It’s here — that time of year when you get another chance at getting it all right again! Or, at least, set some good intentions for how you’d like your year to play out. While you might not be a big believer in major year-long commitments set on January 1st (you’ve likely seen how those tend to go) it is a great time to consider some sound practices that can lead to a healthier, more successful year ahead. Here are four of our favorites.
BUILD ATOMIC HABITS
James Clear, author of the New York Times Best Selling book Atomic Habits calls habits the “compound interest” of self-improvement. The entire premise of his book is in contrast to typical New Year’s Resolutions which tend to have a “go big or go home” approach. An atomic habit is a regular practice or routine that is not only small and easy to do but is also the source of incredible power — essentially small changes with big impacts. So next time you think that adding 10 minutes of exercise per day or drinking one extra glass of water isn’t going to make much difference, remember: “Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”
Ps: we highly recommend you read the book. That alone will be a great way to kick off the new year!
MASTER A MASTER CLEANSE
Although this Holiday season might have been a little quieter than usual, chances are you still stocked up on some mighty tasty calories! And all that eggnog and yule log has a funny way of sticking around (on our waistlines) well into the new year, so why not kick it to the curb before it has a chance? We love to start the new year with a cleanse, and our go-to is the LonoLife Master Cleanse. The Master Cleanse has been around since the 1940s, and has even been embraced by the likes of Beyonce as a way to detox and lose a few pounds. Its beauty is in its simplicity: just follow a daily regimen (minimum 10 days) of a morning salt water flush, six to twelve 10 oz glasses of Master Cleanse lemonade mixture, and a nightly elimination tea. The rest of the year? That’s on you!
You can learn more about the Master Cleanse here.
BECOME AWARE OF YOUR THOUGHTS… THEN REFRAME THEM
Repeat after us: thoughts are things. Have you ever wondered how it is that the one thing you kept worrying about came true? That’s the power of manifestation right there. By giving energy to a thought, it is said we help bring it into reality. If there’s even a smidgen of truth to that concept, why not pay attention to your thoughts and catch yourself in the act of negative thinking. Not to mention, negative thoughts trigger stress. Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of what is going through your head. By paying attention to how you talk to yourself or view a situation, you can ask yourself if that thought is really valid or if you can reframe it to be more positive. The benefits of reframing thoughts are huge — from reducing stress to creating positive action — and you can read how to do it here.
COMMIT TO ONE GOOD THING IN THE MORNING
You know how your morning can just get away with you, and before you know it you’ve been sitting at your desk for hours, snacking on whatever is close at hand while realizing your pedometer has barely clocked 500 steps? It’s time to get intentional about how we start our day! We’re not saying run five miles then meditate for half an hour, but if you pick just one small thing each morning that will enhance your physical, mental, or spiritual well being, you will have started your day on the right foot. For some people this might mean taking a 15 minute walk outside before work each day, while for others choosing to replace a heavy breakfast with the sustaining energy of Keto Bone Broth or drinking a warm glass of water with lemon juice first thing in the morning is enough to make a difference to your day.
While there are hundreds of different things we can put our focus on in the new year, the key is to picking something you can stick with. And then sticking with it.
Happy New Year friends!
