Eight Tools for Your Best Year
There is something to be said for the excitement of the New Year. The idea of “new beginnings” inspires you to want to set yourself up for success, reclaim your happiness, make yourself a priority, finally reach your goals and become the person you could and would love unconditionally.
And with all that excitement the pendulum can swing resulting in anxiety and fear leaving you wondering, “how are you going to do it, where will you start, do you have what it takes and maybe all the goals are just too much?” After all we already have numerous balls in the air, feeling sometimes as if we are not being or doing enough and it might be easier not to try at all than to try and “fail.”
What if 2023 was the year that you could finally get in touch to go deeper, feel more, accomplish your goals, visualize and refine your dreams, create new habits, reclaim your health, move more, celebrate your “mistakes” and learn from them? After all time is on your side with 525,960 minutes, 8,766 hours, 52 weeks, and 12 months towards trying something different this year, taking small steps and using any tools that could support you.
I wanted to share eight simple tools to make this year your best. I use these tools myself and they’ve become habits that provide great comfort and strength.
Maybe one inspires you or you decide to create and experiment with your own list. My greatest hope for you is that you decide what action to take, you take it consistently and trust in yourself.
MAKE YOUR BED DAILY
I start off with this one as it always seems to make people laugh at the simplicity or memory of their mother saying the same thing to them growing up. And as “simple” as it seems cultivating this habit first thing in the morning regardless of your schedule can actually be “hard” but well worth the reward. I was inspired a few years ago to take on this practice after reading, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…. And Maybe The World” by Admiral William H. McRaven. The description of the book includes, “ Making your bed is a simple act with powerful consequences. To rise in the morning and complete the first task of the day will give you motivation to do more; to accomplish more. The bed also represents you. Few things in your home are more personal. Making your bed is a reflection of your discipline, your pride and your personal habits…” The book was powerful in helping me remember I deserve to treat myself with discipline and that cultivating that one simple habit would become a catalyst towards creating new habits that would serve me rather than drain me. And I continue to make my bed every single morning.
COOK ONE MEAL AT HOME DAILY
There are life circumstances that might make the daily suggestion of this unrealistic such as traveling, work commitments, physical restraints, etc. and that is why it was important for me to say try. Remember this year it’s about trying to create new habits that work for you so if cooking one meal at home every single day feels like more of a “task” than tool decide on a timeframe that excites you and is reasonable. Maybe it’s three times a week. Regardless of how many times you do it, what is important is that you choose to do it. The meals don’t need to be gourmet, expensive or complicated. It’s about creating a ritual around a meal out of whole-based foods that has been lovingly prepared by you, for you. And eating the meal with loved ones or in silence to help you start or close off your day.
When you spend the time to think of what you want to eat, buy the groceries and prepare it, the meal tastes so much more flavorful, you eat healthier without even realizing, you’re more mindful of what you’re putting in your body and you stimulate your brain.
DAILY MOVEMENT
Like home cooked meals, there could be circumstances that might make this seem impossible or unrealistic but I would stress trying to be creative with daily movement, even if it’s just 10 minutes. The benefits as we all know far outweigh the ‘costs’.
This tool is not about burning as many calories as you can, punishing yourself for eating the donut, working towards a six pack or feeling like it has to be crossfit or it doesn’t count. It’s about honoring your body and taking whatever physical steps would actually provide it with positive eustress, which is beneficial stress - either psychological, physical or biochemical. Michael Genovese says we rarely think of stress as a positive thing, but eustress is just that: positive stress. “Exciting or stressful events cause a chemical response in the body. Eustress is usually a product of nerves, which can be brought on when faced with a fun challenge.” So, take the time this year to discover the fine line between fun and challenge so that you can stay engaged and commit to yourself with regards to movement. Treat the practice as an opportunity and a way to take care of your body, mind and soul. Remember slowing down and focusing attention can improve the action and outcome of any practice whether its stretching in your bed, swimming, running, strength based, walking or cycling.
DAILY BREATHING
In a world where we’re constantly stimulated and bombarded with external stimulation and direction from sources such as digital media, the news, financial hardship, pressures at work and home it’s imperative you take time to sit and breath every single day. Call it meditation, recovery, relaxation or a timeout. Whatever you call it by integrating this practice into your daily life for as little as three minutes can change neural pathways, help tap into your parasympathetic nervous system, slow down your heart rate, allow the body to take in more oxygen and ultimately signal your brain to relax. It can also help balance your hormones - lowering down cortisol levels which helps you sleep deeper, digest smoother and recover easier. Ways that you can try this include lying down on your back, setting the alarm for three minutes, laying both hands lightly on your belly and breathing into that space where your hands lay very slowly and gently or by using direction led apps such as Headspace or Calm.
