I’m a little behind on my New Years resolutions this year. Normally at this point I would have all my goals mapped out for 2013, along with a list of action steps and strategies ready to go. But I haven’t been feeling that ambitious this New Years. Perhaps it’s because I started out 2013 sick, slowly recovering from the flu. Or that my mind was consumed with studying for my upcoming board exam. For whatever the reason I just wasn’t feeling the normal drive that I do around the beginning of the year. I am just now starting to ponder what my big goals and visions are for 2013.

2012 was a big year for me. I had big goals and I accomplished them. I was determined, driven, and excited all year long. It felt great to really buckle down and work hard and see my goals come to pass one by one. However, my ambition came with a lot of sacrifice. I was constantly stressed, developed insomnia, had way too many moments of feeling overwhelmed, and barely spent any time with my friends. And to top it off I ended the year completely burnt out and sicker then I had been in at least ten years. At this point my body is still recovering and I’m starting to really question if I want to keep up this fast pace in the coming year. I still have big goals and dreams, but do I want to hustle and sacrifice my health just to accomplish them? I think not.

So I’m re-prioritizing in 2013. I’m revamping my normal daily schedule to allow for more down time and rest. I’ll still keep my lofty visions but they will have to work around my new lifestyle. I know most people are making resolutions that will make their lives busier, my aim is to do the opposite. This isn’t to say that I won’t be working hard and hustling from time to time. I still thrive on a busy schedule but I recognize that if I don’t start to bring more balance into my life I am going to crash and burn. So here are my restful resolutions for 2013:

Read more: I love to read. And I am normally juggling 3-5 books at once on various subjects. But last year I gave myself very little time to read. In fact I pretty much only read in the evenings for about 5-10 min before I would fall asleep. So this year I want to spend more time reading during the day. Taking 30 minutes to curl up on the couch with a good book. A nice leisurely and mind expanding experience.

Be more creative: With all the studying I’ve been doing I feel that my left brain is on overload and my right brain is starving for attention. Lately I’ve had a really strong desire to just draw. This is clearly a signal that I need more creativity in my life. I think 2013 would be a great time to put my art degree to use and dive into some creative projects in my downtime.

Make time for inspiration every day: I am surrounded by inspiring material, from books, to youtube, to my library of audio lectures. I have an abundance of inspiration around me so it’s time that I start tapping into it more. Taking even just 20 min every day for a little uplifting motivation can be a game changer. I can even just listen to lectures in the car as I’m driving and running errands. Being inspired every day keeps me motivated, driven, and positive. So it’s time to make it apart of my daily routine.

Make time to do nothing and be quiet every day: We do so much throughout the day and are constantly bombarded by noise of some sort. With our minds constantly filled with things to do it makes it difficult for us to tap into new ideas or insights. Think about how many times you end up coming up with these great ideas or profound insights in the shower. Why is that? Because when your in the shower your body is operating off of pure routine and repetition, and your mind is truly free to wander. It creates almost a meditative space where you mind is open. I can create this same sort of effect by meditating more, going for a walk, or even just sitting down and petting my cat. I’ve already started doing this and am finding that a few minutes of nothingness can be pretty insightful. So just as it’s important to feed my mind with inspiring information, it’s just as important to let my mind feed me.

Aim to get 6-7 hours of sleep every night: This may not seem like a lot to some people, but it’s an improvement on the 4-5 hours that I’ve been getting. One thing that I noticed about last year was that I would get overwhelmingly tired in the afternoon. This is a clear sign that I’m not getting enough sleep. So I’m going to show my body a little love and add on a few extra hours. This will require getting to bed a little earlier, which means getting off the internet, turning off my phone, and just shutting it all down in the evening.

Take half a day once a week to do whatever I want: I would love to say that I am going to take one whole day off a week to do whatever I want, but I know that it wouldn’t happen. Right now I still have a lot on my plate and taking one whole day off would just end up making more stressed and pressed for time. But one afternoon I can manage. And I will truly let myself do whatever I want, guilt free. Maybe go the beach, watch tv, or lay in bed and play on Pinterest for hours.

With all these resolutions I am basically trying to create more freedom and space in my life. So that not every moment is filled with responsibilities, deadlines, and pressure. During the rest of the day I can be my normal crazy hustling self. But I believe that these resolutions will add balance to my life, reduce my stress, and improve my health.

Now your turn. Do you need to add some restful resolutions to your list of big goals and dreams this year? Or are you the opposite? Have you been resting too much and need to hustle a little more? Lets support each other in finding a sense of balance this year. So that 2013 is not just about checking off your to-do list and completing big projects, but that it’s also about reducing stress and developing a healthier paced lifestyle.