How to Jumpstart the New Year for a New You

While a leaner body, a healthier lifestyle, a new haircut, or a new smartphone can spice up your year and bring you joy, there is no greater gift you can receive this year other than genuine happiness. This year, instead of trying to please other people, focus on yourself first.

Taking the First Step to a New You

Instead of listing down a hundred diet plans and exercise routines, try to be realistic first. If you are a beginner when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle, take it step by step, and don’t overwhelm yourself just because it’s New Year. Here’s how to really jumpstart your year for a new you.

1. Take care of yourself

This New Year, don’t just focus on your physical well-being but also your emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Your life only gets better when you do. So don’t get too overwhelmed and stressed out trying to make your life better. Instead, focus on yourself. Go out and have fun. Exercise and get yourself a negative ion bracelet for an extra happiness boost!

2. Pack your lunch and make your dinner at home

Because it’s you who prepared it, you know how’s it made and what’s it made of. You have full control over your food. Once or twice a week, you can treat yourself to lunch with coworkers or dinner in a fancy restaurant with your family. Not only does this saves you money, but also makes you watch what you eat better. It’s a win-win!

3. Detox your clutter

Be it the clutter in your room or toxic people in your life; you don’t have to keep them with you this year! Freshen up your wardrobe, bedroom, fridge, and even your phone or contacts. This way, you will have more room and space for new things and new people in your life.

4. Snack healthy

It’s time to replace high-sodium chips and sinful desserts with whole foods. Nibble on fruits, nuts, and yogurt instead of processed or packaged foods like cookies, crackers, and chocolate bars.

5. Practice self-love

Before you can truly love other people, you have to start with yourself. With all the struggles and difficult people you have dealt with the past year, you might have already forgotten how to treat yourself properly. Take a break. Pause for a while and reflect on all the things you’ve done for yourself. Have you been kind to your body and soul?

6. Eat vegetables

If you have already been eating vegetables, well and good. But if not, this is the year to start training yourself with some serious vegetable-eating habits. Start by adding at least one cup of veggies to lunch then gradually pile on veggies for dinner.

7. Target your worst food habits

Is it huge portions of dinner? Ten cups of coffee every day? Too much midnight snacking? Whatever your worst eating habit is, make it your goal to ditch it out of your lifestyle.

8. Express gratitude

In order to be truly happy, you have to be thankful for all the things and experiences you had in your life. Be it a person who taught you a lesson, a material thing that brought you short-lived happiness, or simply just the gift of life, don’t ever forget to express gratitude.

The Bottom Line

Small things make a significant impact on your overall health and lifestyle. Start small and take it gradually. Short-lived happiness can be found in material things or other tangible items that are not meant to last forever. However genuine happiness can be sought from inner peace of mind, and the ability to be satisfied and grateful for what you have right now. This year, make it a better year for yourself.