[UPDATED DECEMBER 2023]
Even when all the fireworks have gone off and the festivities have subsided, there’s still something really magical about the New Year. It’s a time when fresh starts, new opportunities, and the chance to try a different direction in life all seem within reach.
Hypothetically we all know that we could change our habits or try something new at any given point in the year. But standing at the precipice of a new annual cycle, with 12 months’ worth of blank pages ahead, can really add a bit of oomph to our plans for self-reinvention.
Maybe you’re ready to make some resolutions this year but aren’t too sure where to start. Or it could be that you’ve tried to carry out an ambitious habit overhaul before, but it fell flat.
You might already have some ambitious resolutions for the New Year, or you might be after a bit of inspiration. Either way, here are a few things to consider trying for a New Year, New Yu.
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Commit to trying something new every week
If you’re looking to make some changes in your life – or even just to recapture a bit of fun and magic – committing to trying something new each week is a great first step.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re going to an art gallery for the first time, starting to learn a new language, or even visiting a part of your own hometown that you haven’t seen before. Any new experiences could help you to expand your horizons, gain inspiration, and have some fun.
Often in life, there’s a risk of getting stuck in our own habitual ways of acting and thinking, which can then lead to feeling trapped or frustrated. Trying new things on a regular basis can work wonders for getting you out of a rut.
Step into a (slightly) more active everyday life
Most New Year’s Resolutions and commitments based around physical activity are ‘pretty ambitious.’
More than a few people each year vow to go straight from a sedentary lifestyle to running marathons, losing massive amounts of weight, and becoming stronger than they’ve ever been.
While those are all fine goals, they can be hard-going and quite demoralising if you happen to fall short.
On top of that, there’s also research suggesting that doing hard workouts, alone, isn’t enough to offset the negative effects of sitting down for long, uninterrupted stretches of time.
So, how about a resolution to just get slightly more physically active in everyday life? Not only will this have plenty of benefits in and of itself, but it also doesn’t stop you from pursuing your more ambitious fitness goals.
Here are a few ways you can make everyday life slightly more active…
Go for daily walks
Going for a daily stroll can be a great way of getting physically active, and may also be one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. According to a large meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in August 2023,* the more daily steps you take, the lower your risk of death from all causes. And the benefits appear to begin at just 3867 steps a day (for reducing all-cause mortality) and 2337 steps a day (for reducing mortality from cardiovascular issues.)
But walking is also just a great feel-good thing to do, and many people find that regular strolls lift their moods and put a smile on their faces.
Of course, if you have a dog, daily walks should already be part of your routine. So that’s just one more plus of having a furry bundle of joy into your life.
If you or your pet could use a bit of extra support to help you continue leading active lives, why not try out our iMOVE and YuMOVE Joint Care ranges.
iMove Active
- High-quality joint supplement for women and men, formulated to support an active lifestyle.
- With Glucosamine HCL, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamins C & E and ActivEase® Green Lipped Mussel – a naturally rich source of Omega-3s.
- Take two tablets every day
Use a standing desk
Standing desks have been pretty widely available for a number of years now, and come in different forms – from electric desks that raise and lower at the press of a button, to standing desk “platforms” that sit on top of your existing desk.
There are plenty of potential benefits to using standing desks, but the bottom line is that they get you on your feet, activate more muscles throughout your body, and reduce the time you spend sitting.
We’d recommend going for a standing desk that can be adjusted to allow you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
Take up some physical hobbies
Today, so much of life – and entertainment – seems to happen in front of a screen, but picking up a physical hobby can be a great way of getting grounded and centred, as well as fitting in a bit more ‘exercise’ to everyday life.
Workouts may seem repetitive or daunting, but if you become passionate about an activity like dancing, skiing, yoga, or Tai Chi, you’ll be a lot more excited to get up and move.
Try guided journaling
When most people hear the word ‘journaling’, there’s a good chance that the first thing that comes to mind will be a teenage diary filled with rants and gossip.
In reality, though, there are many different ways to journal – including ‘guided journaling’ using journaling prompts.
With the right prompts, guided journaling can be a great tool for self-discovery. It can give you a clearer sense of what makes you happy and what doesn’t, what you want to do with your life, and the changes you’d like to make.
Over the course of a whole year, it can be a transformative process.
Use a habit tracker to ease yourself into new ways of doing things
According to James Clear, author of the book Atomic Habits, “success is the product of daily habits not once-in-a-lifetime transformation.”
However you look at it, habits play a major role in all our lives – with good habits having the potential to lift us up and move us towards what we want, and bad habits having the potential to bring us down.
Changing habits can be tricky – but using a habit tracker is a great way of streamlining the process and making it less daunting, by reminding you to keep on track and focus on the ‘small wins’ each day.
Try out some ‘artsy’ hobbies
There’s a pretty commonplace idea out there that some people are just natural artists, others aren’t, and that there’s no point in trying to do something artistic unless you’ve got ‘the gift.’
In reality, though, anyone can take up an artistic hobby without needing to feel obligated to impress anyone else – and there’s evidence that making art helps boost wellbeing and get us through stressful times.
It can also just be fun to create something!
* European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
