New Year, New Habits?
I am not a fan of making new resolutions just because of a calendar date, but that might be just me! If you are making new years resolutions, then here are my 5 top tips:
- Making changes is all about what is going to work for you in your situation, so don’t feel you have to pick something that sounds ‘good’ or lots of other people are going for (unless you want to, of course)
- Make your change one that is meaningful and important to you personally. Think about what is your why?
- Enjoy! You are much more likely to do something that you enjoy doing… an activity that you need willpower to even start and don’t enjoy will get abandoned fairly quickly. Kale smoothies? No thank you! My mind knows whole food is good for me so I might find the willpower to chug one down for a few days but I’ll soon give up. Instead, look for something that you enjoy and would like an excuse to do more of – whether that is a mindful activity or exercise for example. 10minutes a day colouring? 10minutes a day reading? Yes please! I’m much more likely to have to limit myself once I’ve started than
- Be specific: rather than ‘exercise more’, try ‘I will walk for 20minutes 3 times per week’.
- Be positive: ‘I will eat a piece of fruit with lunch everyday’ instead of ‘I will avoid foods with added sugar’. It’s much easier to count something that you do instead of something you don’t do.
Lastly, keeping track of what you have done can help you to see how much you have accomplished. But remember it is ok if things go a bit off plan, just start again wherever you are.
My plan for 2024
Personally, I am going to aim to do 30minutes something active every day – it’s a bit vague perhaps, but it means I can adapt it to my schedule (which is a bit unpredictable). I also know that I get bored of doing the same thing, so being able to mix it up will make my aim more manageable. Being active might mean a walk, a run, a bike, a yoga session, a class, a swim or anything else I can think of. I am going to track my progress using this tracker, which means I get do a mindful moment of colouring everyday as an added bonus! Here is a copy of a tracker for the year which I have borrowed from the internet. Feel free to download it and use it to track whichever small change you are making this New Year – let me know how you get on!
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year for 2024! I am looking forward to seeing your trackers and hearing about your new healthy habits.
