As much as we tend to want to head into each new year brimming full of excitement and motivation, let’s face it, it’s not always something that happens. Sure, new beginnings and fresh starts are something we look forward to, but New Year’s resolutions can also set us up for feeling let down and disappointed.
There’s so much pressure to reach all these big goals, especially around food and fitness. Setting goals like “exercise every day” and “lose a stone” are repeated every year for so many people, and barely achieved because they just become a chore.
Setting unachievable or difficult goals can make the start of 2021 feel like a burden. The new year should be a blessing, filling you with excitement and motivation. No one looks forward to starting a restricted diet or a weeks schedule of hardcore work outs when you’ve sat on your bum all christmas indulging in mince pies and bailey, right?
Anything set too heavy on numbers and figures can spell disaster, although of course, goals around being healthier or better with our time are always good ways to go. So let’s spin them around!
Let’s make some goals that are easier to keep. Let’s focus on our free time, boosting endorphins, enjoying more down time but not wasting time either. Here are a handful of things you can do right now to be happier this year. So welcome 2021! (plus the list has absolutely nothing to do with eating less sugar or burning calories):
1. Say “thank you” instead of “I’m sorry”
It’s so easy to apologise for things when half the time, is it even something we should be apologising for? Try to switch this around. If you’re running a little late, say thank you for waiting for you. If you have made an error, say thank you for working with me on amending this. Don’t put a negative on yourself, as over time it can be like talking to yourself as if you have messed up.
2. Make your bed every morning
Such a quick easy task that so many of us put off. But once you have made the bed, it mentally sets you up for the day that you have closed off the evening, set your bed up for the night to follow, and already ticked off a job! If you do this as soon as you get out of bed, you’ve ticked a satisfying job off before the day has practically begun!
3. Unfollow or mute every account that doesn’t make you feel inspired
This is one that can make people feel uneasy but I promise you’ll feel so much more content when you do this. Don’t get lost in someone else’s story or life that makes you feel worse about your own. You could start by muting people, and then if later down the line you feel amazing for it, just unfollow permanently and remove. It’s your life, and your social media should be a reflection of what you absorb.
4. On days you don’t feel like exercising, just aim to move your body
Forcing yourself to go to the gym or embark on a run isn’t going to fill you with happiness if you don’t feel up to it. Some days, you might just need to give yourself a boost of motivation. But on other days, you might have other pressing tasks or errands that are more important, or you don’t mentally or physically feel up for it. If this is the case, don’t force it. Just focus on moving your body when you can. It could be going up and down the stairs or having a dance around the kitchen when you cook dinner.
5. Give yourself down time and make it a priority
How often do we just break off and relax? Enjoying free time and doing something that makes us happy, like playing games, chatting to friends, online shopping, having online fun on casino sites which are huge all around the world, like online casino canada, or cooking desserts and foods we enjoy? It’s key that we all schedule in time for relaxing and just letting our minds enjoy themselves for a while, away from any stress like work or chores.
6. Schedule all your appointments for the year
Hairdressers, nail appointments, doctors, dentists… it’s easy to forget to schedule these in, which can lead to laziness and missed appointments. How organised and ‘on it’ would you feel if you opened your planner and saw all appointments scheduled in for the next 12 months? Sure, you can tweak and change them as the year goes on and life events happen. But honestly, it will do wonders for your mind. If you schedule in health appointments too, you’ll feel so much less worried about things.
7. Download a meditation app
If meditation is something you’ve thought about but never got stuck into, it might be good to get some meditation apps on your phone ready to use this year. Headspace and calm are the two most popular ones, made for beginnings and experts alike. It could be a great idea to get into meditating a few times a day, especially if you find yourself juggling things and not taking any time out for you.
8. Buy yourself flowers
Don’t rely on anyone else to do this – flowers are just as much a treat for yourself and your home! You can also pick up affordable and reduced bunches from grocery stores which once in water and in a well lit spot, can bloom and last for a good week. Try to invest in flowers when you feel you need cheering up or want to add some colour and cheer to your home.
9. Call a friend or coworker instead of texting
We rely too much on easy communication, like a Facebook comment or an Instagram DM. And let’s not forget those non-stop WhatsApp groups. But when did you last call a friend and just have a chat? You’ll find when you do this that you’ll hang up feeling like you have really caught up with them properly and had such an inspiring chat. It’s easier to express emotion and share feelings much more. So next time you want a more meaningful chat, pick up the phone!
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