Welcome to 2020! With the promise a new year brings, many of us have resolved to improve our lives in a number of ways. Health, happiness, and fulfillment are part of the equation to living our best life.
But how do we go about doing so? Many of us take the usual roads and quickly find ourselves stuck in our previous patterns. With an eye towards keeping those resolutions with some outside-the-box suggestions, here are six local ways you can keep your New Year’s resolution in 2020.
Lose Weight/Exercise More: Austin Sports and Social Club
Getting fit may be the number one resolution in America. After a month of eating, drinking, and living it up, we could all use a little activity to jump start the year. But if you’re like me, then jumping on a treadmill or hitting a spin bike doesn’t sound appealing–or even financially sound.
Enter Austin Sports and Social Club, an organization that ticks all my activity checkboxes. Fun, heart-pounding sports, healthy competition, and a sense of community I’ve found hard to get at a gym.
From wiffleball to kickball to sand volleyball, there’s a sport for every fitness level and interest. New seasons are starting all the time, so if you’re aiming for ultimate frisbee league, then you’ll never have long to wait.
Have fun; get fit; stay social. Three things I feel are vital for overall wellness.
➡️ Keep reading: Leap Into Action With Austin Sports & Social Club
Eat Healthier: Lucky Lime Delivery
If you’re like me, then one of the hardest parts of maintaining a diet is work lunches. I wake up late, forget to pack a meal, and, the next thing I know, I’m ordering Hat Creek between meetings (no offense intended).
Last year, the lovely folks at Lucky Lime sent a week’s worth of lunches direct to my office lobby and they were across the board legit. From a sensational wild salmon poke to a spicy tempeh salad, the dishes were delicious, properly portioned, and satisfying. And while it’s not exactly diet food, the butternut squash lasagna was the truth.
A great way to keep full at the most important part of the day.
➡️ Keep reading: 6 Meal Delivery Companies in Austin to Simplify Your Life
Dry January: Mocktails at CU29
If you’re like most of the world, then the holidays are all about overindulging. As such, it’s common for folks to take a month or two off from drinking in the New Year.
If you’ve considered this wise, healthy action, then CU29 is my recommended go-to in Austin. Last year, I spent six months sober. Of all the spots I visited for mocktails, CU29 was the best.
While they don’t have mocktails on the menu, the bartenders are experts at crafting boozeless creations to your specifications. And they’re not serving a basic fruit juice with a splash of soda. These are thoughtfully designed drinks from trained mixologists. Your drinking friends will be impressed.
720 Brazos St. – Website
➡️ Keep reading: 10 Austin Mocktails for Bar Crawl Without the Booze
Learn Something New: CRAFT
A new year means new opportunities to grow as a person. What better way to expand your horizons than learning something new at CRAFT. Austin’s finest creative workspace, this east Austin staple allows guests to create everything from paintings to candles to embroidered throw pillows.
CRAFT also offers multiple workshops a year. Ever want to learn calligraphy? Make a handmade mug? How about craft your own bar of soap? All of these workshops, and tons more, are available this month.
And not only will you learn a new skill, but you get something to take home with you. A fun way to stretch your skills in a fun, laid-back environment.
4620 East Cesar Chavez St. – Website
➡️ Keep reading: CRAFT Hosts Workshops and Open Crafting Hours in East Austin
Read More: Austin Public Library
This is a common resolution for me, one I’m hoping I’ll stick to in 2020. While many turn to Audible or their Kindle for the latest Heather Graham novel, don’t sleep on our hometown library.
Little known fact: we’re blessed to have one of the best library systems in the country. Ask the folks at Time magazine if you don’t believe me. Austin Central Library was named one of the Top 100 places in the world to visit in 2018, nestled between Tai Kwun in Hong Kong and Thailand’s ChangChui Creative Park.
Your free membership gives you access to 20 branches around town. Favor your e-reader over a physical book? Mostly everything is available via digital borrowing. The children’s section is a wonderful respite for rainy days and active readers. And need something for movie night? Try streaming the extensive film library via the Koopla app, available on nearly every major TV and streaming device.
An underused benefit of living in our great city.
710 W Cesar Chavez St. – Website
➡️ Keep reading: Virtually Tour Austin Central Library’s Impressive Six Floors
Be More Generous: I Live Here, I Give Here
Giving back isn’t just good for the recipient. It’s good for your soul. With hundreds of worthy uses vying for your dollar, finding a charity may be challenging. Enter I Live Here, I Give Here, an organization dedicated to making Austin the most philanthropic city in the nation.
With its Amplify ATX initivatve, I Live Here, I Give Here provides a convenient search function to discover hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations. All with an easy Donate button, making it a simple one stop shop.
And you can always donate directly to I Live Here, I Give Here to keep the mission going strong. Give back this year through this outstanding initiative.
➡️ Keep reading: 8 New Year’s Resolution Suggestions for Austinites
@BillTuckerTSP wants to know:
What New Year’s resolution do you want to keep in 2020?