Tag: new year

stick to your 2020 resolutions

How To Stick To Your 2020 Resolutions

We’ve given you a lot of suggestions on how to make 2020 your best year ever. Maybe you’ve even decided to adopt some of the New Year resolutions we suggested–in which case, we’re honored to be of help! But deciding on which resolutions to take on is the easy part. The real challenge lies in maintaining the promises you made to yourself at the start of the year. We’ve got your back–read on for our advice!

1. Start with the achievable

Make resolutions that you know you can keep, given your schedule and finances. Don’t be afraid to opt for baby steps, like going to the gym at least three days a week, or making sure that you eat fruits and vegetables every day. There’s nothing wrong with that! But of course, you should always…

2. Aim to surpass your targets

If you find yourself surpassing your targets faster than anticipated, well, good for you! Now, keep up the momentum by taking your 2020 challenges to the next level. From going to the gym thrice a week, try to do so every day. From including fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, try to make one of your major meals vegan. You can do it!

3. Make it public

Announcing your resolutions to others give it an air of legitimacy, and forces you to stick to the promises you made to yourself. Keep your friends and family updated on your progress regularly–they’ll be happy for you and you might even become an inspiration for them! You can also hold yourself accountable by taking photos of yourself achieving your resolutions. Display them on a Nixplay Frame so you’ll always see your progress.

4. Don’t be too hard on yourself

So you got sick and missed going to the gym this week. Or stopped eating veggies because of a bad bout of food poisoning. Or maybe you just didn’t feel like going to the gym. That’s okay. Life happens, and we have to go with the flow accordingly. Just make sure to pick up where you left off!

5. Give yourself a deadline

The best goals are time-bound. When you know that the clock is ticking, you’ll feel more pressure to work hard to achieve your dreams. Instead of a very vague “I’ll go to the gym more often this 2020”, make it “I’ll finish a 10K race by May” so you’ll be more motivated to work out. It’s all in the framing.

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

5 New Year’s Resolutions For 2020

5 New Year’s Resolutions For 2020

The dawn of a new year heralds a new opportunity to revamp your life. 2020 is extra special because it’s not just a new year, but a new decade. Make it your best one yet with these simple resolutions:

Mind Your Spending

It’s hard to resist the call of the Sale sign, but really, do you need another bag or another pair of shoes? (You probably don’t). This year, make it a habit to track your spending to avoid needless purchases. Download a spending tracker and religiously record all your expenses and income. When all your expenses are on record, it would be easier for you to resist the temptation to buy things impulsively.

Pay Attention To Your Health

You can make more money, but you only have one life to live–and you’ve got to make sure that it’s one well lived. Don’t neglect your health: be mindful of what you’re eating, make sure to exercise, and don’t stress over the small stuff. Remember: you may have all the money in the world, but you can’t take even a single cent with you to the grave.

Treasure Your Loved Ones

If you’ve had a loved one pass away, you’ve probably wished you’ve told them just how much they meant to you before it became too late. That’s why you should make it a point to make your nearest and dearest feel loved. You don’t need grand gestures: Even simple things, like calling your parents every few days and saying “I love you” to your family every day, go a long way.

Enjoy The Little Things

With everything going on in the world, it’s never been more important to take care of yourself. Set aside time each day to relax and thank the universe for all your blessings. Put on a face mask, pour yourself a glass of wine, dive into your favorite Netflix series, or catch up on sleep. You’ll thank yourself later.

Take More Pictures

Life is short, so capture every moment! Don’t be shy to take out your camera to snap pictures of events both memorable and mundane. This way, you’ll have lots of memories to look back at in the future.

One more thing: Don’t let your photos remain hidden in your hard drive. After all, what’s the use of taking pictures when you won’t even look at them? Display your photos on a Nixplay Frame so you can enjoy them at all times. Take advantage of our New Year Sale to get the frame you’ve been eyeing at an irresistible price!

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

new year resolution blog main

19 New Year Resolutions For 2019

The new year is the perfect time to get rid of bad habits and start better ones. We’re sure you’ve made new year resolutions in the past, but were you able to keep them all?

Sometimes, the key is to start small. Focus on accomplishing realistic, achievable goals, and gradually work your way up. Start with these 19 resolutions.

1. Be kinder. Not just to others, but also to yourself.

SaveMoney

2. Be smarter with your money. Instead of splurging on new clothes or treating yourself to fancy drinks every day, invest it in mutual funds or bonds, buy insurance, or use the cash to finance that short course you’ve always wanted to take. Speaking of courses you want to take…

learn a new skill

3. Learn a new skill. Take painting lessons, enroll in a cooking course, maybe study how to code. It’s always great to invest in yourself, and it’s never too late to learn something new.

