How to establish positive new habits and thrive in 2024

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday, relaxing and connecting with family and friends. I unplugged and I’m now back to work, full of fresh energy for the year ahead. And like most of us, I’ve been thinking about what I want to change, and the new habits I want to establish. My three intentions for 2024:

Tap into Gratitude: I’m practicing gratitude because it literally changes the way your brain works over time. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a text thread with my cousins where we share what we are grateful for.

Thrive Microstep: Write down three things you are grateful for in a nightly gratitude journal.

Put on my own oxygen mask first: There’s a reason why airline attendants always instruct us that in the case of an emergency, we’ll be better equipped to help others if we secure our own oxygen masks first. For me, that means focusing on well-being, and I’m adding my daily walks with my dog Bash to my calendar as well as my workouts.

Thrive Microstep: Schedule time on your calendar for exercise.

Make time for “me time:” Self-care has deep roots going all the way back to the ancient Greeks, who connected caring for ourselves with knowing ourselves. My intention is to prioritize self-care because I know that taking care of myself makes it possible for me to show up as my best self. This year, I’m reading thrillers and dissecting them with my accountability buddy and fellow Thriver Libby Duke.

Thrive Microstep: Read a book that has nothing to do with work.

You’ll notice I’m not using the word “resolutions.” At Thrive, we prefer to talk about intentions. Many of us start the year full of enthusiasm, setting new year’s resolutions which we are absolutely determined to keep — whether it’s going to the gym, cooking new recipes, or reading books like me. But very often, by the end of February, if we haven’t kept those resolutions, it’s so easy to feel guilty and completely abandon them. Resolutions don’t always lead to lasting change. On the other hand, having a clear intention, taking Micrsoteps to achieve our goals, and committing to being kind to ourselves is a great way to set the tone for the new year.

In the words of Thrive’s founder and CEO, Arianna Huffington, “There’s nothing wrong with aiming big, but we can help ourselves by starting small. Unlike New Year’s resolutions, which even the most generous estimates show that half of us fail to keep. Microsteps are small, science-backed steps we can start doing to build healthy habits.”

Here’s how nine members of our Thrive Challenge community are intending to change their lives in a positive way in 2024 by setting goals, implementing small changes, and taking Microsteps.

Let’s start with Jeffery Carpitcher, a highly inspiring Thrive Challenge winner who is taking the Challenge with his wife, Kathryn Carpitcher, who also happens to be a Grand Champ.

Jeffery Carpitcher, Walmart Customer, Konowa, OK