I do so love that ‘new year, new me’ vibrational energy that I feel making waves across social media in January. It is fantastic to feel that we can turn a blank new page – find a blank new canvas to paint – start anew with no past experiences bringing us down. Often, however, these ‘thriving not surviving’ ideals don’t last beyond the end of the month. That’s the sh*t part. I am here to say nay…we can and we will continue this wonderful high energy positive mindset into the rest of the year.
If you really REALLY want to make 2023 the year you win at life, you can make consistent easy changes that will get you there. There are so many ways to tranform your own life for the better, but I have found the below are easy small wins that you can do regularly and then build as habits that you can keep up until 2024 and beyond. Check them out:
Make peace with any past experiences, pain or negavitivy that didnt serve you
Whether someone caused you harm, you caused others harm or you had an extremely traumatic year(s), it’s time to make peace with it and leave it where it belongs – in last year. Whilst it is always good to reflect on situations and learn the much-needed lessons from it, it is absolutely no good to continue to live in the dark, dwell in the mistakes and ruin the present with negative memories. To ensure your 2023 is as fruitful as it can be, you first must move forwards without the mental baggage of the past. Let. That. Sh*t. Go.
Leave toxic people where they belong – in 2022
Moving on from the above point, this extends to toxic people in your life too. Partners that don’t serve you, friendships causing you more misery than happiness, family members who are so clearly toxic or abusive – whoever it is, you have the right to leave it all in the past. Nobody has any right to stay in your life, family members included. If someone is so evidently toxic and has been for a while, it’s time to cut the cord and move forwards without them.
Write the lists of your life – financial plan, career goals, love ideals
Listing your dreams and plans, big or small, is such a productive and fulfilling way to begin the year. Make short term and long term lists – write it all down – of everything you want to do, see or feel. I personally do 6 months, 12 months and 5 year lists and I write about all my romance, career, wealth and travel plans that I want to complete. Try make them realistic – some can be less acheiveable but make sure most are within your reach, so that you can go back and tick them off and realise how much you’ve completed your own dreams within one year.
Get your head around manifesting and journaling
Have you read The Secret yet? No? Then it’s a must. In simple terms, it states the laws of the universe are based upon ‘like attracts like’, and what you think and feel, you’ll receive. Your thoughts bring things into existence for you into your life. Ergo, if you ‘manifest’ aka focus on everything you want to come to you, all your hearts desires, if you really focus on those great things and even write them down – you’re bringing them into existence. I am all for journaling to let off steam, recall experiences, vent emotions etc, but I also encourage everyone to try manifesting too. It really works, and helps bring positive thoughts into your mind on a more regular basis.
Prioritise sleep
Listen, it’s no new news that sleep is hugely important to our physical and mental health. Sleep helps your body repair, aids your mental ability, lowers risk of serious health problems, helps boost immune system and improves your mood as well as reducing stress. And yet, many of us never get the minimum amount of sleep we actually need to function at our optimum.
Aim for 7 or more hours of proper sleep per night and try also to get into a regular schedule where your body clock knows when to rest. A few weeks of correct sleep will change everything!
Prioritise exercise
Likewise, exercise is gold dust for our physical and mental health. We know exercise is great for maintaining weight and keeping the body in its ideal state, but it also helps improve thinking, releases endorphins in the brain (which create positive feelings and happiness), reduces stress and decreases feelings of depression and anxiety. You don’t need to join some expensive gym – just some outdoor light work such as a walk or run is enough. Being outside in nature is actually a bonus addition to your exercise, as this will also help soothe your inner being too. Try to get some exercise in at least three times a week.
Mindfulness – Try to be ‘present’ – not past, not future
If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, fatigued, sad and just emotionally a mess, mindfulness often crops up as a practice to help ease these feelings. Mindfulness / meditation is the art of calming the mind, being totally present in the moment and sitting there, quiet and still. If you’re a beginner you can find mindfulness exercises to help guide you online, but always ensure youre focusing on your breath – many deep slow inhales and exhales will be integral to your practice and tuning your body into your mind at same time.
Explore what is keeping you ‘stuck’ and then work towards the change needed
Amongst all your manifesting, mindfulness and journaling, I’d hope that you can start to piece together all the issues or baggage that is keeping you stuck. What needs changing? What needs improvement? What could be better? What do you dislike about yourself or your life? Try to explore and pinpoint what is keeping you stuck in some form of negative space, and then work out a way to change this for the better. Even if it’s a long term change that’s needed, not everything has to be solved and resolved within a day. Make the small changes and mini steps towards the change you need to become your most fulfilled self.
Time management of your diary – dont over-commit and carve out ‘me time’
It’s so easy to fill up your diary with work, appointments, brunches, evenings out and then realise you’re actually exhausted after it all. Sure, it has been lots of fun but it’s also been non-stop. This isn’t good for your stress levels or productivity in general. If you’re a people-pleaser, you’re more likely to say yes to everything suggested then realise you have no time to be present for yourself. Make sure you actively add to your diary ‘me time’ moments. Get your massage in, facial done, or just time in the bath. Ensure your ‘movie night’ for yourself is honoured, or you attend that gym class you love by yourself. Whatever it is, always treasure your own time as much as you commit to sharing it with others too.
Embrace gratitude for your life, every single day
It sounds so very simple but it is actually much harder than you think. Our brains seem hardwired to look for the negative first, and we can get so easily caught up in all the things we hate, things that need changing, frustrations on our lives not being where we want etc. But you must actively get your brain to focus on things you are thankful for. Expressing gratitude for your own life aids that part of the manifestation where you’re bringing more positivity into your own life. But moreso, it will help you actually become more grateful for what you have, which means you’ll be happier and more present for yourself, here and now.
P.s – get off screens, disconnect from technology and get outside in nature
This is an easy given. Staring at your screens all day and your phones all night is not the way to live. We are suckers for our smartphones and we need to learn that we must actively step away and spend time living in the real world around us. Bonus points if it’s outdoor activities with loved ones.
