2021 “a year of greener, kinder and healthier” – it’s all about self-reflection, getting motivated and taking action
I remember the millennium being a momentous turn of the year. Would computers no longer work after midnight 31 December 1999? All a lot of worry about nothing as it transpired. However, I think regardless of the partying, or should I say lack of, to see in 2021, we will be looking forward to a year full of progress and more giant leaps for mankind! I forecast a year of greener, kinder and healthier.
We will be able to build on our experiences of 2020 and look forward with hope and renewed vigour. The challenge and change presented in 2020, largely as a result of the pandemic will have caused most of us at some point of the year to face uncomfortable emotions which are precisely what makes us grow as individuals. Traumatic events, as horrible as they are, can spur positive change in our lives. So, these are the moments you have to not only face, but embrace. Rather than turning away from discomfort, you turn towards it as a source of motivation itself.
2020 will have likely given us a better understanding of what makes us happy, a true appreciation of family, friends and neighbours. During 2020 we will likely have shown ourselves to be adaptable, thoughtful, frugal, and appreciative. Above all else we know how precious our health is, our bodies ability to cope with whatever is thrown at it.
Mental and physical health often go hand in hand. I think this January, more so than many previous years, is a good time to reflect, and celebrate all the things that make you you. The things you are proud of, the things you want to continue. There will be more about yourself that you want to maintain than change – if not you need to look harder! Instead of new year’s resolutions, how about an integration? You aren’t going to turn over a new leaf as such, but integrate something new to enrich your happiness and love of life. These new year “integrations” could be exciting opportunities to challenge yourself to grow and change.
Whatever stage of life you are at, there is one thing that is essential, and you’ve guessed it –it’s your health. Knowing it is the foundation of anything and everything we want to do in life, can you hand on heart say you give your health the time and consideration it deserves? A new year brings new opportunity, so ask yourself, are you dedicating enough time and effort to your health foundations? That means daily exercise and fresh air, it means food planning and preparation. Are you fueling your body kindly?
Physical health is often easier to address than mental health and what we see from experience at HYPOXI is that as clients lose fat from stubborn areas and reduce their weight and shape to optimum health, their mental state improves. It’s a vicious circle of inspiration / emotional trigger, mind motivation, and physical action, and it’s constantly on repeat to progress. In order to get the physical motivated the mind needs to provide a kickstart. That is why the old adage of the hardest part of anything is getting started is so true. It’s always a good idea to start with the end in mind, and then break the journey into sub goals. What you do today can change all your tomorrows. It’s about empowering yourself and taking action. Not putting off until tomorrow what you can do today.
So, the first action is what you are celebrating about you and doing more of in 2021 -that’s the first list. The second is how do you want to be enriched and identify your new year integrations.
The next thing needed is tips and tricks for getting the motivation from somewhere and getting started. Sitting there waiting for inspiration to strike is leaving it down to chance. Motivation often arises from being scared of the outcomes of not taking action. I think our prime minister’s near-death experience with COVID 19 motivated him to take action to lose weight. I bet he wished he had lost weight before he contracted COVID 19! Why leave action to progress something as important as your health to ‘one day Rodney’. Life is not a rehearsal; it has finite days and years for us all. Health needs to be in everybody’s list of priorities.
Getting started is all about doing something. You can become successful at something without knowing what you’re doing. You can become successful at something without having much particular talent at it. But you can never become successful at anything without taking action. Ever. So, you just have to start with something and give it a shot.
Developing a ritual is a good way to stick to action. A ritual involves a series of actions performed in a fixed order. So you need to make an appointment with yourself, or involve a significant other it that helps you, to nurture your health. Diary in food shop and prep time, diary in exercise time and get a doable, and most importantly an enjoyable routine.
Cut distractions out of your life. These are time stealers that add no value to your being. I’m guessing a popular distraction for many is the dark side of technology. How many hours disappear to social media, which can often be mindless indulgence in voyeurism. Do not immerse in others activity until you are happy with your own personal level of investment. Get your attention and time back to you.
If you’re still having a hard time fitting regular exercise into your day, it might be time to examine your beliefs around your body, what you think a healthy lifestyle is, and whether or not you’re doing exercise that you find enjoyable and worthwhile.
Once you’ve started on your new year integrations your motivation may well wane after a while. So, you need tips and tricks in your armoury to reignite the emotion, the passion that originally set yourself your new year integration. Go back to your original thinking lists.
So the message is, please don’t wait for that bad emotional trigger (like Boris did) to know that your body is struggling, take action now to stay in peak physical and mental health. Make the plan, assign the time, and make it a ritual. You won’t regret it.
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, I am happy to answer them privately, or in the next edition. Just call me at the HYPOXI-Studio on 01562740840 or email me dianne@rejuvenateathypoxi.co.uk. Previous copies of my health column can be found at www.rejuvenateathypoxi.co.uk
Wishing everyone a happy, fulfilling and healthy 2021.
Best wishes, Dianne x