Given up your New Year’s Resolutions? Do THIS instead…

Has 2020 got off to a slower start than you’d intended?

January has the reputation of being the gloomiest month of the year as it is, what with all the aftermath of the never-ending December festivities and colder weather.

Even though the daylight is beginning to increase again, the nights are still very much long.

It gets a bit tiresome arriving at our daily commitments in pitch darkness in the morning, only to be met again by pitch darkness when we leave to go home hours later.

So, you simultaneously jump on the “new year, new me” bandwagon and yet again, are struggling to hold on.
Let’s be honest, unless you’re living in the southern hemisphere, this is definitely the hardest time of the year to commit to making lifestyle changes!

Why most new year resolutions FAIL.

Time and time again, January arrives, and we see all the usual trends take off: joining a gym, weight loss diets and less people out and about because they’re at home trying to save money. (But it could also be that it’s just so damn cold!)

Many of us blindly decide we need to stop doing “this”, and start doing “that” every single day without really thinking into it. We take inspiration from the people around us or from the news and year after year, we feel obliged to make some sort of change in our lives without really thinking into how we’re going to do it.
As a result, we’re left feeling frustrated, annoyed and giving in on day 12 only to repeat the cycle again the following year.

But not this year!

Below are my top 3 ways to create long lasting lifestyle changes which will make the transition way easier and have you never looking back!

1. Focus on building better habits than eliminating bad ones

When attempting to make positive change in our lives we quite often tackle it through trying to eliminate what’s “wrong” in our lives. For example, unhealthy eating habits, not getting enough exercise, spending too much money or lashing out at people.

By focusing on the “bad” things we do, we’re more likely to fail at creating lasting change.
This is because we approach the problem by concentrating on what we don’t like about ourselves and the bad habits that have evolved.

Instead, try building up good habits which focus our awareness on bringing positivity into our lives rather than focusing on cutting out what is negative.
It’s a subtle but significant shift in perspective which will make us approach the situation with more light-heartedness and kindness to ourselves.

For example, instead of saying, “I’m going to quit smoking”, try replacing the cigarette with something else when you get the urge, for example, chewing gum.
You could also try going for more walks and consciously breathing in the air and visualise the oxygen filling your lungs. Conscious breathing can make us more aware of what we put in our bodies and appreciate what a privilege it is to be alive and to have these incredible bodies that do so much for us. 🚶‍♂️

2. Be gentle with yourself + make incremental changes

Cold turkey-ing is a recipe for disaster for most people.

Whether you want to cut out sugar, coffee, alcohol etc, it is very hard to make lasting lifestyle changes from one day to the next.
Forcing resistance is only going to make you crave harder when the mind knows it is not allowed to have it. 

When you really want something, (for example, chocolate) to the point where you’re thinking about it all the time, you’re more likely to not only give in but also, eat twice as much. This is because the mind perceives chocolate as a “forbidden” food and therefore, the anticipation of not knowing when you will next get it again creates an intense sensation of, “I must eat as much as I can right now now while I can.” 👹

Similarly to the first point, instead of labelling chocolate as “bad”, try focusing on including more fruits and vegetables into your diet and view eating from the perspective of nourishing your body with foods that’ll serve it better than chocolate will.

For example, switch up that mid-afternoon Mars bar for a fruit + nut bar or even an apple. Fruit is nature’s candy, so this is a good place to start if trying to cut down on refined sugar in your diet. 🍎

I’ve found that focusing on the benefits of eating well makes it easier to make more wholesome choices, particularly through knowing in the long run that I will feel better not only physically but mentally too.

3. Set targets + reward yourself along the way

When we want to make big lifestyle changes, it’s important we create a strategy to get there. Breaking down old habits and creating new ones take time and persistence.

If we plan the adjustments, our minds will get the satisfaction of knowing what to expect.
We are then more likely to stick to our new habits when we have a clear direction on their implementation.

Most importantly, treat yourself to something that makes you happy when you make it through another a week! 🥰

For example, going shopping and buying that item of clothing you’ve been thinking about for weeks on end, or going to the cinema with friends. When we reward ourselves along the way, we eliminate the feeling of hardship and instead, create an attitude of enthusiasm and contentment toward improving our lives.

Just make sure, if you’re trying to cut down on your coffee intake that you don’t reward yourself with 3 coffees in a row at the end of the week. 😜

This advice of course will apply differently for everyone.

Some people that are cutting down on coffee may be able to have one at the end of the week after a week of none without falling back into old patterns.

Do what you know is most effective for you!

So let’s just count January as a trial run and let the new year REALLY begin now. 😉

If you liked this post, check out a similar blog 8 Ways to Make 2019 the Best Year Yet! + sign up to my mailing list on the homepage!

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Namaste amigos,

Tori xoxo