It’s the last day of 2024. First of all, congratulations – you deserve a pat on the back for making it out of the year alive!

But you stare at your weighing scale and let out a loud sigh. Weren’t you supposed to drop that 10kg last year? And whatever happened to that expensive gym pass?

Year after year, it’s a neverending cycle where your resolutions don’t make it past February and your yoga pants are left tucked away in the corners of the wardrobe.

The problem? They aren’t realistic New Year’s resolutions. So, instead of swearing off sugar, dairy and carbohydrates, try setting your sights on these seven New Year’s resolutions that you can actually keep.

1. Learn a new yoga pose

No, you don’t have to become a yogi by the end of the year. Instead of pushing your body to its absolute maximum, your New Year’s resolution could be simply to learn a new yoga pose.

It doesn’t need to be a tough, back-breaking pose, either. Try the cow face pose or the cobra pose to start off with.

Plus, it will give your self-esteem a good boost when you find your flexibility increasing week by week.

2. Cook dinner once a week

Maybe last year’s resolution was to dutifully bring packed lunches to work every day. Why not start off with a dish once a week, perhaps on Friday nights after a hard week at work?

Of course, you don’t have to go all Julia Child and start with a difficult dish, which can be quite demotivating if it doesn’t come out tasting good. Start small with a simple recipe requiring minimal ingredients.

The added bonus is that by cooking in your own kitchen, you can control every ingredient that goes into your meals and your body.

Who knows, you might even find yourself retreating to the kitchen more after this to seek solace in roasting a chicken.

3. Commit to learning a new language

In this day and age, learning a new language will definitely be handy, whether for travels or simply to impress your superior during a job interview.

There has been evidence that learning a new language can stretch your brain to develop new neural pathways. Indeed, a study from the York University of Toronto found that learning a new language has a very powerful impact on the brain as it could lead to delaying dementia.

Talk about practical AND lifesaving!

4. Have your annual medical check-up

Before resolving to abstain from smoking and alcohol, why not start the year with a medical check-up?

Not only does going for a routine health check each year serve as a preventative and early warning mechanism against illnesses, it also enables you to meet with your doctor to evaluate your current state of health and lifestyle habits.

5. Practise meatless Mondays

You’ve said it before: “I’ll stop eating meat to save the animals.” Yet, within the second week of January, you find yourself chomping down a juicy steak.

Restaurants in Malaysia have been dishing up some really delicious-looking vegan delights, so why not give it a try this New Year? Here’s one option out of the many out there – and here’s another.

6. Read a book every month

How many books did you read in 2024? If you’ve answered more than six, congratulations. With social media as a constant distraction, it’s not always easy to pick up a book, sit on a comfortable chair, and fall into a world concocted by imagination.

Give it a try, a book a month. It doesn’t have to be a 1,000-page novel. Start off with something you’re passionate about, even if it’s “Harry Potter”.

Plus, there are innate benefits to reap. Reading fiction has been shown to increase empathy, strengthen your memory, and improve overall cognitive function.

7. Keep a plant alive

OK, so you might have killed a couple of plants in 2024, but don’t let this keep you down. Some plants need just the right amount of water to thrive, while others hardly need attention at all.

To keep life easy (for yourself and for the plant!), why not give rearing chillies a try? These little devils require very little maintenance.

The next time you find yourself cutting up some chilli, don’t throw the seeds away. Instead, gather them into a pot with soil, water them once a day, and remember to add some fertiliser.

Before you know it, you’ll have ample chillies on hand to add to that dinner you’re cooking once a week, or to spice up that lovely vegan meal. Happy New Year!