It’s New Year’s resolution time – make 2017 your best year yet with Bark!

After another trip around the sun, it’s time to start thinking about your goals for the year ahead. The New Year is a chance to turn over a new leaf, ditch those bad habits and take on exciting new challenges!

Some people struggle to stick to their resolutions each year. But with Bark, finding a skilled expert to help you stay on track is easy.

Simply choose one of our top New Year’s resolutions from the list below and place a Bark to get quotes from local pros fast and free.

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Get fit with a personal trainer

With the indulgent Christmas period behind you, it’s time to start sculpting your ‘beach body’ in preparation for the glorious British summertime.

Every year, millions of Brits resolve to jump on the treadmill and get into the best shape of their lives. But, without a professional to motivate them, most don’t even make it past January.

That’s why it’s so important to have someone there to keep you in the gym and pushing yourself to your limits. Place a personal training Bark now to get quotes from local pros fast and free.

Find personal trainers now

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Learn a new language with language lessons

They say to have a second language is to possess a second soul. So perhaps it’s surprising how few of us take the time to get fluent in a second tongue.

Not only will learning a new language make it easier to explore many of the world’s greatest foreign holiday destinations – it can also give you a crucial edge in the jobs market.

So if you want to expand your mind and open up new personal horizons this year, place a Bark now to find local language tutors fast and free.

Find language tutors now

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Unleash your inner creativity with guitar lessons

We believe everyone should be able to pick up an instrument and play a few tunes. It’s a great way to relax and de-stress, while simultaneously sharpening your mind.

The guitar is a great instrument for beginners because it’s versatile, it sounds great – and you can start playing almost right away.

Master a few basic hand shapes and you’ll be jamming popular songs by Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin and more in no time.

Find guitar tutors now

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Get organised with a professional life coach

A life coach can help you come to terms with the radical changes that are often necessary in order to live your life to its fullest.

From going for that big promotion at work, to improving your social life, or even proposing to your other half – it can be hard to identify what steps you’ll need to take to achieve your dreams.

A great life coach will help you navigate your way to change and support you moving forward as you begin to enjoy a happier, healthier life.

Find life coaches

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Quit smoking with hypnotherapy sessions

The rewards of giving up smoking are huge, and they begin immediately. The amount of carbon monoxide in your bloodstream will start to decline in just a few hours – and you’ll start feeling fitter and healthier in a matter of weeks.

But those first few days without cigarettes will also be when your nicotine cravings are at their strongest, and many people find it impossible to quit without help from a trained professional.

Place a Bark now to find recommended hypnotherapists in your area to help you overcome your addiction and ditch your smoking habit for good.

Find hypnotherapists now

From one hit wonder to Wonderwall – top tips for picking up the guitar

Time to busk your way to fame
Time to busk your way to fame. Picture: Phil Gray

So – you have your first guitar and your dreams of being the next front man of Pink Floyd are almost too much to handle. But how to progress from air guitar or awkward clunky chord changes to be the guitar strumming, heart-stealing star of the show? Like anything worth doing, time and effort is involved – but there are also some basics that are often forgotten and can make the difference between the one hit wonders and the wonderwalls. Professional singer and guitarist Dan Crisp shares his top tips for guitar learning:

Set-up: First thing’s first, have your guitar checked so you’re not getting frustrated by the instrument going out of tune or the strings being too high – top culprits for quitting early on. Get off on the right foot and it will make things much easier further down the line.

String check! If the strings are dirty and hurting your fingers, the answer is simple – change them. If you start to associate playing the guitar with getting rusty fingers, you’ll be put off from picking it up. Playing the guitar should be a pleasure, not a chore.

Replace your strings to avoid rusty fingers
Replace your strings to avoid rusty fingers

Learn songs that you love: Like rocking out to some AC/DC or chilling with some Ed Sheeran? Find a simple chord version of your favourite song to help you learn chords and chord changes. It’s great to learn basic chord shapes by themselves, but this will also make the task a lot more fun and keep you motivated!

Scales are important: Do you know what a pentatonic scale is? Time to up your game! Knowing scales inside out is a must if you’re interested in playing solos. Learn the major scales, minor scales and pentatonic scales until you can do them in your sleep. The pentatonic scale will be your first port of call when playing blues and rock solos and can really expand your repertoire.

Patience: Like with any new skill, you’re not going to write your Magnus Opus overnight. Enjoy the small victories, like learning something new or playing a pleasant sequence of chords. When learning, every piece of progress should be celebrated. Jimi Hendrix didn’t learn overnight, and you won’t be able to either – it takes time and effort.

Jimi Hendrix, the legend of legends
Jimi Hendrix, the legend of legends

Most of all, remember that practice really does make perfect.

If you’re ready to dive in headfirst and put your passion for music into playing an instrument why not make it the guitar! There are professionals tutors based throughout the country, so why not start your search for guitar lessons here. If you’ve got a budding band behind you that could also do with a little tuition, why not find them bass guitar or drum lessons?

For more Bark.com tips and insights, why not check out our other blogs?