RECOVER
We might think of recovery as another item on the checklist that goes hand in hand with your workout schedule. Something you must do but usually only do after we are burnt out. After all, we’ve been taught all the science behind active recovery: increasing blood circulation, which helps remove waste products from soft tissues that have been broken down during intense exercise and will help deliver nutrients that help repair and rebuild muscles, tendons and ligaments. This year make self-care a priority by integrating practices that will not only help you heal from movement-based activities but help heal your heart and mind. Recovery should be just that: recovering and allow body and mind a timeout to heal before it’s too late. This tool can be used once per week or at least once per month and can include physical/touch activities, mental, nutritional or emotionally based such as yoga, a slow walk, massage, getting your nails done, playing a round of golf, cooking your favorite meal, having a friend over, swimming or just spending a few hours at the park. What’s important is you make it a standing appointment in your calendar with yourself and stay flexible for what you might need versus what you want.
REFLECT ON GOALS + VISION
Set time to get clear on what your personal goals and vision are this year and be open to treating this ‘list’ in a flexible manner that will serve you. It can be done through task lists, drawings, mind mapping, a spreadsheet or journaling. Once you come up with that list go back and cross out a few things. Chances are there are way too many items that you think you have to do, should do or need in order for it to have any real ‘sustenance’. This personal vision is just that, personal, and it should help you feel light on your journey. Remember if you were to go on a trek this year and you wanted to reach a certain mountain by a certain date that would be a long and somewhat unchartered experience you could not fit every single thing in your pack and stop every five minutes to figure out if you should change course. You would feel fragmented, exhausted, confused and might decide to quit as it became too confusing and the load was very heavy. When considering what would stay on your list (in your pack) think about why you want it, how it would help you, what steps and effort would it take, are you ready to commit and put in the work, do you have time in your life currently for it to stay on the list? And if planning out the entire 2023 is overwhelming or confusing try experimenting on a quarterly or monthly basis. Remember it’s about staying flexible and planning in a way that serves you best. Its ok to come back to the list, make mistakes, cross things out or change your mind. What’s important is that you take the initiative you want this year for your personal vision.
VISION BOARD
A fun way to bring your personal vision to life is through visuals that you can look at every day for the allocated duration whether it’s on your laptop, phone, placed on your fridge or wall of your house/office. The visuals you choose should feed and serve into the goals that you set for yourself and include the emotions behind them. Remember it’s not about placing as many luxury cars on your vision board and saying, “well the law of attraction says if I print out a photo, put it on my wall and stare at it than it has to come to me tomorrow morning.” This vision board can help serve as your accountability buddy, map, schedule, inspiration, motivator, and positive influence. On the board you’ve gone as far as putting as many details as possible and have taken responsibility and initiative into the steps you are going to take. For example if you decide as part of your vision you want to save $5,000 in a savings account this year, you might include images that represent what that will take: how much money you want to save each day or month, the account you will put it in so that you won’t dip into it, timeline milestones, specific ways you will cut costs or ways you will earn extra money. When you look at that on your vision board you should have a clearer sense of direction, purpose and reminder on what it will take. Remember the only person that needs to understand it is you-make it as personal as possible.
PARTNER WITH A WELLNESS COACH
Last but not least is choosing to work with a wellness coach who can help you refine your goals and keep you accountable. The last few years I have personally worked with health and wellness coaches for various reasons and have witnessed numerous transformations in my personal and professional life, achieved goals and cultivated new habits. I believe that learning never stops and never think you know it all. And remember everyone could use a coach in their corner, even coaches need coaches. Be open to learning new things that surprise you and disrupt old beliefs. You can work with a coach on a highly specialized program that will cover certain pillars or choose a custom program that is more tailored to your specific needs, goals and main focus area. Once a year I will personally work through a specialized program and receive ongoing custom coaching to help me stay accountable and help take care of myself through movement, nutrition, sleep, recovery, regeneration, and stress reduction. Certified coaches are trained in how to support you through helping you examine your emotional or behavioral challenges and help teach you related mental and emotional skills. Make this year the year you try it out or continue on a regular schedule by setting up an appointment for a free discovery call or contacting your favorite coach again.