This Year is the Year—Artsy Resolutions for All Habit Personalities

In her bestselling book, Better than Before, author Gretchen Rubin suggests that figuring out one’s habit personality is the key to keeping successful resolutions. Rubin’s research has focused on the relationship between happiness, developing habits, and personality. In The Four Tendencies, she explains that people can divide into four categories according to how they meet expectations:

Upholders

Upholders meet outer and inner expectations easily.

Questioners

Questioners can meet outer and inner expectations, so long as they have a good reason for doing so.

Obligers

Obligers are very good at meeting outer expectations but need accountability to meet inner expectations.

Rebels

Rebels resist all expectations, both inner and outer alike. They want to do what they want to do, in their own time.

Which one are you? Knowing where your tendencies fall within the framework can help you find success in your resolutions, goals, and habits, as you begin the new year.

Here are some artsy suggestions for resolutions to match your natural habit tendency and give you a bit of an edge to succeed.

Artsy Resolutions for Upholders

Upholders are very good at following rules and guidelines. They want to know what is expected of them, and they thrive on meeting those expectations and following through with what they have decided to do. Good artsy resolutions for Upholders include:

1. Learn About a Painting Each Day

Our DailyArt app features a work of art each day of the year and with more than 3800 masterpieces in the database. That is a lot of art to enjoy! Each artwork comes with a short story, sometimes an artist’s bio, and even links to explore other related works. This resolution would work even better for Upholders if they set a specific time each day to carry it out.

2. Develop a 30-Day Project

If you are an artist yourself, this could include posting pictures of your work on social media, doing a sketchbook page every day, or sight-reading a new piece on your instrument daily. However, if you are not an artist, you could do things such as picking a quote of the day and writing it in a pretty artsy notebook, starting a blog and posting a reflection daily, or reading an article in DailyArt Magazine and discussing it in one of our social media channels.

3. Visit a New Museum or Gallery

Challenge yourself to visit new museums or galleries you have never visited. You can do this in person, but over the last few years, many institutions have also begun to offer virtual tours and have made much of their content available online.

Artsy Resolutions for Questioners

Questioners tend to meet inner expectations easily, but resist outer expectations unless they are convinced that they make sense. Interestingly, Questioners make up the larger percentage of the population. The key for Questioners to keep goals is to consider what their justifications are for deciding on their resolutions. If their reason is good enough, they will stick with their resolutions no matter what. Good artsy resolutions for Questioners include:

1. Read a Book on a Topic That Has Interested You For a While

If you have a topic that has interested you for a while don’t put off learning about it. Here are some artsy book suggestions, reviewed by the writers at DailyArt Magazine.

2. Take a Class

If you have been thinking that you should learn more about art, pick a time period that interests you and go for it! Here are some reasons why you should learn about art and here are some course ideas.

3. Curate a List of Your Top 10 Masterpieces

Part of the fun of learning about art is to find favorites and make connections. Curating a list of Top 10 Favorites can be as simple as writing down favorites in a journal or a daily planner, or as elaborate as creating a collage or a website, posting pictures to Instagram, or even copying paintings down into a sketchbook. The possibilities are endless.

Artsy Resolutions for Obligers

Obligers are motivated by external accountability. They don’t want to let others down but they may let themselves down. That is why they do best with resolutions that involve engaging with other people. Good artsy resolutions for Obligers can be:

1. Participate in a Group Challenge or Creative Project

Artists have always gathered together to make art. Good examples are the artists from the Arts and Crafts movement or the Skagen painters. The key is to find a challenge that involves deadlines and reporting to others, such as 30-day challenges on Instagram, or New Year Challenges at Sketchbook Revival.

2. Go on Art Dates

Going on art dates with friends is a good way to visit new galleries and museums you have not visited before. Once there, looking at the art is always an enjoyable way to spend time, but you could also challenge yourself to sketch art, compile collections of favorite works and artists, study art by theme—your imagination is the limit

3. Join a Book Group

It might be difficult for Obligers to simply read more on their own, but joining a book group provides the framework and accountability to keep them on task. Here are some suggestions for artsy book clubs online, or here, via the Columbus Museum of Art, and here, via Austin Kleon.

Artsy Resolutions for Rebels

Rebels resist outer and inner expectations alike because they act from a sense of choice, authenticity, freedom, and self-determination. Rebels can do anything they choose to do if they seek to live up to their own identity and values. Good artsy resolutions for Rebels can be:

1. Treat Yourself to an Artsy Gift

Treating yourself to an artsy gift can be a good way to incorporate art into your daily life and to fulfill a resolution that does not require forming a life-long habit. The DailyArt Shop has many ideas for fun and useful artsy gifts. Another place to look is at the gift shops of galleries and museums you visit.

2. Learn More About Art History

The history of art is full of men and women who defied all expectations and took humanity along new paths while doing so. As you learn about these fascinating people and their work, pick your favorites, and maybe even buy and frame an art print while you are at it.

3. Subscribe to an Artsy Newsletter

Subscribe to DailyArt Magazine‘s newsletter and pick one article to read on a topic that tickles your fancy or feels particularly interesting that day. Simple, educational, and fun.

No matter your habit personality, we hope that these suggestions are useful to you and that they spark more ideas for other fun artsy activities and resolutions in the new year.

We wish you all the best in 2024, from all of us in DailyArt Magazine!