Posted on January 23, 2012 by Stephan Wiedner

New Year’s resolutions are a nice idea, in principle – but if you’re a go-getter, do you really want to limit yourself to just one achievement per year? If you’re well on track for managing your targeted 5k charity runs, achieving your weight loss goals, or kicking your smoking habit, then why not get ambitious and set yourself ten challenges for 2012?

Here’s a few suggestions to help you get started:

1. Learn a new language: Use tools such as Memrise to help yourself learn a just three words a day, and you’ll know 1000 words by the end of the year – that’s more than enough to get by in a foreign country!

2. Support a charity: Whether you donate time in to a charity shop, do charity runs, or just sponsor more people, a little extra aid to a good cause will be appreciated.

3. Go Green: Walk or run to more places instead of taking the car (call it training for those charity runs). Recycle more often, and spend 2012 thinking about the impact your purchases and actions have on the environment.

4. Read a book a month: Even the busiest of people should have time to finish a book a month. Whether you curl up with a paperback or take your Kindle with you to work, find some time to rediscover the joy of reading.

5. Learn a New Skill: Consider taking up a martial art, learn to knit, or perfect some survival skills.

6. Start a Mini Business: In the age of EBay, Amazon, and Etsy, it’s easy to start selling things online. You may not get rich, but getting some side income from doing something you enjoy is always fun.

7. Keep a Diary: How many times did you try to start a diary as a child, only to give up after a week or two? Start a diary today, and commit to writing at least a few lines every day. In 20 years time, you’ll really enjoy reading about what life in 2012 was like.

8. Go Somewhere You’ve Never Been: Instead of taking holidays to Disney Land or Majorca, go somewhere that’s off the beaten track. Take lots of photographs, blog about it, and perhaps use the language skills you’ve been practicing all year. You’ll learn a lot, and probably have more fun than you would have had in a tourist trap destination.

9. Revitalize Your Wardrobe: This may seem like an odd challenge, but it’s one of those things you’ll never do unless you specifically decide to do it. Are you still wearing the same clothes you were wearing ten years ago? If so, are you doing that because they make you feel good, or because you just never thought about changing them. Treat yourself to a fashion makeover, and you’ll enjoy a big confidence boost.

10. Write a novel: They say everyone has one novel in them. Why not join in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November, and see if you can get your novel down on paper?

This post was written by James Harper in support of The Poppy Run who arrange charity runs every year. James enjoys writing on lifestyle issues.