31 Small Goals Easily Achieved in 2024 – THE BEST IDEAS

Conquering a few small goals that are easy to achieve is one of the fastest ways to get started living the life you dream of having.  By starting with smaller goals and succeeding at them, you give yourself the confidence needed to tackle your larger goals.

For more ideas on motivation, Short Inspirational Quotes or 21 Motivational Quotes will help you on your journey.

We all have dreams.  Uphill, treacherous, slippery slope, lofty ideas.  The only way to achieve what you desire is to dissect them into bite-sized pieces.

Some people can sprint through life, but most of us are marathon runners.  We have to go slow if we ever really want to change things in our lives.  

I talked to my cousin about this topic, which sparked the idea for the blog post on how focusing on small goals easily achieved would benefit anyone.

My cousin has a couple of big and terrifying goals. His confidence has been shaken by encountering numerous obstacles that wore him out.

I explained that he needed to start with a couple wins. When he asked what that meant, I told him to focus on setting small goals…ones that he knew he could master.

As soon as he conquered a couple of easy goals, pick some more.

When your confidence begins to come back, that’s when you start working on those lofty goals.

It would help if you had the armor of success to help you weather the storm of accomplishing your dreams.

There will be setbacks. When problems occur, remember your success with your smaller goals and keep climbing.

In our cozy living group on Facebook, we all talked about what things we would like to see different in our lives.  The answers varied, but the conversation that came up time and time again was how hard it is actually to change ourselves.  

I’m just as guilty as the next person of not getting to where I want to go in a reasonable amount of time.  I decided to start following my own advice. Sometimes we are better at solving other people’s problems rather than solving our own.

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”

J.P. Morgan

Cozy Living Group 

Since you’re looking for ideas on setting small goals to achieve big ones, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 95,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug.  Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.

Here are the 31 Small Goals Easily Achieved

1. Make a new friend  

This one is pretty easy.  The animal shelters are filled with dogs or cats that are looking for a friend too.  My dogs are some of my best buddies, and I don’t have to worry about a “falling out” because we’re friends for life.

If you have enough fur babies at home, find a new friend with a common interest.  

One of the easiest ways to find a new friend is online.  On Facebook, you can join groups of people that share in your love of specific interests.  

I’m moving to another state later this year, so I joined a gardening group in that state, a snake identification group in that state (can you tell what I’m afraid of moving there?), and a group that explores the small towns of that state.  

I’ll have friends before I even put down one box in my new home.  

2. Volunteer

Whether you help others once a month or once a week, volunteering is a way to feel good about yourself and spread kindness in the world.

Set a goal of how much time you would like to contribute to others and find a cause that you’re passionate about helping.  

A few years ago, the animal shelter where I lived was going to close because of funding.  If they did, the animals would have to go to a high-kill animal shelter 45 minutes away.  

I’ve had a career in marketing, so I helped with a plan to get them out of the red and back to operating various fundraising efforts.  

They have remained open in the years since then and now have the extra money in case they fall short of their annual expenses.  It makes me happy to see the animal shelter every time I drive past it knowing I was part of the effort to save it.

3. Learn More

Spend at least one hour a week learning about something you want to know.

I’m going to use this idea with several different things I want to learn about this year.  Setting aside some time each week is an excellent idea if you’re educating yourself on something complicated.  

If you spend just one hour a week either reading, watching YouTube videos, or taking an online course about something that will help you in life – in one year, that’s 52 hours that you devoted to the topic.  

4. Exercise Every Day  

Commit to moving your body at least 20 minutes per day.  You can split it up in 5-minute increments or complete the 20 minutes at one time.

I sit at my desk way too much, and this year, I will do things differently in this department.  Little bursts of activity throughout the day make exercising a much easier task for me.

A mini-trampoline is a fun way to move your body and get your groove on simultaneously.  Ten minutes at a time watching motivational YouTube music videos does the trick.  My favorite song to work out with is  “Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer.  

5. Drink More Water

Eight glasses of water will help energize muscles, improve the look of your skin, help with weight control, improve kidney function, and helps with bowel function.

I think this is a universal goal that most people aren’t doing the most fabulous job doing.  We get so busy throughout the day; forgetting to drink water is an easy thing to do. 

You can keep track of how much water you drink on an achieving goals checklist or have a container with the amount of water you should drink in the refrigerator and make sure you swallow every drop.  

6. Get Up Earlier

Set your alarm to wake you up a half-hour earlier than usual.  Those moments add up to over 182 extra hours per year to accomplish your dream.

In the summer months, this is a super easy thing for me to do.  I get up around 5 am and stay up until 10 pm.  

The winter months are the complete opposite for me, and I have difficulty getting up early in the morning early.  

I have a lot to get done this winter, so I’m just going to have to set my alarm until my body adjusts to an earlier time.  

7. Show More Kindness

Try and do one thing that helps another person in the day.  It could be as simple as giving a compliment or paying for the person behind you in the coffee line.

