How to | Make a Could-Do List Happen

Apparently only one in ten of us sticks to our New Year’s Resolutions, although here at The Simple Things, we favour Could-Do Lists rather than strict rules and ideas that work at any time of year, rather than piling the pressure on all on one day.

These tips will improve your odds of making your could-do list happen… whenever you choose to do so…

1 Resolve to make a change that you want. Success is more likely when driven by internal, rather than external forces.
2 Focus on one thing. Scientists have shown that willpower requires energy. Channel it well.
3 Be specific about what you want to achieve, when and how. You’re more likely to succeed than if starting with a vague plan.
4 Tell those around you. In a study, more than 70% who sent weekly updates on their goal to a friend reported success (compared to 35% of those striving alone).
 

And here are a few ideas for things you might want to add to your 2025 Could-Do List…

• Mix a great martini 

• Book a trip somewhere on your bucket list

• Read a book by an author you’re unfamiliar with

• Spend a day wildlife-watching… birds, badgers.. it’s up to you

• Have a small party for no reason at all

• Spend time outdoors every day

• Learn a new craft

• Get a penfriend or strike up a correspondence with an old friend

• Go on a ‘pilgrimage’ to somewhere meaningful for you

• Use local ingredients to make a local recipe

• Watch a film in the open air or at a drive-through

• Keep a diary for a month and keep the habit if you enjoy it

This blog was first published in December 2018. You’ll find a Could-Do list in every issue of The Simple Things. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More could-do lists:

More how-to posts…

New Year’s Resolutions

No need to get out of bed just yet…

New year, new you, right? But just how long will your resolve last? Before you take the plunge, check out the ECT (Estimated Commitment Time) for these top five resolutions.

● ‘I will exercise three times a week.’
Jogging in January. What could be wrong with that plan? 
ECT: two weeks.

● ‘I will only drink alcohol at the weekends.’ 
January again. What other time in the year are you going to need a pint of Malbec more? 
ECT: one week.

● ‘No more chocolate!’ 
Yes, that means no hot chocolate, too. Or the kids’ leftover variety packs. Or mints. We don’t care if they’re only wafer thin! 
ECT: two to three weeks.

●‘I’m giving up swearing.’ 
Your car won’t start in the dark at half six on a freezing morning. What do you say? Exactly. 
ECT: one week.

● ‘I will meditate every morning.’
Yeah, or you could just have an extra ten minutes in bed. 
ECT: four days.

Resolution to read more? Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

From our January issue…

More new year inspiration…

Think: Whole year resolutions

How much more meaningful to commit to a project for a year, giving yourself time to learn and grow. It’s not about abstinence or breaking bad habits but rich new experiences and a re-shaping of your world view. It doesn’t even have to start in January...

Caroline Jones, aka ‘Knickers Model’s Own’ – pledged to wear only charity shop clothes each day for a year. Except for her underwear, that is. The idea was inspired by Caroline’s mother, who’d sadly died of cancer the previous year. She’d volunteered for 13 years at her local Cancer Research UK shop so Caroline wanted to fundraise for the charity in her memory and, in part, to give herself a focus.

She was up for a challenge but, truthfully, thought this one wouldn’t be too tough. “I’ve always worn secondhand clothes so I assumed it would be easy,” she says, “a giggle for my friends, and something Mum would have loved.”

Her focus shifted on day six, when a BBC journalist discovered her Facebook page – it meant more than 97,000 people saw Caroline’s pictures within the first week. Her fundraising target increased from £1,000 to £36,500. And she realised there was no going back. It became, she says, the “hardest thing I’ve ever done”.

Caroline admits she didn’t consider the practicalities, like who would take her photos, before starting (she had to rope passers-by into taking many of the shots). Or the necessity of taking 14 different outfits on holiday.

Harder still was the mental challenge. “I’m not naturally a completer/finisher,” Caroline admits, “but I had to see this through. And I wanted to do it well.” Her advice to anyone attempting a year-long resolution is to take it in small stages, a week or day at a time.

Although Caroline deliberately kept her posts positive (and wore nothing black the entire year), the pictures became a kind of diary of her first year without her mother. On what would have been her mum’s birthday she wore a sea green coat and pillbox hat. “It was actually lovely,” she says. “People saw me and smiled. Wear something great and people respond.”

Caroline’s huge number of social media followers loved her style as much as her sentiment. Although she’s naturally drawn to 1960s fashions, the challenge encouraged her to be more adventurous, resulting in an inspiring array of looks. Her now finely honed formula for charity shop success is to always try things on. Caroline ended the year determined to continue fundraising and resolved “never to spend £65 on a new cardi again.” However, there was one aspect of fashion that even Caroline struggled with. “Wearing other people’s old shoes is hard!” she says. “I kept thinking, ‘oooh, I can’t wait to get a new pair. That’ll be so lovely’.”

Fancy contributing to Caroline's cause? Head to her Justgiving page. 

This is just one of many Whole year resolutions on page 33 of January's The Simple Things. 

 

Read more:

From the January issue

More Think posts

Seasonal mindfulness tips

January's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

Looking back: Marilyn Monroe's yoga

The season of resolutions and good intentions is upon us. In January's issue of The Simple Things we take a look back at the crazy world of womanly workouts through the decades (turn to page 82), but we recently stumbled across these lovely snaps of Marilyn Monroe practising yoga in the 1940s. 

Photographed in some of the more advanced poses, Marilyn looks quite at home with her practice. Inspired by the arrival in Los Angeles of renowned yoga teacher, Indra Devi, Marilyn and many of her Hollywood co-stars took up yoga.

But it wasn't just yoga she practised. Other images of Marilyn Monroe lifting weights have also surfaced. Have a flick through our gallery for more.

Gallery images: Philippe Halsman/Magnum Photos
Words: Lottie Storey

The Simple Things January issue is out now - buy, download or subscribe your copy today.