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With the new decade right around the corner, let’s talk about how to level up in 2021! The New Year is a perfect time to work on personal development, and I believe that we all should strive to be the best version of ourselves, year after year.
Here are 8 ways in which you can level up in 2021 and make it your year!
Pin for later! 🙂
Out with the negativity
If you do one thing differently in 2020, let it be this: cut out the negativity from your life.
When we’re around negativity, it doesn’t matter how many positive affirmations we’ve told ourselves that morning. Negativity is like an infectious disease and the more we surround ourselves with it, the more it will consume us.
If your friends are all people who always complain about their lives day after day and do nothing to change it, why waste energy by hanging out with them?
Surround yourself with people who you can learn from and who you can grow with, instead. A great quote I once read was, “Always be the dumbest person in the room.” That way, you are always learning about how to make better choices, and are not stuck in the same place for a long period of time.
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Keep educating yourself
Whether you prefer book smarts or street smarts (I like a healthy mixture of both), never stop learning. Things are always evolving around us, and it’s beneficial for us all to stay in the know of how the world is changing.
In addition to that, you can always learn from others, too. In today’s day and age, information from other people is so easily attainable, all it takes is for us to go out looking for it.
Read personal development books, listen to podcasts instead of music on your daily commute, read Forbes for inspiration.. the list goes on and on. Education is the one investment you will never come to regret.
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Plan out your days
I’m a huge fan of planners and planning out my months. Not only is it good to be organized with whatever it is that needs to get done, but I personally feel like putting words to pen and paper is much more efficient than writing things down on my phone.
Something about physically writing out goals and desires, especially in a place where we can see every day, makes them so much more attainable and easier to reach.
Plus, a little organization never hurt anybody!
Learn about finances
Something I wish they would start teaching in schools is finance. No, not the kind you need in order to get a job in finance, but real-life finances that would be used by ordinary everyday people.
Alas, since that’s not something we can learn about in school, it is up to us to learn about finances on our own.
Thankfully, there are a ton of resources and books on the topic of money out there. How to make it, how to get out of debt, how to invest.. you name it- there’s a book for it out there.
I am linking my favorite books on personal finance below if you feel like getting your finances in order this coming year!
- The Total Money Makeover By Dave Ramsey
- You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
- Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School by Cary Siegel
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Invest in yourself
A great way to level up in 2021 is by investing in yourself.
If you’re someone who has a 9-5 job but would like to maybe branch out and start doing something more creative for work on the side, this is your year.
After all your bills have been paid, take some of the money you make monthly and invest it into whatever it is that you’d like to start or grow.
For example, if you want to keep your 9-5 job but also do freelance makeup on the side, building up your makeup kit month after month is going to help you build a better income for yourself in the long run.
Finding what you’re passionate about and investing in it little by little is going to help you make more money later on. It will also be something you really enjoy doing. Win, win.
Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses
If you’ve never heard this saying before, let me explain.
Say, 4 of your friends buy expensive bags. You see them flaunting their bags every time you go out and feel bad about your $25 bag you got from Amazon.
Does that mean that you should be spending your money on expensive bags? Just because someone else has them? Absolutely not.
Keeping up with the Joneses means that you are willing to do what others around you are doing. That’s absolutely unnecessary.
I think with social media being all the rage (is this still a figure of speech people use? Please let me know in the comments, hah!), it can be easy to get trapped into wanting to have what others have or even look the way other people look.
In 2021, I hope that you realize that you are enough, you are amazing just the way you are, and that the Joneses don’t need to have an effect on you.
Mind your business
A great way to level up in 2021 is by keeping to yourself and minding your business.
Think of the most successful people you know. Do you think they have the time and energy to be talking about others all day? I doubt that because they are probably too busy creating empires and being role models.
Gossiping and talking ill of others is never a good look, and it never makes a good impression.
If you’re ever around someone who is talking about somebody else in a not-so-nice way, there’s nothing wrong with changing the subject. Especially to a more positive one. It will make you feel better and you won’t be labeled as a gossip queen by your peers.
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Make self-care a priority
In the midst of all the hustling that we all do, making self-care a priority should be something you aim for in 2021. When our minds and bodies are constantly working, it’s only a matter of time before they go into shutdown mode.
Take breaks when you need them. Even if a 20-minute break is all you can manage a day, that’s fine. As long as you are taking some time to work on quieting your body and mind, that’s all that matters.
Posts you might enjoy:
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I’m definitely looking to be more focused on planning and using my diary / calendar more efficiently next year! x
Oh my god, YES to the point about minding your business! SO many people need to really learn that in my opinion. I think we’ve got to a point where we think that because we CAN share our opinions about absolutely anyone else at any time of the night or day, we SHOULD. It’s not the case at all and there are so many issues that could be solved by people just letting go and keeping their mouth shut.
Also I really love the idea of ‘investing in yourself’. That’s definitely something I want to spend more time doing in 2020!
Beth x Adventure & Anxiety
I feel the same way! Honestly, I used to be all up in people’s business years ago and I’m so happy that this isn’t my reality anymore. So much less drama to worry about and so much more time to focus on my own life and goals!
Love these! I definitely want to invest more in myself in 2020 as that’s what I really need to do to progress, and I think continuous learning is so important. I always try and sit down to learn something new at least once a week, and let me curiosity take me wherever it wants to go.
As for the “all the rage” phrase, I immediately thought of my Nan when I read that, soooo…. Perhaps not 😉
Haha! Thanks for letting me know! I won’t be using that phrase any more 😂
All great suggestions…have really been trying to turn this year around…stay tuned lol
Haha good luck!
I love your wholesome advice for making any year be our year. It is important to live intentionally and always be open to learning.
Thank you for your advice on not keeping up with the Joneses! We are our own Joneses. 🙂
For anyone looking to learn more about personal finance IN SCHOOL, I am literally looking at an economics course offered at the middle school and high school level in our school district curriculum. I also see at three community colleges in my area offer a course in personal finance. There are tons of online personal finance (that is used in the real world) courses not just through traditional schools, but from different sources, Even Girl Scouts offer some curriculum if you want to pick up their literature for personal finance and running a business. It starts at the kinder level and goes all the way up. So yes, you can learn personal finance in school. LOL
What a cute post! Love these tips and took some notes to kick off our new year on the right foot! Xx Sara
Amazing! I’m on the right path! <3