This New Year, Love the Old You

Here we go again! Another year makes way to the next – how much has changed for you? Did you make resolutions, plans, and promises to yourself? Did you keep them, and if not do you feel bad now that the year is over? Well, this week on the blog we’re going to take a look at how to approach this New Year from a different perspective. 

New Year’s Resolutions

Let’s start by thinking outside the box when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. Because making life changes can be a good thing – you just have to approach it in the right way. Finding pockets of daily joy can appear trivial, but these little things can build to make life more fulfilling. 

Fun resolutions

Life changes don’t have to be serious. Pledge to wear more colour, perhaps. Or to make a random act of kindness every week. To say hello to more dogs. Nothing is too silly or too small. Whatever makes you smile!

Mindset resolutions

Changing how you treat yourself is one of the most important changes that you can make. Instead of scolding yourself, accept your actions and focus on moving forward. You’re wonderful and unique. Appreciate your own abilities and celebrate them.

Lifestyle resolutions

You don’t have to join a gym to make a lifestyle resolution. Go for a walk, try out baking, read a new genre, listen to a new podcast. Trying little things can open up huge opportunities in your lifestyle over the next year. You don’t know what will stick until you try it, so give lots of different things a go. 

Reframing the old

Not everything has to be new to be better. There are so many ways to embrace those parts of your life that are already there. This is all about how we look at what’s around us. Because we often can’t see the wood for the trees…

Wardrobe

When the world of fashion is an eternal roundabout, you might have some long forgotten clothes that are actually back on trend again. Have a delve about. You might find something you used to love to wear. Putting it on again can give you an old feeling of energy. If you need a good pair of control pants to fit into it, that’s OK!

Friendships

Have you lost contact with someone who you wish you hadn’t? It’s so easy to drift out of meaningful contact with people, despite being surrounded by a plethora of social media. Why not make next year the year that you rekindle old friendships? 

Your own body!

By far the most important existing thing that you can pledge to reframe is your attitude to your own body! Self love is something that we all know we should practise and yet so rarely do. Whether affirmations work for you, or you prefer to dress to show off your curves in a stunning corset, love that body!

Do less not more!

Ever notice that the most damaging resolutions require you to do more of something? Do more exercise, do more dieting, do more work, be more focussed… The list goes on. Why not pivot your mindset to do less? We’re not saying you should sit on the sofa for a year though! 

People pleasing

Put less value in the unsolicited opinions of others. There’s no need to disregard their feelings. However, if other people don’t like what you’re wearing, how you have your hair, the books you like to read, or the places you like to go – it doesn’t matter. 

Multitasking

While we often create the impression that we’re winning when we multitask, the net result is often a feeling of overwhelmed pressure. Try taking your foot off the accelerator and focus on one thing at a time. This way can often lead to achieving more fulfilling results. 

Saying No

If you don’t much fancy a social event or activity, it’s OK to say no! Try it more next year and you may find that you value the events and activities that you have actually selected. 

So rather than choosing to focus on self change, let’s focus on changing our self appreciation. We think that these are great ways of embracing the fresh starts that a brand new year offers. And the key to it all is to love the old you!