Add this idea to your to-do list and look for ways to share your goodness with the world.  

I wrote a post about how to get started with rock painting.  It’s a movement about painting rocks and hiding them for others to find.  

You can read more about this idea here: Rock Painting Ideas – How to Get Started 

8. Learn to forgive others 

This one is a doozy, but it benefits you in ways you can’t imagine.  

Forgiving others doesn’t mean you approve of the hurt they have caused you or someone you love, and it just means you are ready to let the past go. 

You might want to start with someone that caused you pain, but it is easier to forgive than other people who hurt you deeply.

Once you have forgiven that person, see if your load is a bit lighter and then work your way through those that caused you heartache.

You may only be able to forgive just one person this year that didn’t do as much damage as others.  That’s okay.  It’s a start.  

Related Post:  How to Forgive: 5 Ideas on Forgiveness and Moving On 

9. Small goal of eating more vegetables

We all know that vegetables are good for you. Try to add a little bit more to your plate every day.

You would think eating vegetables would be easy for a person like me since I already love them.  There’s only one vegetable that I won’t touch (Brussel sprouts), and yet I don’t eat enough of them either.  

One of the most important things you can do is find recipes that you love that have vegetables as the star player.  

Here’s one of my favorite vegetarian recipes – Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks.  I crave this dish.  

You could also make sure to start lunch and dinner with a salad with cut-up vegetables.

10. Start a journal

If you don’t have a journal, what holding you back?  A journal will document your growth and offers a release of emotions by acknowledging your feelings.

There have been so many times when I had a not-so-good day that journaling has made things way better.  Getting our feelings out of our bodies and onto paper creates a positive shift in our lives.  

Sometimes the most challenging thing about journaling is to figure out what to write.  Here are 100+ Hygge Journal Writing Prompts to get you started.

11. Limit your social media

Social media is a fun way to socialize and connect with others.  It can also be a huge time-suck if you’re not careful.  

Decide if you have more important things to do and limit the amount of time you spend online.

When you spend time online, make sure what you read and participate in moves your life in the right direction.  

12. More time in nature

Our bodies are wired to spend time outside.  Make sure you carve out slices of the day to get back in tune with Mother Nature.

I spend an hour with one of my neighbors several times a week, walking and catching up with life.  Some days, we don’t feel like going, but when we do – we end up happy that we did carve out the time.  

13. Say thank you 

Look for more opportunities to say, “thank you.”  Everyone likes to feel appreciated.

Most of us are frazzled.  We have to-do lists that never get complete, and life ends up becoming a series of tasks to check off.  

What would happen to your outlook if everyone in your life was a little more appreciative of you?  The chores would be less of a hardship, and you would feel better while doing them, knowing your family and friends would acknowledge your effort.

Get the ball rolling by starting to thank others first.  Not only will this be a goal achieved for you, but others as well. 

14. Connect with loved ones

Pick up a phone and call someone every month that you haven’t spoken to in a while.  Your friends will be happy that you’ve been thinking of them.

Are there past coworkers, neighbors, college buddies, high school friends, relatives, or teachers that meant the world to you?  It’s time to reconnect with some of them.

15. Make amends

If you’ve wronged people in your past, try to do something to acknowledge that wrong and start making it right.

We’ve all done things that we’re not proud of doing.  Maybe those things are holding you back from living your fullest life?

What ways can you start to relieve the burden of your actions on both yourself and the impact of what you did to others? 

Even if the person isn’t receptive to your apology, it will help you feel better.

16. Avoid gossip

Spreading negativity doesn’t do anyone any favors.  Try to rise above it.

Avoiding gossip can sometimes be a hard one to achieve, especially if you’ve gotten in the habit of talking about others regularly.  

I’ve known a few people in my life that never gossiped.  I never heard them speak one negative thing about anyone.  (Can you believe those people exist?) 

They are lovely people, and I think a little happier than most people I know.  I think there’s a connection, don’t you?  

17. Smile more

The world could use more smiling people.  Become one of them.

I know I used to smile a whole lot more when I was younger than I do now.  This is something I need to do more of – how about you?  

This goal might even give you the push to do things that will make you smile more.  

18. Sleep more soundly

A good night’s sleep is crucial to a productive day.  Make sure you stick to a sleep schedule, start relaxing at least one hour before bedtime, and create a serene environment.

As I’ve gotten older, having a bad night’s sleep is becoming more and more frequent.  I’ve done tons of research on changing that pattern.  

I will write another post soon about how I was able to change that.  

19. Recycle more

The planet could always use a bit more love, so make sure you take the time to recycle more or purchase items with less packaging.

There’s several ways you can make immediate changes.  

You could eat more food at home.  Take-out containers are horrible for the environment and not-so-great for your waistline.  

My New Year’s Eve tradition is to have Chinese take-out.  Because I’ve been making all my meals at home, I could taste how salty the food was.  It was almost inedible for me now.  

