The New Year is upon us, and unfortunately that can bring with it a significant amount of pressure. Pressure to be a ‘new you’. A healthier, wealthier and happier you. Often, you feel these expectations placed upon you by friends, work colleagues and family members. You can’t control the opinions of others, however, there is one person whose feelings and actions you CAN control- yourself. Here are some ways that you can confidently coast past the anticipations of others and live a life that YOU are proud of:

Love the old you: So it’s a new year and you’ve made some pretty specific resolutions to improve yourself, to transform into a brand new person. So what? That doesn’t mean you should completely dismiss your last year’s self. Take time to remember all of the positive things you achieved in 2016. Big or small, each moment contributed to shaping the person you have and continue to become. Here are some suggestions to help-

• Write a list of everything you were grateful for in 2016 and highlight the ones that you contributed to.
• Call or text your friends and laugh about some of the funniest moments you shared.
• Create a photo album (traditionally or digitally) with your favourite photos from last year.
• Take one POSITIVE step you took last year to improve your health/fitness and write it down. Add it as a strategy for accomplishing your new goals.

Be Mindful: Mindfulness is essentially about being aware. Aware of your thoughts and feelings, of your actions and intentions. Being mindful allows you to focus on the moment and to be completely present. It can help you regain control of your life by making conscious decisions- about what you eat, how you exercise, your relationships and career choices. There is no one way for us all to be mindful, what might work for one person might not suit another at all. Try-

• Meditation: Find a quiet spot to sit or lie down and focus on your breathing. If you feel like you need some guidance, download the app Headspace or go to www.headspace.com.
• Bushwalking: Spending time in nature has an almost miraculous ability to relax and calm the body and mind. Listen to your surroundings, breathe in the fresh air, take in the scenery and submerge yourself in our beautiful country.
• Cook: Get creative in the kitchen and look after your health at the same time. Developing a positive relationship with food and actually thinking about what you put in our body leads to a balanced diet.

Be brave: It takes courage to make changes in your life. It isn’t always easy to step out of your comfort zone, and sometimes what you’re doing involves a bit of risk and won’t necessarily turn out the way you intended. The key is accepting this fact and challenging yourself anyway. You only life once, so why not find out how far you can push yourself? Being brave doesn’t have to mean jumping off cliffs or climbing mountains. There are lots of little ways you can take chances and inspire change, such as:

• Try a new sport: Don’t know the rules? They can be learned! Not fit enough? There’s your fitness goal! Never met anyone in the team? New friends!
• Cook an unfamiliar cuisine: Do your research, write a list and hit up the supermarket. Need exotic ingredients? Go to your local market. Deepen the challenge by inviting your friends or family over for dinner.
• Set a fitness goal: Think about something you’ve always wished to do, such as run in a marathon or enter an ocean swim. Try to choose something that will force you to change your lifestyle to enable its completion. Remember, it’s supposed to be hard or you would have already done it!

 

Article by Heidi Higgins

Heidi Higgins is a 26-year-old Melbournian with a passion for all things health and fitness. She is a primary school teacher, freelance writer and blogger who loves to keep active by practising reformer pilates, taking boxing classes and going on long walks. Make sure you check out her blog, Heidi Joan, for inspiration to love a healthy, happy and whole life!