Do Expats Make New Year Resolutions

New Year, New Me is a tradition which takes place all over the world just after midnight on January 1, but do expats still take it seriously?

Even for those who decide they’re fine as they are and don’t want to change, New Year’s resolutions creep into their heads soon after the Christmas festivities finish. All-time favourites such as losing weight, stopping smoking, avoiding unhealthy foods and cutting down on drinking dominate, but positive improvements such as travelling more, improving work-life balances and embarking on new adventures are often left on the back burner as reality takes over.

Suggestions for expat resolutions concentrating on the brighter side of life have to include learning the language of the new country in order to have more fun as well as impressing the locals. Not making a big deal out of it, but practising a little every single day will have you chatting with your neighbours in no time. Looking with a new eye at your surroundings, whether you’re living in or out of town, and finding time to visit places of interest or beauty is another resolution sure to improve your year.

Digging into the culinary treasures of your new land in a more adventurous manner might produce pleasant surprises as well as encouraging you to be more creative in your own kitchen. Starting a new activity or finding time to pursue a hobby you’d let go in the past can lead to joining up with like-minded groups and finding new friends during the New Year.

Possibly not quite as much fun as hobbies and friendship but likely to bring results is a career change or a new perspective on an old job. Promising yourself you’ll make more of an effort to keep in touch with friends and family back in the home country brings happiness to others all year round, not just at birthdays and during the Christmas season. The most important New Year resolution of all, however, is to be happy and enjoy your expat life wherever you’ve settled.