 © Nicole Dieker By Aaron Zaretsky New Year’s resolutions are an embodiment of a New Year. Resolutions are hard to maintain. Some are expensive while others are time-consuming. However, listed below are 5 resolutions that can be accomplished under 10 minutes, easy to sustain, and are at no cost. These New Year’s resolutions can improve your health and your life overall by reducing stress, and controlling the one thing you have most control over, your body. Stretch Every Day  © Chanikam Thongsupa It is a New Year, what should I do first? Stretch your muscles. Stretching is crucial for flexibility, range of motion, and prevents injuries. Depending on how detailed you want to stretch, this New Year’s resolution can be achieved in 2 minutes, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes. Stretching increases blood flow and oxygen to your muscles. You do not have to stretch first thing in the morning, but as long as you stretch every day your muscles will thank you. Practice Mindfulness  © Marlynn Wei, MD, JD Another simple New Year’s resolution is to be mindful. According to Imagine Better Health, mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the moment without letting yourself get distracted.This is often done through meditation, putting your mind and body at ease, blocking out distractions. If you practice mindfulness you will feel the benefits. Possible benefits are greater ability to manage difficulties, reduce stress, build stronger relationships, higher self-esteem, and lower blood pressure improving your heart health. Also, practicing mindfulness can result in a better sleep. This New Year’s resolution can be achieved in only 10-15 minutes a day. When you are in the moment, seize it! Embrace Self-love with your Body  © Little White Lies Several New Year’s resolutions focus on dieting and fitness which can make you feel bad about your body as they send a message that your body needs improvement. You can make changes to your diet and fitness routine but love your body in the process. Instead of focusing on what you dislike, focus on what you like by dressing according to your body shape, and highlight your favourite features. Embracing self-love with your body can improve your body confidence, and can be achieved in minutes! Love your body because you are beautiful! Find Opportunities to be Bored  © Natasha Kasim | Unsplash It is perfectly healthy to be bored. Boredom can lead to great ideas and achievements. When you are bored, your brain activates ‘default mode’ (no this is not a video game). According to TED talks speaker Monoush Zomorodi, default mode is where you connect different ideas, and solve ongoing personal issues. Also, default mode enables ‘autobiographical planning’ which is reflect on your life remembering significant moments, create a personal agenda, and then set goals while figuring out how to achieve them. The latter of autobiographical planning is a definition of New Year’s resolutions – create a plan, set goals and accomplish them. The plan to achieve this resolution is finding opportunities to do nothing and let your brain put you into default mode. Take a Break from Social Media  © Jamie Social media is embedded into Western society. It can be inescapable for those who use it. But social media is escapable if you choose. Reduce your social media usage by limiting how many times you check your apps. Put your device away when with friends and family. Talk to them face-to-face, not device-to-device. You could even go cold turkey by not checking your online self for a day or longer … if you dare! If you reduce the time allocated towards social media, even by ten percent, that time can be used to accomplish the other resolutions listed and you will feel better about yourself!
These simple New Year’s resolutions can help you have a phenomenal healthy New Year. Happy New Year from VIBE105TO and make this year the best one yet! |
