The New Year is about to arrive and with it a feeling that we are emerging from a dark, cosy cocoon that has been the holiday season, and are now moving in to the slowing emerging light of the build up to Spring. For us the holidays have been a time of winding down, reflecting on the past year, and fully enjoying the pleasure of unscheduled days by hanging out with friends and family.
The moving into a New Year has two aspects for us; the first is a sense of expansion and potential which feels exciting. The second aspect is that of leaving this cosy, restful cocoon and going back out and into the world feels a little daunting. We imagine these feelings are akin to how hibernating creatures feel when it is time to wake up!
This is the time of year when we are encouraged to make New Year’s Resolutions. Many of us decide that we would like to feel better, look better, and generally BE better than we feel are (and that is a Really Interesting Conversation for another time…)
While it can be really motivating and empowering to make New Years resolutions, there is the obvious pitfall. We can become over ambitious with unrealistic expectations which we then struggle to maintain. This can lead to us feeling worse, not better, about ourselves. To make useful and sustainable changes to our lives is it can be helpful to remember a few simple things:
1) Obvious as it sounds, if you are looking to move more, make sure that you choose a form of movement that you ENJOY. Enjoying your exercise sets up perfect conditions to get the most lasting and sustainable benefits of the natural endorphins released during movement. Studies have shown that regular exercise has long term benefits that include improved mood, energy and general sense of wellbeing. If you are unsure what kind of movement you would enjoy try a few different things before you pick one that you commit to.
2) If you are looking to lose weight/ get in shape, remember that it is not always simply about burning calories; your body is much more sophisticated than that. During times of chronic stress your body tries to look after you by laying down extra fat as a life saving resource. Why is this? Stress is perceived on a cellular level as a potentially life-threatening situation. So, by engaging in hard core exercise you could be adding to your bodies’ perceived sense of threat. It might serve you better to engage in regular gentle exercise with a focus on replenishing rather than depleting more of your resources.
3) Do it with a friend.
If you are trying to change a habit, whether introducing something new or letting go of an unhelpful habit pattern, enlisting the support of a friend can be really helpful. We are social beings and the sense of being ‘in it together’ is a great motivator. We will commit and move hell or high water rather than let our friend down (another Really Interesting Conversation for another time…)
4) Less is more.
We all have ridiculous ‘to do’ lists. Let’s not make resolutions another long list. Remember that your resolution is really a way of feeling better. Let your resolution be a gift to yourself, not a burden.
We hope that that this New Year gives you the opportunity to take the time to do something really lovely for yourself; whatever that means for you. We also hope to see you at any of our many new classes and workshops at Clear Space Studios in 2024!