Welcoming a new year can be exciting and daunting all at the same time. New year is a good time to start fresh with…new goals, new resolutions, new habits and new positive life changes! Although the idea of starting new seems promising and inspiring, it can also feel intimidating. This is because…you feel the NEED to make big changes in your life for the New Year to start off right. This creates an inevitable pressure on oneself to come up with a substantial change in their life so the New Year actually means something. Especially with the social media era where every achievement, goals and aspirations are highlighted in the stories, reels and posts…the need to prove yourself to the world becomes even more significant.
However, New Year does not have to be about proving to anyone anything…it can simply be about the life YOU envisioned for yourself, your goals, your needs, your space, your relationships, your happiness, your aspirations! The changes you want to make in the new year don’t need to be huge, it just needs to be something that is meaningful to you and contribute to your happiness. But it is important to create the space to allow yourself to grow and actualize the life you want to live. The space I am referring to is your physical and mental self which are significant in establishing the life intended for.
The question is…how do we create such space? What exactly does this look like? It is essential to protect your space to create the life you envision for yourself, and when is the better to start than this New Year!
Keep reading to find out the steps you can take in your life right now for an improved physical and mental self :)
5 Ways to Create the Space you need this New Year:
- Physical Health
There is no question how significant your physical health is in your overall health. Your physical body allows you to operate on a daily basis to fulfil basic functions which are essential in living the life you want in a greater scheme. It might seem trivial but…YOU need to take care of it. Listen to your body and the signals it gives you…your body does not lie! Prevention is always the better choice when it comes to your health????
Some of the things you can do to prioritize your health are:
– Getting the proper amount of sleep your body needs.
– Eating a well balanced diet.
– Getting proper exercise.
– Taking a break and resting.
– Getting your annual or routine checks up with your doctor.
- Self-Care Routine
Taking care of yourself is important in creating a space for you to live a fulfilling life. Have you ever heard of the saying “you cannot pour from an empty cup”? There is a lot of truth in that…you need to refuel your own energy to be able to function everyday, to be able to do the things you love. Set time for yourself to be alone, in your thoughts and reflect.
This space will allow you to learn about yourself, what works and what doesn’t. It is important you take time out of your life to spend time doing what you love or relaxing. There is no perfect way to take care of yourself, sometimes sitting and doing nothing can be just what you need to get back on track!
- Set Boundaries
One of the best things you can do to protect your mental health is setting boundaries. Be very intentional on who you want to let in your life and whose life you want to be a part of. Don’t be afraid to say “no” and don’t let guilt drive you into saying “yes”. Ultimately you should decide how you want to design your life, part of it is what and who surrounds you.
So it is important to pay attention to your feelings around certain people and situations, if it is giving you anxiety and uneasiness, then simply set a boundary. Not all boundaries have to be the same, there can be some flexibility in your choices. For example, set a time limit on how long or how often you want to spend time with someone or somewhere. Figure out what works and what doesn’t…be the driver in your life and put yourself first.
- Set Goals
Aspirations give you a long term vision on how you want your life to be and goal setting gives you the motivation and focus you need to reach them. Setting goals helps you navigate strategies and actions you need to implement in order to achieve your vision. Your goals don’t necessarily have to be great or monumental, it has to make sense to you and your vision in life. It has to be realistic and achievable in the time frame you set.
Setting goals gives you the drive to implement actions to reach your vision in life. It allows you to prioritize what’s important to you so you can navigate other aspects of your life with more ease. Therefore, it is important you set goals that align with your values in life and bring you happiness.
- Gratitude and Affirmations
Look around you and really notice all the things that surround you…it can be trivial such as food on the table, running water, to be able to walk, laugh or talk…the list goes on. Be THANKFUL for what seem like little things but in fact are what allows you to function and live the life you have now. Practicing gratitude for what you have now will wire your brain to see the good in your life and have a positive mindset. It will give you the confidence and the feeling of abundance in everything you do.
While practicing gratitude is important, equally important is how you talk to yourself. Affirmations are a great way to manifest what you want in life and the goals you want to achieve. Reiterating positive sentences helps negate the negative thoughts in your mind by creating a positive feedback loop leading to behavioral change.
CUP OF FINAL THOUGHTS ????
New Year brings in many possibilities of changes…with new or redefined goals…new chances…new beginning…new habits and so on. It is up to you to decide what changes you want to see in yourself and how you want your life to unfold in 2024. Owe it to yourself to create a space that allows you to thrive and develop yourself to construct the life you envisioned. Try the steps mentioned above…be flexible with it, adjust according to what works for you to lead life with hope and happiness.
CHEERS to a life changing (in a positive way) 2024!
