Life

50 Things To Do If You Hate Resolutions

A woman in a white floral-patterned t-shirt flipping her long wet black hair

Does the idea of making a list of goals to complete before the end of 2017 makes you laugh? Vomit? Or maybe both? With so much advice out there geared toward making the new year "the best year yet," it's hard knowing what to do if you hate resolutions and prefer a carpe diem approach instead. But even if you're not really a resolutions kind of person, there are still plenty of things you can do in lieu of creating a bunch of lofty to-dos that are unrealistic and will only stress you out. I guess you could call some of these anti-resolutions, while others are just bits of advice for living in the moment.

Confession: I actually love making New Year's resolutions every year. Making resolutions gets me really motivated for the year ahead and I feel like I have a clear sense of what I'd like to accomplish in the coming months. That being said, I totally get why some people may dislike resolutions, particularly vague ones like "eat healthy" and "travel abroad." These kinds of resolutions can be stressful, time-consuming, disappointing, and possibly even a waste of time if that goal ends up changing halfway through the year. In fact, only eight percent of people successfully keep their New Year's resolutions.

A lot of my friends aren't big on resolutions and instead prefer to just take one day at a time and do random little things that make them happy each day, rather than setting a specific deadline for a specific goal or task. And that's understandable. I mean, who needs relationship goals, fitness goals, and life goals when you can just appreciate life?

If this sounds like you, then read on for a fun list of things to do while other people are too busy, er, resolving.

Psst! Check out the "You IRL" stream in the Bustle App for daily tips on how to have an empowering 2017 starting Jan. 1. Right now, tweet @bustle about how you plan to make 2017 the best year yet. Use the hashtag #2017IRL, and your tweet could be featured on our app.

2. Marathon Netflix on a Monday night.

3. Say exactly what's on your mind.

4. Write in your diary on Jan. 1, 2017. Write in it again on Dec. 31, 2017.

5. Party with your friends until the second you feel like leaving.

6. Write the word "resolution" on a piece of paper and then tear it in half. Tear it again. Crumple the pieces up and throw them into a bonfire. Ta-ta.

7. Have a one-night stand, enjoy it, and then never look back.

8. Go to bed at 2 a.m. and wake up at 2 p.m.

9. Make this your only shopping list for the entire year (minus, like, groceries and stuff).

11. Buy that expensive pair of Oxfords you've been wanting since 2015. It's time.

12. Set a personal (aka inconsequential) deadline and then miss it by 23 minutes. Oops.

13. Learn how to say "That burger is greasy" in 23 languages, and nothing else.

14. Buy this set of pencils for yourself.

15. Start a puzzle and then leave it unfinished when you get bored.

16. Drink one more glass of wine.

17. Next time you're feeling bored, don't do anything about it. Experience the boredom.

18. Throw your scale away. Yep, that's right. Into the garbage. Bye.

19. Stay in bed and literally do nothing on a Saturday.

No, not a savings account. Literally, a hiding place for all those coins in your purse that you're inevitably going to rack up throughout the year.

21. Order a $295 burger, because YOLO.

22. Instead of working from home when you're sick, actually take a sick day.

23. Say "no" when someone asks for a favor if you're just not feeling up to it.

24. Take selfies with your food. Not of your food, with your food.

25. Treat every day as if it's your last day on earth.

26. Have a Philly cheese steak for lunch. Fries on the side.

27. Stay single and enjoy the independence.

28. Sleep in on the weekends.

29. Quit your job and go backpacking across the United States.

31. Be kind to yourself when you make mistakes.

32. Write a poem and title it, "An Ode To 2008."

33. The next time you're on public transportation, manspread between two manspreading men.

34. Stop musterbating (yes, that's a real term). Ban yourself from using words like "if only," "can't," "shouldn't," and "have to."

35. Do everything in moderation. Too much of a good thing is bad, and too much of a bad thing will screw you over.

36. Obtain this t-shirt and wear it once a week. Listen to what it's telling you to do.

37. Put more value on quality instead of quantity. Numbers are just numbers.

38. Procrastinate one important task by doing other important tasks. Hey, it works.

39. Listen to "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. #throwback

If you feel like giving up because something just isn't working out, then let yourself do that. There's no shame in it.

41. Celebrate Christmas in July.

42. Print this out and tape it onto your door until the end of January.

43. Do whatever you want, whenever you want to, and however you want (as long as it doesn't jeopardize your personal well-being or that of others, of course).

44. Eat ramen for dinner three days in a row because it's cheap and delicious.

45. Instead of organizing mindlessly, simply throw away anything that doesn't bring you joy. No matter what.

46. Don't wear a bra to work.

47. Go on staycations during the holidays.

48. Cut ties with that one poisonous friend even if everyone else says he or she is a good networking contact.

49. When you're feeling stressed or upset, go out for a walk, bake cookies, or punch a nearby pillow. Not everyone has the same coping method.

Do all of these things, some of them, or none. It's up to you. The bottom line is to have a kickass year in a way that best fits your personality and what you need in life right now. If that means steering away from making any New Year's resolutions, then you do you.

Check out the "You IRL" stream in the Bustle App starting on January 1 for daily tips on how to have an empowering 2017.

Images: Hannah Burton/Bustle; Bustle (6)