Put Wellness First This New Year
Whenever a new year rolls around, it’s easy to get sucked into setting a lot of really big goals. Goals that often leave us feeling drained and uninspired. Instead of going too big and then (inevitably) falling short, shift your focus to giving yourself what you truly need.
Studies show that 88% of people who set resolutions fail them within 2 weeks. A lot of that likely has to do with the fact that they don’t connect with them on a deeper level.
Celebrate your current wins.
In order to truly connect to your needs, take a step back and consider what’s been going well in your life. Resolutions often lead us to focus on a lack mentality, whereas starting with what’s going well sets us up to connect to our needs from a place of positivity.
Maybe you’ve been active somewhat consistently or you’re getting outside for walks a few times a week. Celebrate the wins of your current lifestyle and embrace the evidence that you can take on new challenges and be successful.
Once you’ve gained clarity on what’s going well, ask yourself, “What would help me take things to the next level, and why do I want to do that?” Having a clear force driving your intentions will allow you to stay on track. What are the bigger goals or life achievements you’re trying to move the needle towards? How will the smaller actions you take now get you there?
Connect to the value of your well-being.
In a new year, creating intentions that prioritize your well-being are going to enhance your life. When you feel good, you’ll be more productive, energized, and focused. You’ll have a greater sense of joy to bring with you in everything you do. This has to do with everything from the gear you wear (hello, Apolla!!) to the lifestyle practices you employ. The following are 5 key areas that are going to help you improve your overall well-being and life experience.
- Prioritize nutrition.
The simplest way to address nutrition and nutrient intake is to consider if you’re eating in ways that make you feel good. Maybe you’ve noticed through the holidays that your sugar or caffeine consumption has increased. First, this is super normal!
Second, once you identify the areas of healthy eating that could use some attention, start to make small changes. Add some more protein to breakfast. Cut out the second cup of coffee. Vary your sugar intake and include natural sugars in fruit and sweet vegetables instead of solely consuming more processed sugars in baked goods.
- Clarify and create balance.
Before you can prioritize balance in your life, you have to have a clear sense of what balance means to you. If you’re working 60 hours a week and it’s really not necessary to sustain your life and well-being, that’s a pretty obvious, necessary adjustment. What would balance with work look like to you? Are you dancing too much? Not enough?
Consider what balance would allow you to truly connect with your priorities, goals, and aspirations. Again, small changes work best, so look for small ways to start inching towards your more balanced life.
- Move with joy.
Movement should bring you joy. Sometimes, you have to build some strength before you feel fully joyful in any movement practice, but once you’ve done that, you should move in ways that feel good to you.
High-intensity workouts aren’t for everyone, and if doing that sort of exercise makes you miserable, here’s some simple advice: stop!
Instead, find styles of dance and movement that light you up. I find mat Pilates pretty boring while I feel relaxed and meditative in a reformer Pilates class. Try all different exercise classes, studios, and instructors until you find the ones you truly connect with and can stick to with ease.
- Create community and foster strong relationships.
Relationships are crucial for both your personal life and your movement life. When you feel connected to the people around you, your mental well-being improves. Find ways to stay in touch with the friends and family members who you feel most aligned with. Like-minded people will help you take positive actions forward and encourage you towards your goals.
- Invest in your well-being.
Whether you’re paying for exercise classes, getting a massage, or going to acupuncture, remember that all of these things are truly an investment. Rather than viewing them as an expense, if there’s something that makes you feel better, stronger, or healthier, it’s a worthy and important investment.
Choose one or two of these areas to focus on this year. Once you feel like you’ve found a sustainable rhythm, add another.
Remember that things will naturally wax and wane.
One of my absolute favorite quotes comes from Oprah. She said, “You can have it all. Just not all at once.” This is true for all things in life, and it’s an essential sentiment as you set the intention to have a new year that prioritizes your well-being.
Things are going to come up that make it hard to stay on track with absolutely everything. When that happens, it’s OK to let some things go. Look for ways to maintain what you’re able to maintain and consider what your minimum commitment to yourself might look like. What are your non-negotiables and how will you maintain those? Write down an actual plan to weave those things into the fabric of your daily life.
