Don’t bite off more than you can chew, know when to say ‘no’:
That relates to all aspects of life. Choosing healthy food portions, healthy work life balance, and sometimes saying ‘no’ to what seems like an important new endeavor to get involved in. There are so many opportunities to participate with inspired, capable people doing good work.
Be mindful, every day:
Practice 10 minutes of meditation every day.
Enjoy nature, find time for self-reflection:
With so much chaos in the world and a global sense of being overwhelmed, New Year’s resolution should be to spend more time in silence and reflection and enjoy nature. Practice the art of intention and to remind yourself (and my health gainers) every day of the power of the mind and the ability of the mind to heal.
Make time for yourself:
Be reasonable with and love yourself:
- It’s important to make baby steps towards your goals and also to be kind to yourself if you make a mistake or are not on track. Slander towards oneself is a self-defeating affirmation that makes it more difficult to reach your goal. Reflect, review, reaffirm, make a plan, and move on!
- Remember that life is a marathon, not a race; thus the small incremental health steps you make daily are much more impactful than short-term gains.”
Be clear on your goals:
- Write down one to two health goals for the year and look at them each day. Place these goals in a prominent place to be reminded daily (e.g. next to your nightstand, bathroom mirror, etc.). Reminders and reinforcements are key to resolutions.
- Profess your goal out loud. Sharing with others helps to create accountability.
Focus on the best ‘now’ possible:
Naturopathic medicine is about listening to your body and being in tune with the changes that need to be made to bring about health, wellbeing, and balance. Don’t wait to make a change that needs to be made—start today.
One resolution that can have a resounding impact on health and wellbeing is the art of being present.
Mindfulness and being in the moment is a powerful tool for the following reasons:
- It allows us to fully engage and focus on the opportunities in front of us.
- It minimizes the stress that comes with the ‘what ifs’. We don’t have power to change the past—our power is in the now.
- It minimizes the stress that comes from worrying about the future.
- It allows for better connection with our body and environment.
When we are fully present and in tune with our body, we can better understand the root cause of an issue and the impact of any one thing on us.
I think of mindfulness like a muscle—the more we practice, the stronger and more natural we get at it.
