Guest written by Edie Hoppin, creator of Living the Good Life Gluten Free, Certified Health Coach
It’s January! The year stretches out before us as a blank slate, promising all kinds of “do-overs” and fresh possibilities.
I used to be simultaneously excited and overwhelmed by this time of year. I would ask myself, “What do I want to accomplish this year?” and “How can I do all of the good things I’ve been promising myself I will do?”
I used to pile a whole bunch of lofty goals on the poor fresh new year before it had even started. New Year’s Eve, I would make a list that included things like, “Sort and throw out all my old clothes, decades of papers, many boxes of miscellaneous stuff, and wipe down every surface in the house,” “Train for and run a marathon/Create a yoga practice,” “Stop eating junk food.”
WHEW!
Just looking at that daunting list was enough to make me want to crawl under the covers and hibernate until the next New Year rolled around!
Starting the year with so many huge and scary goals was enough to make me shut down and give up on everything. I took a step back and came up with a different way of looking at this fresh-start opportunity.
My new questions are:
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How can I set goals at the perfect level of “one step at a time”?
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How can I set myself up for actual attainable success?
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How can I make those new changes last more than a month?
Are you overwhelmed and shutting down?
Big changes have lots of different moving parts.
The secret?
You don’t have to do it all at once!
Create a “one step at a time” plan.
My clients are usually overwhelmed and frustrated while making a transition to a Gluten free lifestyle. You can apply these same principles to any Fresh-Start, especially beginning your new year.
Here are three simple ways to get the year started on the right foot and feel great about enjoying those Fresh-Start opportunities throughout the year:
Yearly (Once a Year) - Choose a Theme for the Year
Resolutions are tough, because they can start to fade away by February.
Choosing an over-arching theme or word allows you to apply it to everything throughout the whole year.
For example, if you choose the word “Fun” you can reinvigorate all your daily activities, even chores that don’t seem very exciting. How can you play or infuse a little Fun into everything you do all year?
Seasonally (Four Times a Year) - Do a Cleanse or a Gentle Detox
Following the theme for the year requires energy and imagination.
Implementing a seasonal reset can be energizing for your body and your mind, while tackling specific areas that need work.
Keeping with the “Fun” theme, you can find ways to refresh an area of your life each season, like using bright colors to refresh a room or getting together with friends for a “closet cleanse” and hosting a clothing swap.
You can also choose to focus inward and do a challenge that involves a health cleanse.
I’d love to support you with a Seasonal Group Detox Program.
You get delicious recipes, an incredibly supportive community of folks cooking and learning together, and coaching support from a Certified Health Coach throughout the entire program. Early bird pricing is available! Find more information and reserve your spot HERE.
Daily (Every day is the goal!) – Do a Little Something Special for Yourself.
We get so caught up in the daily must-do list, that Fun can go right out the window.
We forget to make space in the day for something as simple as taking a deep breath or appreciating the changing clouds in the sky.
Making the time to take a walk or a bath can be enough to recharge your batteries and give you peace of mind.
If daily seems like too much of an effort, then put a “date with yourself” on the calendar once a week. Take yourself out for a cup of tea and a gluten free treat or curl up with a good book for an hour. Whatever makes you smile and fits your theme for the year is fantastic!
Need some support around making this happen? I offer complimentary 30-minute connection calls to Nuflours blog readers at www.ediehoppin.com.
I look forward to supporting you in having your best year yet!!!
-Edie
