How to better achieve 33 of 50 new year’s goals with mindfulness & our support
Happy New Year everyone! And we simply cannot welcome you back without a thorough discussion around New Year’s resolutions and goals! So what are yours?
This one by Huffington Post* has a great focus on health and wellness, and we are surprised (well, not really actually) at how many of them can be better achieved with a bit of mindfulness. Last time we counted, there were 33 that mindfulness can help. We have also included our tips and useful resources below.
If the list is too long or you simply can’t decide which ones to do, just do one – mindfulness! It will set you up well for so many of the others. So get started and we are here to help with all our free Resources and those provided by others (we also provide a link in our Resources section), soundtracks, apps, online and physical courses etc.
So here they are:
1. Sleep more.
Try a minimum of 7-8 hours. We all know stress and poor routines just before bedtime can severely impact your sleep quality and duration. Why not build a mindfulness meditation routine just before sleep to achieve relaxation, come to the present (of ready to sleep) and not worry about a horrible moment that just happened today or the long to do list for tomorrow? Mindfulness improves mental health and so does a good night sleep. It’s a win-win!
2. Cut back on sugar and 3. Limit sodium intake. *mindful eating using urge surfing (mindfulness.org.au/urge-surfing).
This is hard because we love food and there has not been any other time in our history where more delicious, diverse and better quality food had been made available to us. So how can we help us better stick to the dietary guidelines of low sodium (2,300 milligrams per day) and sugar intake?
You can read the packing, record your intake or use an app. You can also add in mindful eating, where you actually try to taste the food. Break the taste down! This way you can enjoy it more and be more aware of how sweet or salty that meal really is.
3. Start meditating. Practicing mindfulness
Need we say more? If in doubt, check out our section on the benefits of mindfulness or our news publications in our Blog section. Additionally, get started with Mindfulness Basics (mindfulness.org.au/mindfulness-basics for) and our free soundtracks (mindfulness.org.au/multimedia-resources for soundtracks
4. Pick up crafting.
Direct quote from the article: "Experts say activities like knitting can ease anxiety and put you in a meditative state. And you get a scarf in the process? Score." And winter will be here sooner than we think.
5. Spend time alone.
Spend some time by yourself, observe your own feelings and emotions, be aware of your own thoughts, recharge, build some more brain cell connections and be mindful.
Get started with our free Sitting With Emotions article or our free soundtracks of the same title.
6. Plan a trip.
Direct quote again, "You’ll boost your mood instantly. Research suggests planning a vacation can increase happiness ― and just think, you’ll have an adventurous city or a white sand beach to look forward to after you book it." Don’t forget your mindfulness routine while you are on holidays!
7. Keep a journal.
Direct quote, "This could be a book that gives you prompts or just an empty place to scribble out your frustrations. Studies show journaling can be cathartic for your mental health." But please DO NOT just MINDLESSLY write a journal entry! Be mindful about it and as you write it, have a think about how those words makes you feel and how you are reacting to them.
8. Go for strolls more often.
Hit the road everyone. If you are a busy individual (which is almost everyone today) and often complain that you don’t have time to meditate AND exercise, bring mindfulness to your strolls or walks. Check out our blog about Mindful Walking and listen to our soundtrack by the same title under our Multimedia resources section.
9. Cut back on complaining.
Negative thought patterns can increase stress levels. Try a mindful experiment where when you catch yourself complaining ― or thinking negatively. You counteract it with something positive. Here’s a little inspiration to get started.
10. Give up diet soda.
Take a moment, even just 30 seconds to drink a cup of green tea instead.
11. Compliment someone once a day.
Pay it forward and try to be more aware of those around you. Train your mind to be in the present of someone and what they do, how they look or feel. This will help you with your friendship, relationships and even work.
12. Practice gratitude.
Start with the compliments, practice mindfulness and you will start becoming more empathetic.
Direct quote: "Studies suggest that gratitude can improve overall well-being and may even boost physical health. Try keeping score of what you appreciate every day. Need some ideas to get started? Here are 100."
13. Go to therapy.
Seek help from professionals when you need it. But start by taking breaks to reassess if you need some assistance. And if you want to find a practitioner that is not a McMindfulness teacher, see our article on How to Assess A Mindfulness Teacher (mindfulness.org.au/assessing-mindfulness-teacher).
14. Volunteer regularly.
Direct quote: "Donating your time to people or an organization in need can do a world of good. And if you needed more reason: Research shows volunteering can improve your health. It may also increase your happiness levels thanks to a circular effect. Kindness makes you happy, and happiness makes you kind."
Also if you know someone who is sacrificing themselves as a carer for another person, please forward this to them – Caring for Carers (mindfulness.org.au/caring-for-the-carers).
15. Drink more water.
We all know water is good for you (see above about diet soft drinks). But have you ever really tried to taste it? I love the taste of Melbourne and I’m not afraid to say it. New York local government did with their tap work in a huge campaign by in 2010, which was just as good if not better than the ones ran by soft drink companies.
16. Cook at home more frequently.
Direct quote: "You’ll end up getting healthier in the process. Research says homemade meals can help you skip out on excess calories."
If you are too busy and tempted to give up meditation time to cook, then practice Mindfulness In Action when you cook. Learn how here (mindfulness.org.au/mindfulness-in-action).
17. Commit to a strength-training routine.
Direct quote: "Building muscle can help protect you against injury and even sharpen your cognitive skills. Start small ― even just using your body weight ― and increase as you get stronger."
Also start strengthening your mental muscles, aka neuronal connections with mindfulness.
18. Talk to more strangers.
Also see comment above on Compliments. Direct quote: "It pays to make a little eye contact. Research shows smiling at someone you don’t know could help increase feelings of social connection."
19. Say "no" more often.
Direct quote: "Burnout is real and it can happen in a blink of an eye. Make sure you’re prioritizing yourself and not saying "yes" to everything because it feels like an obligation. Self care isn’t selfish."
20. Handwrite letters instead of emailing people.
Direct quote: "Make an effort to communicate via snail mail this year. Handwritten correspondence is a lost art form ― but there are real benefits to putting pen to paper, from better creativity to a smaller risk of multitasking." Mutlitasking! It is the death of productivity. Be in the present and do one thing at a time please.
21. Schedule walking meetings once a week.
Direct quote: "You’ll get far more out of it than if you were holed up in the office. And that added physical activity may just get your creativity flowing." Or simply just go for a Mindful Walking if you can (soundtrack here).
22. Use all of your vacation days.
Use it well for any of the above or below activities, from planning a trip to going on a trip, exercise more, be with yourself and of course, take a moment to meditate.
Some disappointing data: "A recent survey found that 32 percent of people used zero of their allocated days last year. But taking a break is super important for your well-being. Don’t feel like taking a vacation? Try a mental health day, instead."
23. Call your family more often.
Direct quote: "Chances are they’d love to hear from you and you can benefit from it, too. Research shows calling loved ones like your mom can ease stress." Please take the time to talk and listen to them. Don’t multitask and talk to them, it’s not really talking.
24. Cut back on material spending.
Exercise the mind and your body, not your ability to swipe your plastic and then regretting it afterwards.
25. Try team sports.
Good for your physical and mental health. You can also join a mindfulness or yoga class.
26. Learn a language.
Direct quote: Say "hola" [,你好] or "bonjour" to a new life skill. Research even supports the theory that it’ll boost your brain.