New year is a time of reflection and change. We can make plans to do things differently. Here are some ideas for great things to do at this turn of the year to make a fresh start.
1. The holiday time is valuable precious time when we can all get together. Important for us to use this time well and give your family the gift of your attention and presence – the greatest gift of all. Play games, board games, cook together, talk together, ask questions of the older relatives about what life was like when they grew up and what’s changed,
2. Make 2022 the year you bring back control to your spending and finances. A great way to start is put some of your earnings direct into a savings pot. Some of the new money bank apps (like TransferWise) allow you to set up savings jars and put money in there on the app so you don’t spend it on other things. It keeps it separate from your other money, Save 10 per cent of all the that you earn and you will soon have a rainy day fund that you can use for a special purchase or keep investing in something to let it grown
3. We learn when we take risks and change our routines. Learn a new language, a new sport or join a new club. Great to meet friends that way and learn new things. If you keep doing things the same way you always have, you will get the same outcome. When you change up your routine and way of thinking, life will change and new things will appear in your life.
The fun bits are often the times when we have stuck our neck out and done something new.
4. Set goals and intentions. Make a vision board. Get a blank piece of paper and fill it with things you would love to bring into your life and go wild with your imagination. Cut out pictures from magazines or print out from the web. When you do this, you get inspired to do things differently and make new things happen. Science has shown that visioning is powerful. Your imagination is powerful. Be careful what you think about as you may bring that experience into your life very easily!
5. Marie Kondo showed us how to declutter our home. Have a plan to go through each room in your house, and have a sort out, reorganisation and re-ordering of things. It’s good to make space for new things to come in and feel better about yourself and your environment when it is clutter-free.
Declutter your phone and computer – go through and delete what you don’t need and make some space
Have a declutter of your life – are you trying to do too much? Slow down, do less and make more of what you choose to do. Less is more. This includes friends ‘if you have some toxic friends who complain or bring you down, think about steering clear and surrounding yourself with more uplifting people.
6. Do a life audit. Look at what is going on in your life right now. Work out what are your main stress points. Think about 3 ways you could reduce the stress of these things – eg get help to support you, batch cook meals, buy food once a week, meal plan, get your kids helping to clear up and clean the house. At work, look at what stresses you have and think of ways that you could make some changes to make things easier
Plan less things to stop you being late for everything. Do less and enjoy each thing more. Slow it all done. Smell the coffee as they say.
If you need to give up something like booze, overeating or being too late. Say it out loud that you care going to make changes. Tell friends and family.
Get help, join a group, get a buddy to support you and make some goal to make some changes. Be specific. Avoid the triggers that cause you to get into doing the bad habit (certain people, the pub, eating out or getting stressed and wearing yourself out)
7. Make fun a priority. Have a giggle. Don’t take yourself or your work too seriously. Lighten up and decide that you are going to have more fun. Write a list of what things make you happy and feel like fun and do them – at least one a week or more.
8. Mind – take care of how you think. Negative thoughts can upset us, worry us and cause us to feel anxiety. Mostly we worry about things that haven’t happened and won’t happen. Don’t waste your time on worrying ahead of time. Keep your thoughts upbeat and positive. If you slip into worry thinking, notice that and choose some different thoughts eg think of someone you love and imagine them in your mind. You can only think one thought at a time and you are in charge 100 percent of what you choose to think about.
9. Body – When we are fit, we feel better, look better and are healthier and can get more done.
Plan around how you are going to get more fitness in to your life. Start with easy steps and progress from there. Once a week, then twice etc. Make it easy with things you like ‘walking in nature, dancing in the kitchen, doing a yoga video from your front room when everyone’s out. Have fun moving your body. Join a walking group and meet new local people.
10. Soul: we all need a bit of nurturing our inner self. Self-care should be on your list this time of year: getting enough sleep, being warm, eating good food being around people who make you feel good. Things that help with this: meditation, mindful breathing, walking in nature, slowing down, praying, or just closing your eyes and relaxing, yoga and helping others. When we nurture our soul, we feel good and everyone wins ´you, your family, your loved ones.’ There are no prizes for the exhausted ones who are tripping over the finishing line with no energy left. Pace yourself.
