Kick-Start the New Year
Whenever a new year rolls around, it can be easy to fall into the same vicious cycle that we always do. We write down our New Year’s resolutions and decide that this is the year we are going to get our lives on track. We purchase that gym membership, we buy the healthy foods, etc. Yet, after a couple of months, the motivation slowly wears off and by the middle of the year we are often in the same position we were at the end of the previous year. It can become very easy to flake on the goals we set in place, so I want to offer some tips and tricks to ensure that we don’t fall off the bandwagon this year!
When making New Year’s resolutions they can mostly be placed into a certain category. Those categories typically include physical health, mental health, spiritual health, and lifestyle changes. Now, not everyone may need to set a goal for each of these categories but I will be offering some advice on each category, beginning with our physical health.
1. Find a Physical Activity You Love
Our physical health is very important because our bodies are a gift. Maintaining a healthy body not only allows for a healthy life but also correlates to improved mental and emotional health. When discussing physical health, people automatically assume you must work out intensely and maintain a strict diet every day. Yet, when we follow extreme diets and regimens it usually ends up being unsustainable. That is why my first tip is rather than forcing yourself to work out intensely every day, find one activity you enjoy that can flexibly fit your schedule. Some people enjoy vigorous workouts, but most people dread those kinds of workouts. That is why it is more sustainable to find a physical activity you enjoy. It can be biking, walking, pickleball, or any other activity you enjoy. Just set a time a few days a week to participate in your said activity and you will see how it can be easier to stick with this routine, rather than enforcing a strict workout schedule.
2. Do One Self-Care Act a Week
Self-care is something that can be put on the back burner when life gets crazy. We often prioritize time for other people instead of ourselves. Self-care is very important as it can increase your energy and lower stress levels. There are many things you can do to take time for yourself such as reading a book, lighting a candle, taking a bath, using new skincare, getting a manicure or pedicure, and more. Whatever it is that you do, try to take time for yourself once a week. Investing in yourself and your mental health will cause you to live a life with less stress.
3. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Another important aspect of our lives is our spiritual health. Everyone’s spiritual walk may look different, but the new year is a great time to refresh and renew. One simple task we can all do is keep a gratitude journal. When we focus on the things we are thankful for rather than the things we are not, it can change our perspective. It can allow us to focus on the good and live a joyful life. This can in turn inspire those around you to look for victories in their lives.
4. Be More Present
My last and final tip to kick-start your new year is to be present. I know this sounds like such a simple task, but it can be a difficult one to stick with. So often we are wrapped up in everything going on around us that we forget to take a step back and enjoy what is right in front of us. Life is a gift that we can miss if we don’t take the time to be in the moment. Work on trying to be more present by putting your phone down or enjoying the moment rather than taking pictures the whole time. Pictures can be a sweet reminder, but it can be easy to get so consumed with taking the perfect picture that we miss the moment entirely (I fall victim to this). So focus on taking in life without a phone in front of you!
Now I know there are many more tips that I could’ve shared, but I feel that less is more here. Rather than overwhelming ourselves with a never-ending list of resolutions, let’s focus on a few things that we know we can incorporate into our daily schedules. Life can be hard and no one is perfect, but we can always find ways to keep working towards being the best versions of ourselves. I pray this year is your best one yet!