4. Be more understanding. We’re all going through our own struggles, and a little empathy in this day and age goes a long way.

get more exercise

5. Get more exercise. Walk more often. Take a yoga class with your friends. Go for a jog at the park. A little extra cardio never hurt anyone!

read more

6. Read moreAim to read at least one book each month. The books you choose should be relevant to your life and should help you become a better, wiser person. Make every word you read count.

7. Face your fears. The beauty of life lies in taking risks and leaping into the unknown. What’s the worst that could happen, anyway?

eat less sugar

7. Lessen your sugar intake. It’ll do wonders for your health.

8. Go outside more often. Spend more time in the park near your apartment or the woods in your backyard. Go for a hike one weekend. Drive to the beach and bask in the sunshine. Enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature while you still can.

go somewhere new

10. Go somewhere you have never been to. It doesn’t have to be an exotic foreign destination: You can simply visit a museum in town that just opened or drive to a town nearby. Stay curious and explore as much of the world as you could.

be happy at work

11. Be happy at your job. Or find a new job if you’re not happy where you are. And remember: A high salary doesn’t always guarantee that you’ll be fulfilled by what you’re doing.

use sunscreen

12. Take better care of your skin. Wash your face every evening. Moisturize. And most importantly, use sunscreen daily—it helps keeps fine lines (and skin cancer) at bay.

13. Go for a checkup. Prevention is always better and cheaper than cure.

reconnect with old friends

14. Reconnect with old friends. Give them a call if you’re in the area and set aside time for a quick catch-up.

volunteer

15. Do volunteer work. Philanthropy will do wonders for your heart and soul.

get more sleep

16. Get more sleep.

spend less time on your gadgets

17. Spend less time on your gadgets. The world’s too pretty to spend your days hunched down on your phone or computer.

be more grateful

18. Be more grateful and content.

call your family

19. Give your family a call every now and then. Better yet, share your milestones with each other using a Nixplay frame!

new year blog promo banner

Happy new year, Nixplay family! Cheers to new beginnings and a brand new you! 🎉

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

2018 Photo Trends and Predictions

Creativity and authenticity uttered together may seem like a paradox. Some professional photographers may even frown at photography being creative. Sure, they would think of interesting angles, positions and subjects, but most would not go out of their way to heavily edit as authenticity was always important. There was a time that many dear readers may remember which saw programs such as Photoshop associated to those that wanted to cover-up lackluster shots and make themselves look better. In 2018, that is all expected to change.

A Creative Reality:

Creative reality, which at first may sound like a phrase borrowed from the propaganda archives of despot regimes, is actually supposed to convey a sense of beauty. The concept is supposed to blend reality with creative art. These could range anywhere from double exposure to infrared photography and color manipulation. This essentially shows photography as some form of fine art. Whilst this may annoy some, if this distinction is made from the offset, it shouldn’t have any issues. With this, artists are creating their own utopic worlds with colors set to have a warm feel to them, despite it appearing almost psychedelic.

Creative/ abstract photo of the fall. 

Serene Scene:

With most of the world’s population living in cities, this hyperconnectivity, photography is set to move away from various cityscapes to nature. Calm and tranquil scenes will start appearing with increased intensity in 2018.  It almost attempts to visually represent an existential crisis that is affecting the human, i.e. you. Whilst this may sound like a grand term, artists are merely asking the question of what is our connection with nature and how is the world turning its back on it. This is particularly relevant in the age of climate change and global warming.

Tranquility: people are increasingly reconnecting through their camera.

Changing Perceptions of the Self:

Identity is increasingly going hand-in-hand with fluidity. People are now willing and open to take on issues such as same sex marriage or gender equality – this has been reflected in the high impact photographs that should be making the rounds in 2018. This has also burst a whole embrace of multicultural photos, where people are more willing to code mix with cultures, embracing their roots. It often makes for a colorful and interesting blend that draws the reader. Even the Royal Family in the UK are embracing these kinds of shots.

Issues of equality and openness are set to feature prominently in photography in 2018.

A Historical Blend:

With this embrace of multiculturalism, historical portraits are also coming back into the fray. In general, photography is the most authentic way to relive a time period. One can see exactly how the people of a certain period lived and felt.  Actors like Jeremy Irons have even noted that the best practice for any role is to look at the people by examining paintings and photos – getting their expressions, feelings and general life at the time. In 2018, photographers are set to mesh modern photo taking technology, whilst incorporating traditional scenes, elements and even shapes.

Creating that old vibe in photos makes us reflect and enjoy the authenticity of a bygone age.

Inspired for ideas? We’d love to know what you plan on photographing in 2018. Embrace new techniques, experiment, but most crucially (as is the case for us in the Nixplay family) is to have fun, don’t be afraid to take a risk and you’ll be guaranteed to create precious moments with the camera serving as a gateway to memories that last a lifetime.

Nixplay offers consumer digital WiFi picture frames that blend well with the scene. Want to improve your photography or simply present those majestic shots in style – Nixplay frames are the perfect solution.

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.

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