I realized it was always that salty, but my taste buds didn’t notice until I started making healthy food at home.  

Buying in bulk at my local co-op also reduces packaging.  I put my grains and beans in clear, glass jars.  

Make a list of ways that your entire family can start having less waste and get started.  

20. Clean one thing  

There are some people that tidiness comes naturally, and then there are the rest of us.  I fall in the second category.  

I’ve been cleaning one thing every day, and it’s made a difference in my life.  Whether it’s a drawer, a shelf, or even a chandelier – deep cleaning one thing takes minutes, and it’s an easy goal to stick with.  

21. Drink green tea

We all know the positive impact green tea has on the body, so drink at least one cup of green tea a day for a better you.  

I’ve given up coffee, and my new obsession is tea.  I drink tea all day long, and I have at least one cup of green tea every day.  

This is an easy way to achieve your goals – it will give you more energy for the rest of them.  

22. Be grateful 

Every night write at least three reasons why you are grateful that this day happened.  

Compile them into an ongoing list to refer to when things go a bit rough.

When things get hard, we forget how fortunate we are.  I wrote a post Simple Things to Be Grateful For as a reminder.

23. More peace  

Add more peace to your life by deciding how you can create a more peaceful environment in your workspace and home.  

Whether it’s soft music piping in during your work hours or taking a candlelit bath once a week, find ways to increase peace in your life.

Work can be a not-so-cozy place to be – Hygge at Work: Turn Your Office Into a Cozy Place will help you transform your office environment.  

24. Treat yourself

You take care of everyone else, but sometimes you forget to add yourself to that list.  Find ways to treat yourself to little things that make you happy.  

It could be as simple as stopping somewhere beautiful on your way home from work to decompress for a few moments or buying yourself a special blanket to curl up on the couch, keeping you cozy and warm.

If you’re looking for an amazing book to read, this one is one of my favorites – Susan Branch – Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams.  It’s definitely a cozy read and a visual treat with all the watercolor illustrations.

25. Family night 

With everyone going in different directions during the week, pick one night to set aside as family night and make that evening special.  

Whether you create a special meal, play board games, or spend time talking, creating a family night will add richness to your life.

26. Weekly meal prep

Finding something to eat can take a lot of time.  One of the benefits of achieving small goals is putting in a little time now, and reaping a big payoff down the road.

Plan an entire week’s meals and prep on one day, so you don’t have to scramble putting a meal together. This is one of those skills that the more times you do it, the easier it becomes.

I have to experiment with recipes all the time, so the rest of my meals I want to have something simple.  We sometimes forget how delicious a salad and baked sweet potato can be, or how a big bowl of soup hits the spot.  

Simple is better.  Much better.  

27. Celebrate you 

A year can go by in a blink of an eye, make sure you recognize all the things you accomplish on a day-to-day basis by taking some time to celebrate your wins.

 Most of us tend to focus our energy on our mistakes.  We roll them over and over in our minds and forget all about what we did right.  

What would happen if we learned from our errors and then tossed them out of our memory banks for good?  

Instead, we give ourselves credit for what we did right in the day and celebrate our success.  Do you think your year would change?

28. Plan tomorrow

Make a list of what you have to do the next day before you go to sleep.  

By writing down your activities it helps you sleep because you don’t toss and turning thinking about what you have to do the next day.

I’ve never been a list person, but I’m changing my ways.  Lists help keep you on track and I need more of that in my life.  

29. Surround yourself with like-minded souls 

Find mentors that are a few steps ahead of you and soak up some of his or her energy and knowledge.  

Your mentor could be someone that has a positive outlook on life or someone that is just a few steps ahead of you in your career. It could also be that person you admire for taking care of her or his body.

My cozy living group serves as a daily inspiration for good.   Everyone in the group each contributes to the positive vibes you feel when you participate, and they are all ready to help someone that needs it.  

You want to eliminate the people that drain you and find the ones that lift your spirits.  This idea is one of the small goals that will pay off big over time.

30. Enjoy simple pleasures 

Take notice of the beautiful events and things around you.  Our minds can get overwhelmed with negative news and people that complain.  

Make it a mission to feed your thoughts with beautiful things and ideas.  Here are 55 Simple Pleasures to Sweeten Your Day.

31. Find the flow  

We all do better when we are in the “flow.”  Teach yourself how to access your flow faster, whether it’s setting the mood, watching inspirational videos or envisioning your better self.

 I listen to inspirational music before starting a project.  There are a couple different musicians that I listen to that help me achieve things that I’m working on. 

We’ve reached the end of 31 Small Goals Easily Achieved.  I hope you enjoyed it. 

Let me know in the comments below how you liked 31 Small Easily Achieved Goals and if you started any of them.    

Make sure you join our Creating a Cozy Life – Hygge Style facebook group.  You’re not going to believe how amazing it is.  Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.

Pin this small goals post below on your goals board on Pinterest.  

Thanks for stopping by.  I’m so happy you found us!  

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