If it doesn’t bring you love, peace, or positive energy, stop entertaining it. It would be a disservice if I only talked about the typical “I want to lose weight” new year’s resolution. We are beyond that. While making the resolution to drop some pounds is good, what’s even better is getting your entire life right inside and out for the new year. This means putting yourself first, making better decisions, and taking yourself out of your comfort zone and getting out of your own way.
Whether you know it or not, you control the direction and outcome of your life; so why not shift to a direction that is going to be full of happiness, peace, abundance, and success. Here is your guide to preparing and living a happier healthier your in 2020.
1. Self-Reflection
The best way to clear the slate for the life you plan to create for the new year is to self-reflect. This means sitting with yourself and taking account of what has and hasn’t worked for you the past year. Identify what can be improved, what should be avoided, and how things could have been handled better.
This is also a great time to ask yourself the following questions:
Who am I?
Who do I want to be?
What is my purpose?
What is my passion?
What do I want?
How do I want to live?
Who do I see myself with?
Your self-reflection is an honest audit of the past year and/or beyond and once you are able to do this, then you are ready to embark on the new you.
2. Be Intentional With Self
Create intentions centered around “self.” Self-improvement, self-development, self-love, and self-care. You are your number one priority and how you care for “self” is a reflection of how you care for yourself. The goal is to evolve in all aspects of your life.
3. Create Rituals
Create a daily ritual that reflects who you are and what you are working towards being. This can be a simple five-minute meditation for peace of mind, sage smudging to bring about positive vibes, or journaling a few minutes a day. There is no right or wrong way to create a ritual. The goal is to have a daily routine that helps you evolve. Create your own intentions and affirmations to live by.
4. Assess Your Relationships
Distance yourself from those who are not worthy of your presence and energy. It is ok to be friends from a distance. People grow apart and that is ok. The company you keep is ultimately a reflection of you. Colin Powel once said, “a mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.”
5. Improve Your Lifestyle
You are what you eat, you are what you think, you just are.
It’s not enough to want to lose weight. In 2020, you should be more concerned with creating a lasting rewarding lifestyle based on a better way of living. This means being more conscious of what you eat. At this point, you know what is and isn’t good for you. Make it a point to consume more whole plant-powered foods like fresh vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Drink lots of water. Find a fitness routine that you enjoy and get moving.
Feed your mind, body, and spirit.
It’s easy to say what we are going to do, it’s hard to make the decision and take the action to do it. Take this last month to get mentally prepared for a happier healthier you in 2020.
Elissa Mirsky, known to most as Elle, is a published author and former editor-in-chief of Bold Magazine. She believes food shouldn’t be boring and every meal should be fashionably edible. Follow her on Instagram @mylifebeingelle where she is documenting her journey to eat well, live life, and love self.