Resetting Your Health & Starting The New Year Right
Positivity

Resetting Your Health & Starting The New Year Right

Somehow, another year has flown by! To be fair, lockdown-induced time distortion contributed to how quickly 2021 passed. It’s been a surreal time for everyone around the world yet the global situation has provided useful insights. In particular, it’s revealed to many the benefits of adopting a holistic lifestyle. In a nutshell: living holistically really means creating healthy habits for yourself that can support you through thick & thin!Since every year usually starts with the desire for new habits, here are some recommendations:

 

Let’s Get Physical

For most people, a new year entails new goals - typically, goals related to health. The physical body is easier to keep track of than the mental, emotional, or spiritual body so creating body goals seems like the easiest task to accomplish. 

Yet, if you set goals revolving only around your physique you may unknowingly be starting the year by self-sabotaging yourself. How? By creating unrealistic expectations. Yes, you are more than capable of changing your body but in order to truly see, and feel positive changes, you need to be kind to yourself. Understand that long-term change requires dedication but flexibility as well. Tap into your intuition to gauge what feels best for your body. Sometimes it’s a fiery workout and sometimes it’s a nap. 

Avoid focusing only on extreme workouts or extreme diets. Focus on building a solid foundation by:

 

Eating Mindfully 

There’s a reason why people say: abs are made in the kitchen. Your diet dictates your health so in 2022, try to cut back or remove nasties from your plate - such as additives, artificial flavourings, fried food, refined sugar, and the likes. Contrary to popular belief, you can still eat clean even if you have a busy schedule, and yes, healthy snacks that are yummy exist! 

Pro tip: 10 Simple Ways To Strengthen Your Immunity 

 

Staying Hydrated

Did you know that if you stay hydrated your cognitive abilities & mood improve? The importance of water is seriously overlooked! Know that drinking enough water every day is crucial to smashing your fitness goals as water helps deliver nutrients to cells & keeps organs functioning properly. 

Pro tip:  7 Ways To Make Water Even Healthier

 

Sleeping Soundly 

How many hours do you usually sleep? If it’s less than the minimum seven hours then you may want to rethink your sleep schedule. It’s during deep sleep that your body can repair muscles, organs, and even cells. If you struggle to sleep, consider dimming your electronic devices pre-sleep as the blue light can delay the release of melatonin (the sleep hormone).

Pro tip: Yoga Techniques For Deeper Sleep

 

Journal Prompts

What are some small goal(s) I can create to accomplish my big goal(s)? 

What is the intention behind my fitness goal?

 

Find Time To Reflect

With or without a pandemic, it’s normal to feel mentally overwhelmed. The trick is to actually prioritise and learn how to manage your mental health. That may be easier said than done, but these tips will help:

 

Cultivate A Morning Routine 

How do you start your day? With gratitude or by mindlessly scrolling through social media? There is no right or wrong way to start the day. However, by cultivating a morning routine, you prioritise your mental health by intentionally setting the tone for the rest of your day. 

Pro Tip: Why Morning Routines Are Important & How To Create One

 

Write Lists  

When you start to feel anxiety trickling into the forefront of your mind, stop, drop, & reach down for a pen. By listing everything that is on your mind or that you need to do, you’ll feel less overwhelmed. Instead, your thoughts will start to string together and your never-ending to-do list will feel more attainable. Seriously, journaling has been proven to help!

 

Rewire Your Brain 

In 2022, make time to learn a new skill - an instrument, a language, or anything that you’ve been putting off really. Doing so will literally rewire your brain and enhance your ability to learn. An added bonus would be how neurogenesis can treat & prevent depression.

Pro Tip: 7 Foods You Probably Didn’t Know Were Brain Boosting

 

Journal Prompts

What actions do I need to take to maintain my mental health?

How many of my thoughts are just habits?

 

Embrace All Emotions

Before reading further, take a moment to pause and breathe. Literally, just inhale & exhale. Then, ask yourself: how do you feel? And when was the last time that you actually allowed yourself to feel - to take responsibility for & regulate your emotions? Your emotional health matters and so does setting emotional boundaries. To get clear on what your emotional needs are, start practicing mindfulness; but remember, emotional growth takes time (and luckily that’s all you have).

Pro Tip: A Complete Guide To Mindfulness 

 

Journal Prompts

What emotions have I been avoiding? 

How do I want to feel emotionally? 

Connect To Your Higher Self

Shrouded in mystery and preconceived notions, your higher self really just means your real self, your spiritual self - that part of you that is connected to unconditional love and that can experience life without judgment or attachment. By creating a bridge between you and your higher self, you start to trust whatever is unfolding in your life. If you’re not religious, know that you can connect to this version of yourself in many (non-religious) ways like through breathwork or sound healing!

Pro Tip: What Is A Sound Bath & Why You Should Try It

 

Journal Prompts

What makes me feel in alignment with my highest self? 

How can I regularly feel this alignment? 

Spread The Love

The pandemic highlighted how powerful actions can be. Through social media, many communities in need managed to stay afloat. Although life is slowly returning to normal, your help is still needed. While donating money can be easy, donating your time is also impactful - even if it’s just a short period of time! Animal shelters always need volunteers and so do soup kitchens. If you’re on the fence about volunteering then read these 6 Inspiring, Real-Life Stories of Kindness That Will Move You 

 

Journal prompts: 

Which community in need do I feel strongly for?

What type of commitment am I ready for - once a week, once a month, or?

 

New Year, New Goals

To wrap it up, 2022 is the start of a new year and a new version of yourself. Like a book, new chapters are inevitable. So, will you show up for yourself and dictate the story of your life? Remember, you can choose to change at any moment!

We wish you an insightful journey into 2022 and into yourself. May this year be filled with positive lifestyle changes and self-growth - be kind to yourself and stay flexible throughout it all!


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