It's the start of a New Year and as usual, people are posting their “New Me” resolutions. From dropping a few pounds, reading more and spending more time with loved ones, the New Year always presents an opportunity to shed bad habits and create better ones. The problem is too often these resolutions are forgotten within a couple of weeks. Here are seven startups that will help you keep your promises and stick to self-improvement throughout the year.

1. Eat Healthier Eating healthy can be expensive and, depending on where you live, it can be hard to access fresh produce. That’s why we love From Seed to Spoon, an app that teaches you how to grow your own food. The app was recently featured by Thrive Global as one of the most life-changing apps of 2018. In addition to teaching you how to grow, it also helps you know what to grow with an extensive plant list filtered on 25+ health conditions such as diabetes, headaches, insomnia, keto, and more.

2. Spend Quality Time with Your Partner Do you run out of ideas for date night? Let DateBox, help you. This startup plans monthly dates in advance based on your own customized profile. DateBox sends you everything you need, all you need to do is subscribe.

3. Save Money Nobody likes to talk about insurance, but it is often the second most expensive item in your household budget after home mortgage. When was the last time you checked how much you were paying? BriteBee is a new marketplace that allows you to shop for insurance without the harassing calls and lets you source quotes without releasing your information to lead companies.

4. Do your part to promote Clean Energy If you think power outages are bad, gas generators are worse. Gas powered generators release emissions that are not just harmful to the environment, but also put families at risk due to toxic fumes released in closed spaces. Furthermore, they are noisy and obnoxious. Juice Power has developed a portable solar power solution that’s 100% renewable. You can now power your home during unforeseen weather events with no fear of harming your family, or take it with you to tailgate events without ruining the game with lousy noise, all while choosing to go green.

5. Get organized When it comes to decluttering your life, sometimes a little help can go a long way. Periwinkle is a service-based business that cleans out and organizes your garage. This startup helps you make an overwhelming process simple and fun.

6. Reduce Stress, Read More No matter how much stress you have at work or in your personal relationships, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. Literacy Lounge, a monthly subscription box that highlights Black literature, offers a simple approach to enhancing your reading experience and creating a healthier, more conscious lifestyle. Along with a book each month you receive 2-4 items related to the book and/or items that stimulate relaxation.

7. Plan ahead Most people associate estate planning with negative events and avoid conversations until the loss of a loved one. In reality, it should be a collaborative, proactive way to engage family members in order to avoid awkward conversations and unnecessary stress in difficult times. Estate Clarity helps you focus on what really matters and lets you organize, assign and communicate with family and estate planning professionals all in one collaborative app.

Happy New Year! - the Crew