Ringing in the New Year naturally has us thinking about new beginnings and starting over. With that come New Year’s resolutions and often a lot of pressure to meet these resolutions. First and foremost, when thinking about our new year’s goals, we need to put our health first and make sure that we are setting realistic goals for ourselves. So with that in mind, we thought we would share some easy, healthy new year’s resolutions that are not goal driven and are pressure-free.
Health and Wellness New Year’s Resolutions
1. Get More Sleep
This one is a goal that most can keep up with. Sleep is so important and with the demands of today’s world, most of us don’t get enough of it. Start off easy by holding yourself accountable for at least 8 hours of sleep. Read Our 7 Bedtime Rituals for Better Sleep if you’re not sure where to start.
2. Cook something new each week
Cooking is a great activity that you can do by yourself or with others. Not all of us are natural-born chefs but with a little practice we can all get pretty close! We know life can get busy and cooking might be on top of your priority list but cooking a nice home-cooked meal is a great way to treat yourself and learn something new. Add trying out new recipes and cuisines to your resolution list!
3. Drink less alcohol
With the holidays, we all naturally like celebrating and toasting with our loved ones. But outside the celebrations alcohol is not the best for our bodies and mental health. This year try to drink less alcohol with small steps that work for you.
4. Limit screen time
In today’s day and age we’re all unfortunately pretty reliant on our phones and guilty of scrolling for hours. The new year is a great opportunity to reduce screen time. Take a break from social media and hone your energy into something that will make you happy.
New Year’s Resolution; Mindfulness
1. Meditate
Meditation is a great way to ground yourself, find balance, and inner peace. Especially if you’re faced with a stressful lifestyle. You don’t have to be a pro or take classes to meditate. You just need to find what works for you and what helps you find that balance. If you’re not sure where to start, read Amy’s Meditation Tips For Beginners.
2. Be more present
The first step in being more present is surrounding yourself with people that make you feel happy and fulfilled. When you’re in an environment that feels safe and supportive it helps with being more present. In addition, reducing screen time will also help you feel more present and help you spend more time with your thoughts and emotions.
3. Stop negative self talk
The only way we can get better is by uplifting ourselves and not putting ourselves down. Take the new year as an opportunity to change your relationship with yourself. Treat yourself like you would want your loved ones to be treated. Start with uplifting yourself with words of kindness.
4. Practice positive affirmations
“The first thing we do in the morning can set up a tone and a good foundation for the rest of the day. Sometimes a little pat on the shoulder can go a long way. There is always this little voice in our heads that tells us we are not enough, we can’t handle certain things, but affirmations can help us feel empowered and over time replace the negative voice in our head, or turn that volume down.” – Amy Ling Lin (sundays founder)
Affirmations are a great way to reduce negative self talk and a way to uplift your spirit when you’re feeling down. But we should start off the new year with a positive note. Read our Daily Affirmations to Help Ease Anxiety to get started.
New Year’s Resolution; Self-care
1. Try to control your stress
We all get stressed and it’s a natural human reaction. Sometimes we can’t control it, but what we can control is how we react to that stress. Some ways that we can control our stress is with meditation, yoga, and hobbies that make us feel fulfilled. These activities can help us create an oasis where stress can’t reach us.
2. Pamper yourself
Pampering is always a must and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t add a little extra pamper in the new year. Even if just once a week, pampering yourself is an important way to take care of your physical and mental health. Start off with lighting a non-toxic candle to set a calming and peaceful mood. Create a warm bath and treat yourself to a non-toxic mani/ pedi. After you’re done, give yourself a soothing hand massage.
3. Take self-care walks
Taking walks is a great way to clear your head and to help with your physical health. Try taking 20-30 minute walks a few times a week and you will definitely notice a difference when it comes to your mental health. If you’re not ready to commit yet, even just ten minute walks would make a difference.
4. Spend one night a week doing something that makes you happy
With how busy we can get, we often forget about doing things we actually enjoy. Doing little things that make us happy, keep us from getting burnt out and contribute to our overall well being. Whatever makes you happy, even if it’s just a ten minute workout or meditation, take a day each week to do it.
