How to improve your life for FREE!
This post contains no affiliate links. This post is in partnership with the Medicine Hat Public Library and while this library is located in Medicine Hat, AB many of these services are available with most library cards.
2022 is going to be YOUR year!
Every year we seem to think we need to start the new year with some kind of crazy “New Year” resolution. You’re going to “reinvent yourself in 2022” – We are programmed to think we need to be better, do better than the year previous. You want to reinvent yourself; improve your life. Maybe you work on the same thing every year; “lose 10 pounds”, “journal more”, “travel”, “be more present”, “work out more”, “save money” etc. We start the year with the best intentions.
Now fast forward – it’s the middle of February. More than 50% of people have given up on those goals, those routines, those dreams have been left at the door. We vowed to never think of them again because of the shame of never completing these tasks. Or lack of money got in the way (as per usual) and you can no longer sustain the new activity or hobby. The art of reinventing yourself or improving your life can feel like a financial burden.
But it will cost too much to reinvent myself in 2022.
For many people, these last few years have been hard on their family, their career, and their mental health. Many are optimistic for 2022, but the financial toll everyone has gone through in one way or another can be paralyzing. You have a desire for change. Maybe you want to make a career change. Or you need to improve your health. But you can’t afford to make it happen.
If you have Netflix you have probably seen the new limited series called “Inventing Anna”. It’s based on a true story, about how a young girl -Anna Delvey – who claimed to be a “german heiress” scammed a handful of people and financial institutions into giving her millions of dollars, and at the end of the day, she wasn’t who she claimed to be. She didn’t actually have any money.
Okay I know, you’re like “Jenelle, what on earth does this have to do with anything?” Well, let me tell you! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO REINVENT YOURSELF, to change your trajectory, to improve your life. It’s not necessary to go to the lengths that Anna did to become who you want to be. You only have one life, why stay between the lines. *Pun Intended*
RUN! Don’t walk…
Fine, we can get to the good part… How do you Reinvent Yourself in 2022? This might come as a shock to you, but did you know your Local Library has more resources than just books?!?
RIGHT?!? Shocking! So after all this build-up, I want you to take a moment. I want you to think about what you really really want. (I hope Spice Girls just popped into your head) I polled some questions in my Instagram stories today, here they are and some of the results.
- Have you ever wanted to learn something new? 98% of viewers said YES
- If you could learn anything what would it be? Will list some below
- If you could reinvent yourself or improve your life, would you do it? 98% said YES
- What is holding you back? – Majority said money.
Now that you have some dreams, ideas in mind. I have teamed up with the Medicine Hat Public Library to bring you 4 Ways to Reinvent Yourself in 2022 and How to Improve your life for FREE. ( Well you will need a library card, and right now the Medicine Hat Public Library is offering FREE Library cards.)
1. Learn Something New
Just like you, I have an ever-growing list of subjects I wish I learned about while I was in school or I wish I could go back to school. OR you have this deep desire to have a career change but you don’t know if you would actually enjoy the said field. But it doesn’t even have to be life-changing, it can just be something you are curious about or want to learn more about.
Allow me to introduce you to GALE COURSES – “Gale Courses offers a wide range of highly interactive, instructor-led courses that you can take entirely online. As a library cardholder in good standing, you are entitled to these courses at no cost. Courses run for six weeks and new sessions begin every month.”
Here are a few of the results of my questions asked in my stories and ones I thought were interesting:
2. Refresh your Perspective
There is nothing like diving into a good book; personally, there is just something about the smells of the book that just makes reading so much better. Not only does the Medicine Hat Public Library offer an enormous amount of books to borrow but you will also have access to Audio Books and eBooks.
I have also included this amazing list of Self Help Books from the staff at MHPL.
3. Dare to Dream
I am sure a lot of people are dreaming of traveling. Where would you go if you could? Hong Kong? Paris? Mexico? While you wait why don’t you learn the language of your dream destination? Yes, the Medicine Hat Public Library offers a resource called Pronunciator. Where you can learn over 150 different languages!
4. Create a Support Network
Now more than ever we need a sense of community. It can still be virtual or you can slowly get back into having small gatherings. The perfect way to reinvent yourself is with others. Grab the little group of friends you have missed spending time with and start a book club. This is perfect because you dive into a book and finish it learning something new about the story and even yourself. It can create a safe place to chat and start conversations about something new or current. The Medicine Hat Public Library actually has a list of books they offer in Book Club Kits!
ARE YOU READY TO REINVENT YOURSELF IN 2022
Now all you need is to start… well you might need to go get a library card first! But we hope these 4 Ways to Reinvent Yourself inspired you, sparked an interest in pursuing something you have always wanted, or at the very least you learned something new. Improving your life doesn’t always have to cost something. We encourage you to check out your own local library and learn about all the amazing FREE resources they offer with a library card.
