meeting one’s friends in person rather than online or admitting that our relationship with our spouse or partner needs some improvement can lead to a more fulfilling life.
According to magazine Health, the top 10 healthiest resolutions include not only the old favourites of losing weight, giving up smoking, getting more sleep and cutting back on alcohol, but also some surprising suggestions: travelling, going back to school, volunteering and staying in touch with friends and family all contribute to our well-being. With this in mind, it might be worth establishing a new tradition, such as meeting up once a month for a meal with extended family or vowing to go hiking regularly with a group of friends. Staying clear of people who only add to your stress levels is also a wise decision, so this might be the right time to see which relationships only drain your energy. Research also shows that going back to school has a positive influence on both career and mental health, as people who learn something new as adults stay sharper in old age as well. Don’t hesitate to get out your books, now you have scientific proof for the extra benefits of regular English lessons.
New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be very complicated in order to make your life more exciting. Extreme sports and bungee jumping can give you a thrill but many people are not cut out for this kind of thing. By saving a smaller sum of money every month, you could take the holiday you couldn’t afford last year, for instance. Another option is to try a new food every week or get together with friends for a film club and a chat. Take initiative and you’ll find small things can go a long way.
| to turn a new leaf | Voltare pagina |
| resolution | Propositi |
| attempt | Tentativo |
| to improve | Migliorare |
| familiar | Familiare |
| to reveal | Rivelare |
| to stick to something | Seguire rigorosamente |
| bad habit | Cattiva abitudine |
| to test | Testare |
| will-power | Forza di volontà |
| after all | Dopotutto |
| gym | Palestra |
| to make an effort | Fare uno sforzo |
| order | Ordine |
| to get rid of something | Sbarazzarsi di qualcosa |
| novelty | Novità |
| to finance | Finanziare |
| to require sacrifices | Necessitare sacrifici |
| therefore | Inoltre |
| to last | Durare |
| for a month or so | Per un mese circa |
| to take up | Iniziare (un hobby…) |
| to postpone | Postporre |
| to make a difference | Fare la differenza |
| in person | Di persona |
| to admit | Ammettere |
| spouse | Sposo/a |
| fulfilling | Soddisfacente / appagante |
| to cut back on | Ridurre |
| suggestion | Suggestione |
| volunteering | Volontariato |
| to stay in touch | Rimanere in contatto |
| to contribute to | Contribuire a |
| well-being | Benessere |
| with this in mind | Con questo in mente |
| to be worth | Valere la pena |
| to establish | Stabilire / impiantare |
| extended family | Famiglia allargata |
| to vow | Fare un voto |
| to staying clear of | Restare alla larga |
| decision | Decisione |
| to drain one’s energy | Prosciugare le energie |
| mental health | Salute mentale |
| sharp | (Mente) lucida |
| to hesitate | Esitare |
| scientific proof | Prova scientifica |
| benefits | Benefici |
| in order to | Per / al fine di |
| exciting | Eccitante |
| thrill | Scossa / scarica (di adrenalina) |
| to be cut out for | Essere tagliati per … |
| to afford | Permettersi |
| to take initiative | Prendere l’iniziativa |
| to go a long way | Avere successo |
