It’s 2018! New beginnings can be a great thing, but let’s not set ourselves up for failure and start the year with unrealistic resolutions.
Lose 50 pounds by March 1! Go to the gym every day! Don’t ever yell at the kids! We set ourselves up for failure year after year because our culture has taught us to strive for unobtainable goals. This year, when the fresh new calendar goes up, why not choose to approach the year with gentleness?
Let’s call them intentions instead of resolutions. They’re about where we direct our attention. Directing our attention creates mindfulness. Mindfulness alone may be your one goal for the entire year, and that’s perfect.
Here are some other intentions you might like to focus on this year:
Clean eating
Organic whole foods
Try a new physical activity
Like biking, hiking, yoga, Pilates, Qigong, Barre, swimming, surfing, snowboarding, tennis, dancing. You might find a new passion.
Be kind to yourself!
It’s OK to make mistakes. Grow from them.
Be kind to others
Drink more
Water and kombucha and less juice and soda
Quiet yourself
Meditate. Breathe deeply. Visualize yourself following through on your intentions.
Declutter, and then donate
Enhance your well-being
With herbal supplements and acupuncture.
Choose a word or a mantra of the year
Like breathe, trust, love, joy — that encapsulates the feelings, attitudes, and behaviors you desire in the year ahead. This word can guide your choices and actions — instead of setting firm expectations for yourself, you can ask if a particular behavior aligns with your word and your intentions.
From our home at New Jersey Natural Medicine to yours – Have a Happy, Healthy New Year!