We couldn’t help but wonder how many of you have made a resolution for 2018– and how many have still persisted with each one. Making a New Year’s resolution can seem like a strain on your next 12 months, not for the commitment but the failure at doing so, and it’s easy to see why most gradually skip this tradition altogether, especially if, lucky for you, your life is pretty fulfilling and full of happiness already.

But taking it an extra mile into a fresh start of your life can seem effortless when you know exactly what goals you plan on accomplishing and keeping them small. We’ve thought about how simple little activities or adventures can turn your year around before it’s even been rolled out, and simply by looking towards the past. This year’s resolutions can feel like the big change or step in the right direction for new beginnings, with just the gentle push of these old-fashioned inspired ideas:

Seeing More Movies

Want to stop drinking as much or spend money on a lavishly overpriced dinner every Friday? Save that time and money for movie dates! Prep a meal with the family or friends before at home and then head out together for whatever blockbuster is playing. Even better, find a local independent theater featuring old Hollywood favorites or sleeper indie hits that just might sweep up wins at next year’s Oscars. This classic pastime will always guarantee amusement and great conversation– whether a good flick or a bad one– afterwards with company.

Getting Thrifty

Bring in new trinkets and memos to your life, but not with the latest trends that only suit your needs in the moment, and not the long run allure. So, make your way to a vintage boutique or local thrift shop that just might be keeping secret your next big find. Stories of a Bob Mackie coat or Coach crossbody are just to name a few tales of the trade. Who knows what valuable, rare, quirky, or just plain beautiful treasure it is that you’ll find– you’ll never know unless you walk into the store!

Learning to Cook Old Family Recipes

If not only saving money, but learning to cook on your own, is a possible resolution that’s crossed your mind, give it a good twist with the help of your family or friends. Mom’s delicious dinners or afternoon snacks came from somewhere– or someone who taught her, and most likely these nostalgic treats are jotted down somewhere for you to continue on the legacy. Not only will you be learning to create new meals, you’ll also be revisiting the past through your tastes and smells that instantly will rush in. Maybe there isn’t a collection of family recipes, but that shouldn’t matter– buy a new cookbook to fill up with your own creations to pass down yourself.

Meetup!

Feeling antisocial is totally fine, but if there are moments where you absolutely need to unleash your passions for the past with like-minded enthusiasts, then just give a shout! In the same vein as thrift shopping, you’ll never know who you’ll meet unless you get out there. Facebook groups like Vintage Styling for Modern Girls or Classic Old Hollywood (20s -60s) are just a step in the right direction to connect with other vintage lovers and you can even see the life’s work of bloggers behind Instagram hashtags #TrueVintageOOTD and #OOTDSocialClub. Real-time meetups can even happen with events organized by your local art deco preservation society or nightly swing dance classes, or in upcoming events like the Vintage Fashion Expo.

Listen to a Podcast

Streaming a podcast can be insightful and amusing without overstimulation. Completely giving your attention to the program through just your ears really connects you into the discussion in a way that gets you to focus and think whilst continuing on at work or menial chores around the house like the laundry. From crime drama like Serial to more surreal thrillers like Welcome to Nightvale or funny commentary from How Did This Get Made?, it’ll be just like the radio!

Sightsee– and Learn the History of– a Local Small-Town, if Not Your Own

Perhaps you’ve lived your whole life in one spot, and never really knew the history of the place that gave foundation to your very being, your values and experiences and outlook on life. Wouldn’t you like to learn more?

Getting in touch with the historical society of your city, whether if born and raised or just moved in from the city or another part of the state or country, can really get you better connected to this place you call home. That local drugstore or central park fountain might take on a more magical meaning once you learn the backstories and perhaps about the souls who gave life to these businesses or buildings that still remain through the decades. Exploring a local landmark is just as good as heading abroad, finding the extraordinary right in your backyard at so little a cost, and just as thrilling.

So whatever your New Year’s resolution may be, we hope you don’t struggle in finding one to do, and with our humble suggestions, just do!