#12. I'm all about "Me" time (image courtesy of here)
It is almost the end of January, and the hype around resolutions, goals and long to-do lists is dying down. You may have made a list and forgotten where it is already or haven't looked at it since. I read somewhere recently that by February up to 60% of resolutions have been dropped (and suddenly the treadmills at the gym are free...). A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the idea of simplifying your intentions for the new year into ONE word. But sometimes we also need an ACTION plan, with simple things we can tackle daily.
Give yourself an extra little boost before 1/11 ends by incorporating these simple and results-oriented actions into your life:
- MAKE your lunch for work. When you make your lunch you make smarter food choices and save money. Put time aside every morning or the night before to make your lunch. Pack extra snacks to avoid unhealthy last minute snack choices. I try to pack my lunch at least three times a week. That way the days you do buy your lunch, you choose something you like vs just a convenient buy.
- HIRE someone to clean your home. Or if that doesn't fit into your budget, pick a day and clean it all at once. There is nothing worse than feeling like you're ALWAYS cleaning! And you have way more important things to do!
- EAT more fruits & veggies. A smoothie in the morning (I love frozen blueberries+banana+flax powder+yogourt+almond milk), veggie soup at noon, fruit after lunch, a salad added to whatever you're eating for dinner. Make a conscious choice to add fruits and veggies every time you eat.
- DRINK more water and less of everything else. A no brainer but the reminder is always good.
- DREAM big dreams. Don't let yourself get in the way of what you truly want in life. Imagine if your wildest dreams could actually come true and then act as if they will. Why not you?
- READ at least a book a month. I saw Chris Guillebeau speak this month and one thing he said that really stood out to me (among many) was that nobody ever said a blog post changed their life. A book, on the other hand, could! (I'm on a personal book-a-week-challenge - will let you know how that goes!)
- WORRY less. The fact is you have no idea how things are going to go and speculating only makes things harder for you. Expect the best and know that you are strong enough to deal with anything that arises.
- MOVE your body more every single day. Find a way to incorporate activity into your life that works for you. If the gym isn't your thing, try a dance class, yoga video, Wii fitness games and most importantly, walk more, take the stairs and watch less TV. Just move.
- PLAN regular friend dates. C.S. Lewis said, "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." Time spent with my friends remind me of the true beauty of human relationships: love, laughter and understanding.
- FOCUS on the good. It is a lot harder than it looks. It is much easier to focus on what isn't going right. But it is truly amazing how your whole perspective on life changes (almost in a moment) when you choose to focus on all the positive. Try it today.
- WEAR what works for you. Don't force yourself to wear colours or trends that just don't feel like you. When you know what works for you, just find fresh ways of tweaking that look to make it easier to get dressed every day. My current uniform: dark skinny jeans+embellished/pattern top+chunky cardigan+boots+scarf+earrings. What is yours?
- TAKE "me" time. I am a HUGE proponent of taking time for yourself. You need time to reflect, recharge, dream, dream, take your pulse, breathe. Even if its just a couple of hours in a coffee shop alone. Make time for the most important person in your life.
What other actions will you take?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Love it KP! Will definitely take you up on a few of these! I love the reminder to dream big dreams- why not me!? !
Hi Ems! Thanks for your comment and yeah baby, why NOT YOU!!!
Hi Kena, I am good friends with Anika and she just posted a link to your blog on Facebook and I started reading and I LOVE it! Your writing style is so easy to ready and relate to. I also really enjoy the content and choice of blog topics. I will defintely be incorporating this into my daily/weekly reading routine, so thank you!
Hi Farrah, Thank you SO much! I'm so glad you like it...let me know if there's anything you'd like me to write about.
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Excellent advice! I think little steps will make the most impact this year.