Zendaya Posted A Gorgeous Selfie With An Inspiring Message About New Year's Resolutions

2019 is right around the corner, and with a new year on the horizon, it’s natural to be toying with the idea of a fresh start. But what about the goals you had set for 2018? What’s the status on those? Don’t feel discouraged if most have fallen by the wayside. Life happens, and resolutions get lost in the grand shuffle of could-haves, would-haves, and should-haves. But Zendaya’s Instagram about New Year’s resolutions might inspire you to approach your own intentions differently this year — with an open mind, and a flexible sense of direction.

Here’s the thing: Everyone (even your favorite celebs) is attracted to the idea of making positive changes. But if 2020 comes around and you’ve only made slight adjustments that you swore you'd stick to throughout 2019, Zendaya’s here to tell you that those mini-accomplishments deserve some credit, too. After all, New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep up with no matter who you are, so it's important to give yourself a much-deserved pat on the back for at least trying to make a change.

I like to think of it this way: If I didn’t even try to follow through with a New Year’s resolution, was it really something I wanted to change, or did the idea just sound good on paper? Oftentimes, I think people confuse the two. Personally, I can’t even remember what my New Year’s resolutions were for 2018, so I have to hand it to Zendaya for not only knowing exactly what she set out to achieve in 2018, but for actually sticking to it, too.

Zendaya's latest Instagram isn't just a gorgeous selfie showcasing the performer’s natural curls; it's also a declaration of the 22-year-old star's 2018 New Year’s resolution, which was to use her phone, and therefore social media, a little less often. And according to the Instagram post's caption (as well as a quick skim through Zendaya's overall Insta profile), it's clear that she's been pretty successful in this. However, just because Zendaya wasn't posting selfie after selfie to her social pages this past year, that doesn’t mean she wasn’t taking them. Now how’s that for a loophole?

“Last year my new year goal was to be on my phone less, well I’ve been successful. So I’ve been banking selfies,” she wrote. “This is from that curated collection.”

What I love about Zendaya’s approach to this New Year’s resolution in particular, is that it can be fulfilled in so many different ways. Being on your phone less could mean spending less time on social media in general, or allowing yourself a specific window of time to scroll each day, or making a point to put the device away during meals or when spending quality time with a loved one, etc. In other words, there are so many realistic ways to cut back on the time you spend attached to your phone. Zendaya's goal wasn't this strict, all-or-nothing, impossible feat to accomplish; she figured out the baby steps that would help get her to where she wanted to be, without staying confined to her usual comfort zone.

And though I’ll admit I'm low-key bummed that my social feed will forever lack a year’s worth of beautiful Zendaya selfies, I’m proud of her for following through with her resolution in a way that felt right for her.

If you want to follow Zendaya's lead and make a positive change in your own life for 2019, first of all, that’s awesome, and you should already be proud of yourself for having that motivation. Second of all, I honestly think that everyone could learn something from Zendaya’s approach to New Year’s resolutions, by really considering the vast majority of ways in which many of these goals can be achieved.

For example, let’s say in 2019 you aspire to be more mindful in your everyday life. To start, maybe write out a list of potential ways to meet this goal. You could be a more mindful eater, i.e. enjoy each meal away from technology and television, chewing each bite carefully, noticing how the food stimulates each of your five senses. You could also strive to be more mindful of your surroundings by paying close attention to the people and nature around you. Gratefulness is also a huge part of becoming a more mindful person, and you can practice gratitude through journaling, acts of kindness, letting someone know you notice the little things they do for you, etc.

For me, the biggest takeaway from Zendaya’s Instagram post on New Year’s resolutions is that there’s no linear, specific way to achieving your goals. Something as broad as using your phone less, or becoming more mindful in the year to come, is an intention that can be met through a broad spectrum of channels. Resolutions, like life, are a journey, and there isn’t just one way of bettering yourself. Find what works for you, and stick to it.