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What do you want to accomplish in 2023? This New Year's resolution guide can help

Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR

Updated January 4, 2023 at 10:12 AM ET

What do you want to accomplish this year? Scroll through Life Kit's expert guides for practical and inspiring ways to grow in 2023.

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Ah, the new year. It's a time to sketch out your goals and think about the roadmap to get there.

Life Kit has curated a list of some of our best episodes to help set you up for success in 2023. They include practical guidance (like how to pick a birth control or ask for a raise), forward-thinking advice (like how to save for retirement or freeze your eggs) and tips on how to live more mindfully (like how to reduce food waste or set boundaries).

It might feel hard to start a new habit, but as BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford and author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, told Life Kit in a 2020 interview, "it's easier to create habits and change than most people think, and it's faster than most people think. It can even be fun if you do it in the right way."

The key is to understand how behavior change happens. You've got to have the motivation, the ability to do the behavior and a prompt, says Fogg. "And the prompt is anything that reminds you to do this behavior now. And when those three things come together at the same moment, a behavior happens."

So go on, pick a resolution that's achievable — but also bold and aspirational. We've got 40+ ideas for you to choose from. Here's to a stronger, more confident you in 2023.

Career

  • How to change careers
  • How to return to college
  • How to find a mentor
  • How to ask for a raise
  • Exercise

  • How to futureproof your body
  • How to start an exercise habit
  • How to get into strength training
  • Health

  • How to drink less alcohol
  • How to pick a birth control
  • How to create a better bedtime routine
  • How to approach weight loss differently
  • Home

  • How to clear your clutter
  • How to split household chores
  • How to reduce food waste
  • How to keep your house clean
  • How to stay on top of 'life admin'
  • How to train your dog
  • Mental health

  • How to be less indecisive
  • How to deal with uncertainty
  • How to draw boundaries
  • How to start therapy
  • Find your purpose
  • Relationships

  • How to navigate the coming out convo
  • How to travel with friends
  • How to make new friends
  • How to show your friends you love them
  • How to break up
  • How to create a relationship contract
  • How to be OK with being single
  • How to fall in love
  • Hobbies

  • How to learn your heritage language
  • How to pack for a trip
  • How to start a creative habit
  • Personal finance

  • How to write a will
  • How to plan a budget
  • How to budget for a baby
  • How to save for retirement
  • Parenting

  • How to decide if you want a baby
  • How to freeze your eggs
  • How to get your kid to listen better
  • How to win back time as a working parent
  • Goal setting

  • How to avoid cognitive bias
  • How to examine your regrets
  • How to stop procrastinating
  • How to make a better to-do list

  • Credits

    The episodes were created by Life Kit. Design, development and illustrations by Connie Hanzhang Jin. Production, editing and art direction by Malaka Gharib and Beck Harlan with additional support by Julia Carney. Special thanks to Life Kit supervising editor Meghan Keane, growth editor Arielle Retting, senior digital analyst Brittany Cheng and engagement editor Dylan Scott.

    We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

    Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or sign up for our newsletter.

    Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    Malaka Gharib is the deputy editor and digital strategist on NPR's global health and development team. She covers topics such as the refugee crisis, gender equality and women's health. Her work as part of NPR's reporting teams has been recognized with two Gracie Awards: in 2019 for How To Raise A Human, a series on global parenting, and in 2015 for #15Girls, a series that profiled teen girls around the world.
    Becky Harlan is a visual and engagement editor for NPR's Life Kit.