The Untamed Optimist

you do you and people will follow

  • About
    • Q & A
  • College
  • Recipes
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
    • Refreshers
  • Wellness
    • Health
  • Style
  • Garden

Explore

  • Q & A
  • About
  • Let’s Be Insta BFF’s
  • Pin Your Favorites
  • Like TUO on Facebook
  • Join the TUO Newsletter

What are you looking for today?

Holidays, Wellness · January 27, 2022

New Decade. Same You?

With such a sought-after year finally starting, the resolutions made this month have huge potential. For many, this means rushing to buy a gym membership or cleaning out the attic…

But what about those habits that sneak up on us and take everything back to square one?
This year, aim to be more of a reflection of yourself, letting small good habits add up without goals becoming overwhelming.
Need some help coming up with reasonable goals? Keep reading for my 2020 goals and adjust to fit your lifestyle! Actively do what you want while allowing for a healthy amount of time spent outside your comfort zone and your year (and decade—woohoo!) is sure to bring you good times.

The art of setting goals:

New Year’s resolutions are nothing unheard of. In fact, they can be one of the most stressed things in the eyes of businesses and consumers once the holidays have come and gone.


For me, it has always been the complete opposite. Now, before you call me crazy, hear me out…
When I got old enough to understand how these resolutions work, I realized they were meaningless attempts to make it seem like you still have goals for yourself. I have always believed it should be more organized and planned out than that to keep on top of things.


I started goal setting when I entered my freshman year of high school with the intention to actually stay organized and keep my work done ahead of time.
Rather than posting on social media and never following through, I scheduled difficult classes and bought a new agenda to give myself the tools and the drive to accomplish this goal.


When I wanted to better my relationship with food, I never once considered a reckless fad or a calorie-counting app. Instead, I found myself taking more trips with my parents to the grocery store and read up on those ingredients we can never pronounce.


Instead of trying to throw myself at the goals I set, I was taking one step at a time until I had a path with the goal waiting for me at the end! It has had tremendous results and I cannot stress how much goal planning comes into play when accomplishing them.


Long story short, if you plan to succeed, you need to succeed in planning.
Another problem many people have with picking their resolutions is that they limit themselves to niche goals, but add up too many to keep track of!


I prefer to set vague goals that allow for some wiggle-room. Giving yourself guidelines rather than rules allows for our focus to be turned on what to do, not what we shouldn’t be doing.


Who’s ready to start setting their yearly goals?!

Set household goals

My family has recycled for years and my 2019 goal of integrating compost into our household was a success! This year, I’m aiming to keep up with this habit and I’m still saving all my jars!


Home organization is another great habit to keep up with and getting the whole family on board can help with keeping the home clean after the holiday’s end. Here’s my complete list of home goals that you could focus on throughout the year:

  • Switch to all-natural or zero waste products
  • Use the clothesline more often
  • Grow more veggies from home
  • Start buying locally!
  • Organize one space of the house a month
  • Use fewer paper towels (go paperless in the kitchen!)

I work and feel best when in fresh and open spaces, so every year I try to start off by cleaning up a bit to start things off. With a clear space, one will have a clear mind, so clear up any excess clutter to start off right!

Don’t forget about yourself

It seems like self-care became the trend of 2019 and I hope it’s one that continues into the new year. For those of you who don’t find enough time for yourself, start using those nights off to your advantage and relax a little!


From eating what you know will make you feel best to using zero waste cleansers and candles for a spa night, self-care is one thing we can all come to appreciate.

Here are some general self-care guidelines to keep yourself in tip-top shape this year!

  • Use coconut oil on your hair in the shower (pre-poo)
  • Reduce screen time to under 4 hours a day
  • Switch to reusables and save a couple of bucks
  • Drink 10-12 cups of water daily, or more if you need it!
  • Use zero-waste and all-natural body care products!
  • Brush pets weekly or daily if needed

In 2019, I got my first pair of blue light glasses to protect my eyes while taking online classes and blogging. Now I’m focusing on reducing my phone screen time before bed, and my daily average is usually under 2hrs!

Become a foodie this year…

This past year has been full of lots of recipe successes and ingredient experiments on my end.
I love to mix and match in the kitchen to get brand new flavor combos that surprise me every time! In 2020, I plan to share a new cookie recipe developed this winter, plus fresh dishes as different ingredients go into season!


Follow along with some of these foodie goals in 2020:

  • Try a new food or flavor combo
  • Make a favorite dish in a new way!
  • Eat your rainbow every day (trust me, it works!)
  • Prep your meals more than going out to eat
  • Include a fruit or veggie with every meal
  • Bulk buy ingredients and save some $$

Shopping locally is a great way to find produce bundles and fresh deals on all the foods you don’t want to splurge on in the grocery store.
I love getting produce bundles because there’s a surprise in everyone and all my inspiration comes from digging through the box when I get home.


