New year, new experiences: Browse these Charlotte resources for your 2024 resolutions

We’re looking straight ahead at 2024 now, and you’re probably already being asked the annual “What is your New Year’s resolution?” question.

Many people set a resolution each January, but not everyone. In fact, the New York Times has reported that many people (namely, Gen Z and millennials) were abandoning the annual tradition. Waiting until Jan. 1 to make changes is arbitrary and trendy, not so much realistic, the Times reported.

They may have a point — most of us have been down this road before, and not many of us stick to our resolutions. So, whether you pick the arbitrary Jan. 1 date or not, how do you make sure your goal is one you’ll be able to reach? One way to achieve your resolution is by enlisting the help of your community — specifically, a local business or expert.

Are you making New Year’s resolutions this year? Send us an email and let us know what they are — or why you’re not doing them.

We can help you think about your intentions in Charlotte. Here are a few popular resolutions, along with Charlotte businesses that can help you achieve them:

Improve your cooking

Whether you’re looking to learn cooking fundamentals or a specific cuisine, there are several Charlotte businesses that can help you fulfill your cooking goals.

• Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen offers a variety of hands-on culinary classes you can take to improve your cooking skills at home such as Basic Knife Skills, Winter Asian Flare, Healthy Weeknight Meals and more.

• The Foodie School in Fort Mill offers a wide array of options to check out, including classes geared toward date nights with themes such as Fond of Fondue; Butter, Bacon & Boozy; and Passion for Paella.

• Santhoshi’s Kitchen offers cooking lessons at her new Fort Mill studio. You’ll learn about Indian cooking traditions from chef Santhoshi Radhakrishnan along the way, including how to use food for healing and health. Afterward, you’ll get to eat the food you make. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.

Learn a new skill

If you want to learn a new skill, it helps to have an expert to lead you. Luckily, Charlotte has many businesses that offer classes to give you accountability, expert guidance and potentially even make new friends with shared interests.

• Through SkillPop, you can find a variety of online and in-person classes from local experts. Learn new skills including how to start a business, how to knit or digital marketing basics.

• Interested in cleaning up your cosmetics? Lip N Pour can help you make your own vegan, cruelty-free beauty products such as custom lipsticks, foundations and concealers with friends.

• Create cocktail magic with a class from The Cocktailery or Billy Sunday Charlotte. Offerings vary, but you’ll often learn how to make about three drinks per session.

Organize your home

Ready to organize or clear out the clutter in your home for a fresh start in 2023?

• Simply Dare, owned by professional organizer Kenzie Harkey, offers home organizing, moving coordination and home style consultations.

• Minimized is a local team of professional organizers that can help you organize, style and resell items in your home.

Get more exercise

When starting a new fitness routine, it’s important to find an activity you actually enjoy doing so that you want to stick to it. Several local businesses offer a variety of classes through one membership so you can sample different workouts and find the ones that work best for you.

• Through a membership with SweatNET, you can try different classes taught by local trainers from cycling to yoga at various locations around Charlotte.

• The YMCA of Greater Charlotte offers classes, fitness programs and a variety of other options.

• You can also watch for new member deals that will be advertised soon at a variety of Charlotte fitness studios. (For reference, here were some of the discounts available in January 2023.)

Give back to the community

SHARE Charlotte, a local platform that connects volunteers to nonprofits, offers more than 400 virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities. The website makes it easy to find the right one for you based on your interests. A few available opportunities:

• Volunteer your professional skills by searching SHARE’s opportunity board for the right fit.

• If you have the means, purchase items for a nonprofit. Using SHARE’s website, the items will be shipped directly to the organization.

• Peruse the list of 671 nonprofits serving Charlotte, and discover ways you can help by donating or volunteering.

Shop local

Supporting Charlotte businesses through shopping local is a fun and easily attainable goal for 2022. Whether you want to read more next year, refresh your wardrobe or just grab a cup of coffee from a local vendor, there are plenty of places to find what you’re looking for.

• For books, check out Archive on Beatties Ford Road or the pop-up and online Shelves bookstore.

• To rep Charlotte with your wardrobe, 704 shop is the place to find Queen City streetwear.

• For coffee, smoothies or pastries on-the-go, try Detour Coffee Bar.

• For tea and relaxation, visit The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, which is expanding soon with a new location.

• Need a special gift for a friend? CLTCH offers eclectic jewelry, accessories and more.

Eat healthier

Maybe you’re not ready to commit to becoming your own personal chef, but that doesn’t mean healthy eating isn’t possible. There are several healthy restaurants in Charlotte to choose from for dine-in or takeout. If you’re interested in adding more plants to your diet, eating less meat and dairy or trying a vegan diet, Charlotte has several vegan and vegetarian restaurants to choose from, including:

• Oh My Soul, a vegan restaurant in NoDa.

• Living Kitchen, serving organic, plant-based meals in South End.

• Fern, Flavors from the Garden, serving gourmet (and now fully vegan!) dishes in Dilworth.

If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s not strictly vegan or vegetarian, but with plenty of plant-friendly menu items, try:

• Dish, a Plaza Midwood staple for Southern comfort foods.

• Abugida Ethiopian Cafe for Ethiopian cuisine.

• Eight and Sand Kitchen for made-from-scratch baked goods, sandwiches, salads and more.

• Ilios Crafted Greek, which offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options on its Greek menu.

Quit drinking alcohol

After a boozy holiday season, you might be ready to take a break from alcohol or give it up altogether in the new year. If you’re looking for support, resources or guidance on where to start, these local resources can help:

• Charlotte podcast, Champagne Problems provides resources to help you change your relationship with alcohol through expert conversations and interviews with guests in the sobriety and wellness spaces.

• For those in the service industry struggling with substance use, Ben’s Friends offers in-person community and fellowship.

• If you’re heading out to socialize, plan ahead and check out mocktail selections. A variety of Charlotte bars, restaurants and breweries have non-alcoholic options available.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story ran on Dec. 28, 2022.