Post Christmas and New Year’s, but before the January blues well and truly kick in, the new year holds a lot of promise. In the spirit of that, we make resolutions – which may or may not include the return of some of our failed ones from the year before (ahem) – that will help shape us into the people we want to be.
But then by midway through January the wet and cold weather seems never ending, the dark continues to outwin the day, and the idea that you ought to get through January let alone the whole year without that piece of chocolate becomes a Herculean task.
With this in mind, here’s a few small ways on how to avoid the mid-January slump and seeing your new year’s resolutions through to the end of the year:
Instead of the whole year, focus on short blocks instead
Small chunks are always easier to digest, so by focusing on blocks of months – or even weeks – as end goals can be less daunting than looking ahead to the whole year.
Write a letter to the person you want to be
A note to yourself is a source of motivation that you can revisit anytime you need a little reminder of why you’re reaching for the carrot sticks instead of the packet of crisps in the first place.
Focus on how you want to feel
Instead of thinking about how your life should look, focus instead on how you want your life to feel. Most of our desires usually stem from wanting to feel a certain way.
Reset in Spring instead of 1st January
Spring is naturally a more uplifting time, what with the promise of summer, brighter days and the return of life. Some consider it the actual start of the new year, with it being the astrological new year. For some, it might prove better to focus on that date than 1st January, especially when January blues kick in.
Adopt goals rather than avoid things
Adding things to your lifestyle vs removing bad habits… the former is always going to be the better, more appealing choice. Instead of doom-scrolling as a relaxing break, pick up one of the many books piling up on your TBR tower instead. If you find it hard to let go of the phone, find a language-learning app to click on instead of social media. Find replacement acts for things you want to drop.
In reality, there is never a wrong time to make changes to your life, especially if they help us reach our dreams and long-term goals. But what we could perhaps do with remembering is to go easy on ourselves, even if that means moving the goalpost a bit. After all, if for the first few months of the year, your goal is to exercise more, doing the quick 10 minute yoga session on Youtube when you can’t/don’t want to go to a class is still a win – you’re doing more than you were the year before, and, in the end, isn’t that what counts?
