The twinkly lights are up, the cupboards stocked with delicious treat food and we’ve already partied our dancing feet off. But, this year, as the festive season peaks, I encourage you to take a minute to slow down and think about the coming year. I don’t mean setting the same old New Years’ resolutions but make 2017 a time for real change.
This January, set a decisive goal to look after your body better. Not just for January (or however long you might keep up your usual resolutions), this time do one thing to improve your health and well-being for ever. It could be eating related, exercise related or even about relaxing more. What about better sleep habits, cutting out some caffeine or drinking one extra glass of water each day? Make it something small, something easy but something good for your body and your mind.
Make 2017 a year of new. No, not new shoes, new knowledge. Learn something new about your body or mind or about how you can improve your well-being. Do you have a muscular imbalance in your body that means you always have pain in one side of your back? Have you ever noticed a digestive intolerance to a certain food? Are your hamstrings always tight no matter how much you stretch them? Have you ever tried mindfulness or a meditation technique? Knowing is powerful and can really help you make a positive impact on your body.
While we are talking about learning, why not explore a new relaxation technique. We all lead crazy busy lives and can do with some means to unwind. Find something that you can do that doesn’t involve staring at a screen of sorts. It will be so beneficial for your mind and much kinder to your eyes.
On your new road of self-discovery, it’s time to tackle that issue that you’ve been just living with all these months (or years). You know that knee pain that comes and goes or your back that’s usually ok until it just suddenly “pulls”? Or what about the ache in your jaw that is now creating headaches that you usually never get? Time to stop ignoring it and see an appropriate specialist. This is your body’s way of telling you it needs attention. Listen!
One more thing that ties everything together; get your shiny new 2017 diary out and schedule in at least one hour every week to do something you absolutely love doing. It really doesn’t matter what it is as long as it makes your insides sing with twirly happiness. Keep diarising this time until it becomes such an integrated part of your life that you wonder how you ever lived without it!
Cheers to a brand new year. Cheers to your twirly happiness!
Comments