Have you thought about your expectations regarding the new year yet? What are your hopes, your wishes and dreams? Anything specific you would like to change? A goal that motivates you? A place you really want to see? There are as many objectives as there are people. We would like to present you the five that we find most important.
It is this time of the year where we all begin to feel a little melancholic and motivated at the same time. Melancholic, because we are looking back at all the great and unique moments of the year that is about to end, and motivated, because we cannot wait to do and experience all the new things that are waiting for us.
FULL SPEED AHEAD!
Sometimes, we even have concrete plans or goals for the new year, the so-called "good resolutions". They can differ a lot from person to person, each of them has their own deeper meaning and importance. Are you still looking for some goals for 2020? Here are some ideas:
1) More time for friends and family
Yes, working a lot brings you money, but social connections give you way more: joy, affiliation, and support. In her book Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Bronnie Ware interviewed people on their deathbed and most of them wished they would have spent more time with their loved ones. Because in the end, we don't need money to be happy. It can't give us a hug when we're sad. It is not able to reminisce and laugh about some crazy thing that we did together in the past. And it can't give us advice when we feel helpless and confused. We still need money to survive, but maybe we can check our priorities and remind ourselves every now and then that healthy relationships and time that we share with friends and family are way more enriching than material things.
2) Move your booty
It's always the same old story: physical exercise has a positive impact on your overall health. And yet, it is so hard to find enough motivation to actually do something! The good news is that you don't need to become an extreme athlete to see and feel results. It's already a good start to go for a 20 minutes run twice a week. Maybe you can find a "gym buddy" for mutual support and motivation. How about a quick morning workout? Or you simply get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way until the office. No matter what exactly you do, it is important that you do something. Just a little bit, but regularly. Try to free a certain time slot that is dedicated to some physical exercise. Mondays from 5PM to 6PM or 15 minutes after lunch every day. Write it down somewhere, so that it becomes more binding. And take someone on board that supports your plan and checks on your progress.
3) Take time for yourself
We are so busy trying to manage and master our everyday life, that we have lost the connection with ourselves. Saying "no" from time to time, retreating from everything that stresses us and taking time to enjoy some nature, calm, to meditate or read, to take a bath or to do whatever helps us relax is crucial to find back our inner balance. You need to recharge your batteries in order to gain new energy. Or as Austrian writer Stefan Zweig would say: "The break is part of the music".
We often underestimate the power of relaxation, and yet it is incredibly important for our overall satisfaction, happiness and health. Unwinding reduces stress and helps you reconnect with your gut instinct. You will find back ability to let things go, to take life less seriously and to listen to your individual needs. So take a deep breath and break free from the dangerous hamster wheel.
4) Eat healthy
It is common knowledge that "we are what we eat". Maybe, the turn of the year is a good moment to reconsider your eating habits. A healthy, balanced nutrition does not at all mean restriction, though. Of course you can treat yourself every now and then. It is merely important to keep an eye on good quality and a good mix of nutriments that have a positive effect on your digestive system and your general well-being.
So add a decent amount of fruits, vegetables and nuts to your menu, try to cook with fresh and seasonal ingredients and, most important, celebrate the act of eating itself. Be grateful for all the good stuff that you have on your plate and chew as slowly and consciously as possible. Not only does this train your mindfulness, it also makes it easier for your stomach to deal with the digestion.
5) Less screen-time
To make more time for all the above, how about monitoring and regulating the time you spend with your phone or in front of the TV? Studies show that each of us spends up to 6 hours(!) a day in front of the screen (actual working time not included)! That's a huge amount of time that's lost for doing things that are actually useful and help us move forward.
Since we mostly check social media or the latest news rather unconsciously, almost mechanically, we need a system to help us regain control. You can find some detailed advice in this article. The short version: get help from an app or a friend, define designated "screen-times" during the day and put your phone aside the rest of the time, or simply do something else to not get tempted (a night out with friends is a much better idea than watching TV shows nonstop).