2020 has been a challenging year for every single one of us, and if there’s anything we’ve learnt from these challenges it’s how necessary reflection is, in terms of wellness and mental health. With a new year comes the motivation for change and improvement, and while New Year’s resolutions can sometimes feel a little empty or toxic, we think the following resolutions can help you improve for yourself, your wellness and your wellbeing.
- Be Grateful
Practicing gratitude can improve your mentality and outlook on life; being grateful for what you have and what you’ve been given has been proven countless times to impact your mental and physical health, as you find yourself with healthier coping mechanisms and better moods. So for this resolution, make sure the new year is filled with reflection and appreciation, to improve your relationships and wellbeing.
- Read/Journal More
As mentioned before, reflection can be an important step in improving your mindset and mental health. Starting a journal and reading books on mindfulness is a great way to start regular reflection. Buy a wellness journal featuring questions and activities that will make you think about parts of your day and the greater picture, or use a notebook to jot down your thoughts and inspirations. Journaling can help you progress toward and achieve your goals – keeping track of your intentions, motivations and honest feelings will directly improve your mindset when it comes to objectives and aims.
- Sort Your Sleep Patterns
After this year of working from home or not working at all, your sleeping patterns might be a bit muddled at the moment, which is why a brilliant new year’s resolution would be to fix that schedule and improve your wellbeing all in one. Getting enough sleep at night is vital to productivity and motivation, so by fixing your bad sleeping habits, you’ll fix other lifestyle difficulties you might be having. The best ways to fix your sleep is by being sensible with your night time routine; going to bed at a reasonable hour; refraining from using your phone or watching tv; limiting your time in bed before trying to sleep, of course, there are apps and teas and diffusers to assist you with a goodnight’s sleep too.
- Drink More Water
Drinking more water is an achievable resolution for the New Year, and we all know how important it is to stay hydrated. Especially if you’ve been struggling with sleep, drinking enough water is so important in maintaining your daily wellbeing. Simple things like water tracking apps or just using a straw can help you to achieve any goal you’ve made surrounding water intake. It may seem like such a simple and obvious thing, but around 50% of adults don’t drink as much water as they should, so let’s avoid being a part of this statistic.
- Switch Up Your Routine
After a year of Netflix and Zoom calls, changing up your routine might already be on your to-do list for 2021. Sometimes changing even a little part of your day can make you more appreciative and optimistic and a new year is always a good transition for change or wiping the slate clean, so get out and find something new! Join a club or start a new type of exercise – something that will change your mindset or bring you inspiration while spicing up your weekly schedule.
Words by Daisy Greetham
