Here we are in 2022! Are you the kind of person who makes resolutions? We’re more general planners here at 28, but the start of the year is always a nice time to sit down, reach for some perspective on what the next 12 months will bring, and also envision where you want it to take you. Grab your favourite notebook and pen, and find some peaceful space because we are about to run through five ways to start your year off right.
- Simplify your life
Consider your life broadly for a moment and think – where are the messy spots? Maybe you always feel like you do the grocery shopping too late when you’re down to eating instant noodles. Maybe you constantly over-book yourself socially, and reach Monday feeling absolutely exhausted and unprepared. Maybe you’re forever in odd socks! At the start of the year, plan ways to avoid the mess so you don’t lose unnecessary energy.
- Remember: it’s not about diets, it’s about healthy habits
Creating habits is the most sustainable way of getting and staying healthy. Things like preparing your lunch for the week, scheduling in workouts, having a water intake target to hit daily – these all add up to wonderful health benefits. Rather than restricting yourself on intense diets every few months, this year, focus on creating long term sustainable habits. - Organise your pantry
The key to healthy eating? Preparation. If your pantry is an absolute shambles to the point where you can barely see what you actually have in all those containers, and you have no idea how long ago you purchased that packet of crackers – preparing food is going to be an uphill battle! Clean out and organise your pantry so that you can easily see what you have to work with and what you need to shop for to stock up.
- Assess your rituals
Do you have little rituals that you automatically do every day? Of course, you do – we all do! Think about a typical week day – when you wake up, are you rolling over to scroll on your phone and getting lost in your social media feed? Do you get up and skip breakfast because you never have anything in your kitchen that you want to eat at that time of day? The start of the year is a great time to assess these rituals that are not serving us. Start with one at a time, and work out some strategies that will easily supercharge your days.
And last, but certainly not least, always find time to remind yourself to be kind (to yourself and others) and positive. Perspective is everything, and I have a feeling 2022 is going to be wonderful for us all.