Can’t find a local farmer’s market?

Stick to bulk foods like carrots and potatoes that taste great when prepared savory or sweet! Some of my must-haves include a big head of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and any seasonal veggies that are in at the time.


Setting goals and sticking to them doesn’t have to be hard. Only when you pick your goal, create a plan to achieve it, and take the first step will allow you to succeed.
This year, instead of holding yourself to crazy standards, tackle the habits and goals you’ve already been attempting, just target them with the drive of the new year supporting you.


Looking for some more zero-waste goals?Great news! I’ve got some self-care tips for those who are new to the movement or want to challenge themselves by DIY-ing their own products!

Keep your eye out for my next post full of helpful tips and products that I wish I knew about when I first decided to make this lifestyle change.

Posted By: byshannonamos@gmail.com · In: Holidays, Wellness

12 Low-Waste Alternatives for Your Home
Low Waste Gifts for the Whole Family!

You’ll Also Love

How to Grow Your Nails Long and Strong
A Portrait of Myself
Low Waste Gifts for the Whole Family!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • ‘Be My Valentine’ Iced Brownie Dupe
  • Managing and Maintaining 3A Curls
  • Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
  • Caramelized Blueberry Topping
  • Candy Corn Cookies

Reader Favorites

20 Words of Advice for 20-Year-Olds

Garden Prep Guide for Beginners: Get Ready to Grow

keep reading

  • About
    • Q & A
  • College
  • Garden
  • Instagram
  • Recipes
    • Breakfasts
    • Desserts
    • Dinners
    • Lunches
    • Refreshers
    • Snacks
  • Style
  • Wellness
    • Health
this little butterfly garden never ceases to amaze this little butterfly garden never ceases to amaze me ✨
When I asked, you delivered! Thanks for all your f When I asked, you delivered!
Thanks for all your feedback about merging my earring curation with TUO. Nothing is live to the site yet, but there’s lots of updates to come to #TUOstyle 😊

These designs will be amongst the first to go live along with a few style guides to give lots of outfit inspiration for pairing with a set of statement earrings 🙌
Getting ready to add compost so these babies will Getting ready to add compost so these babies will be ready for planting (2022) thankfully spring came early this year so the ground was much easier to work with. plus, we didn’t have to add compost this year since we did last, and the soil has retained much of its nutrients since.
Who else is ready for their garden to start lookin Who else is ready for their garden to start looking like this again? 🙋🏻‍♀️

This is the kale & bok choy bed from last years harvest and it’s a staple in our garden every year. I pick each of our plants weekly to gather a continuous harvest all season long 💪
Even if the weather makes your blooms fall, they’re not a lost cause! 

Take it as a sign to cut them and give them a new home inside 🌼 so you can keep enjoying them for longer and give them a break from the cold
I’m not sure about you, but the first crocus is I’m not sure about you, but the first crocus is the first genuine sign of spring for me. Unlike the snowdrops that peel out before anyone else, or the daffodils that are eager to bloom early every year, these lil guys are always right on time.

We’ve only got the one for now, but I know an encore is soon to come and I cannot wait! 🙌 this guy is wild in the yard but I’ve been tending to our garden beds as I get the chance

Get ready for more TUO garden content, including a new way to grow your green thumb with minimal effort 😅
My lawn is full of stuff that others would conside My lawn is full of stuff that others would consider weeds. We’ve got weeds in shades of blue, white, yellow, and purple, but I don’t think of them that way. 

To me, they keep the bees going until our gardens fill out. I don’t mind seeing breaks in greenery if it means having speckles of color spotted throughout. Pick your battles, but I don’t mind having them around if that’s all the harm they do.

What about you? 🤔💭 Do you bother with all the little things or just focus on the big picture? Prioritizing the big picture helps me stay sane 🙋🏻‍♀️
With daffodils, blue bells, iris, snow drops, and With daffodils, blue bells, iris, snow drops, and tulips popping up all over our gardens, I’m sure to be out more often and sharing to the TUO Garden tab 🤩

I can’t wait to share my plans for the gardens this year as there will be big changes, so stay tuned! Until then, head over to my profile to see what I’ve been up to recently 😊
  • Q & A
  • About
  • Let’s Be Insta BFF’s
  • Pin Your Favorites
  • Like TUO on Facebook
  • Join the TUO Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 The Untamed Optimist · Theme by 17th Avenue