Nothing feels worse than waking up for work the Monday after a Holiday, especially Christmas. I love my job but when my alarm went off this morning I had some not so nice thoughts running through my head, and the new weighted blanket I got for Christmas begging me to stay in bed was not helping the situation.
Even two or three days off for the holidays can throw me off my routine but being around family, good food, and cold weather makes it all worth it, no matter how hard getting back into my routine is.
In the past I have been quick to beat myself up for relaxing and not being as active as normal along with indulging in foods I don’t usually eat but with the chaos of the 2020 came a lot of self growth and lessons learned. The typical “new year new me” thoughts along with fad diets and cleanses are usually on my mind but not this year.
I am all about consistency and nourishment lately which means less negative thoughts and more proactive tendencies.
Once I switched the punishment mindset into a positive growth mindset, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and I hope in the new year everyone chooses the path of growth and wellbeing because after the year we have all had,
we deserve some relief.
Small changes have big impacts and that has taken me a long time to learn. Big New Year Resolutions that you know you can’t maintain can start you off on the wrong foot and lead to negative thoughts because failure is involved, but YOU are the only one in control of your future - so set realistic goals!
Or don’t set any goals at all, write down positive affirmations, things that you are grateful for, I know that having big goals or too many goals often stresses me out more than feeling accomplished, which is how I have learned to start small and realistic.
For some reason I have spent the last couple of months feeling overwhelmed and like I’ve been playing catch up every single day which is so not the case. I would not complete one small task on my to-do list like “put my laundry away” and the feeling of anxiousness and failure would come over me, even if all my five other tasks were completed which is when I would think “why in the world am I feeling like this?”.
It was when I took a step back and acknowledged how much I had actually accomplished no matter how small or big whether it be a daily task, weekly, or monthly, I had accomplished something.
Now this was only the beginning of lessons learned when it comes to how I was feeling because I started to pay attention to every thought I was having, my activities outside of work and school, my relationships, and my mood.
I kind of moved down an imaginary list labeled “Aspects of Life” to help filter out what was bringing me joy and what was causing uncertainty and negative feelings. Exercise was my number one mood adjuster, along with nutrition.
After every single workout I truly felt like I was on top of the world, I felt accomplished, I noticed I was productive the rest of the day, my diet was on point, and my head was clear.
Knowing that a one hour or LESS workout has such a big impact on my everyday mood, makes it easier to put at the top of my “new year's resolutions” if you will, plus I get to hang onto the feeling of accomplishment every time.
I often get the same feeling from a short or long walk, yoga, cleaning, honestly anything that keeps me moving and occupied so if a full workout is unrealistic for you at this time, then make it a priority to go for a 20 minute walk a couple times a week or whatever is realistic for YOU.
Movement is medicine so it shouldn't feel like a chore, it’s an investment in your health.
Like I said before, with exercise and movement comes diet and nutrition. If eating “healthy” (so many different ways to define healthy) is brand new to you, start with one home cooked meal a week, or pack your lunch for work instead of going through a drive through, again go for something that is realistic and achievable for YOU.
You will feel so motivated once you realize you can accomplish these things. Nothing is impossible, it just takes time to get where you want to be.
It’s unfortunate how much pressure we feel to get back into the swing of things after a small break whether it be a holiday, vacation, or just out of routine. It’s even crazier that the pressure comes from ourselves which seems a bit silly considering we are in control! It takes time to learn and realize that we don’t need to be go-go-go, all the time and to accept the feelings, sometimes negative, that come with being a human.
Post Holiday feels don’t have to be a bad thing, a new year is arriving and with that comes opportunity and plenty of room for growth.
I personally am going into 2021 with the mindset of healing and personal growth which for me, looks like reading more books, less social media, diving deeper into the world of holistic health, and so much more.
We all deserve to move forward after the year that we have had so take time to reflect and then continue onwards and upwards. I personally cannot wait to see what is in store!
Tag us on social media with your 2021 goals, what you are grateful for, or anything you feel like sharing! As always, reach out via email or social media with any comments or questions nutrition and lifestyle related!
Coach Liv, Pn1
Instagram: @fitbarcafe
Facebook: FitBar Superfood Cafe
Email: live@fitbarcafe.com
