Sustainable Wellness Tips for the New Year

The New Year is a time for fresh starts, full of possibility and opportunity. It can also be a time when people put a lot of pressure on themselves to make post-holiday lifestyle changes very quickly in ways that can be intense, unrealistic, and ultimately unsustainable. Instead of setting yourself up for discomfort and disappointment by going to extremes, we recommend taking a more thoughtful and intentional approach. Developing healthier habits you can maintain and build upon all year will set you up for long-term success.

Check-in With Yourself

A great place to start your wellness journey is with a little self-reflection. The holidays can bring up a lot of complex emotions, financial worries, or just general stress and fatigue from all the hustle and bustle, not to mention the colder weather and shorter days. The New Year is the perfect time to ask yourself how you’re feeling, think about why you’re feeling that way, and start a gratitude practice.

Starting a Gratitude Practice

Gratitude is a powerful health habit with lots of mental and physical benefits when you make it part of your routine.

There are a few simple ways to incorporate gratitude into your day:

• Write down 3 (or more) things you’re grateful for
• Press pause and intentionally shift focus to positive thoughts
• Talk about / share your gratitude with others
• Acknowledge challenges while recognizing resilience, growth, and progress
• Celebrate small wins and daily victories

The Health Benefits of Gratitude

Research shows that practicing gratitude for just a few minutes a day (or as often as you can) can have a positive impact on your thought process and by extension your mental and physical health.

A gratitude practice can help:

• Reduce anxiety and depression
• Increase life satisfaction and self-esteem
• Strengthen relationships
• Support heart health
• Improve sleep and stress
• Lower blood pressure
• Shift the nervous system from fight or flight to rest and digest

The things you learn about yourself by reflecting and practicing gratitude will help you feel better and ground you in what you want for yourself in the coming year. And that’s a perfect place to start when you feel ready to set goals.

Take Things Slow

It’s common for people to put a lot of pressure on themselves with New Year’s resolutions. They want to lose a certain amount of weight quickly, so they resort to extreme dieting or workouts. Or they want to quit smoking or cut out alcohol overnight. We’re bombarded with marketing and social media messages promoting these unrealistic expectations and unsustainable lifestyle changes that promise instant transformation. But this kind of all-or-nothing extreme thinking that focuses on results over process sets us up for failure. Not to mention, the unnecessary pressure we put on ourselves can lead to burnout, which will make it even harder to accomplish your goals.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a condition that affects your mental and physical health resulting from ongoing stress and anxiety over a long period of time. If you think you might be experiencing or at risk of burnout, tune in to how you feel. There will be physical and emotional symptoms.

Physical

• Muscle tension
• Fatigue / Exhaustion
• Restlessness
• Lack of self-care
• Low productivity

Emotional

• Irritability
• Cynicism
• Helplessness / Overwhelm
• Accumulated stress
• Low motivation
• Difficulty concentrating

Ways to Fight Burnout

Burnout can feel all-consuming, but there are lots of simple things you can try to alleviate it. The most effective way to get burnout under control and keep it there is to develop stress management techniques you can incorporate into your routine.

First, look for ways to reduce stress in your life:

• Is there anything you can stop doing? Or do less often?
• Do you have a support system you can ask for help?
• Identify what causes you the most stress. Eliminate what you can.
• Add things that bring you joy and fulfillment to balance out the rest.

Then, try these DIY stress management strategies:

• Nutrition: Eat foods that nourish and fuel your body.
• Sleep: Try to set a sleep schedule and prioritize rest.
• Exercise: Find time to move your body, even just a few minutes a day.
• Self-Love: Be kind and patient with yourself.
• Relaxation: Schedule “time-outs” to unwind and do things you enjoy.
• Social Time: See friends and loved ones.
• Mindfulness: Be aware and present without judgment in all areas of life from work and chores to breathing, eating, and moving.

If you need extra support, therapy can help. Connect with a Mental Health provider for more targeted guidance and strategies.

Setting Goals for Long-Term Success

There are a few things to think about when setting your goals for the year:

• Reflect on your current state: Physical, emotional, and mental.
• Think about any personal barriers: Free time, stressors, access issues.
• Identify your priorities: What do you want to accomplish? What’s your ideal result?
• Set realistic timing and milestones: What feels achievable in one week? One month? Six months?
• Set yourself up for success.
• Adjust as needed and be sure to celebrate along the way!

Your Care Team can help if you’re struggling on your own. They’re experts in Mental Health, Nutrition, and Fitness so they know how to support, guide, and motivate you to real behavior change. They’ll help you develop healthier habits that feel easy to maintain and build upon over time. Plus, with regular reviews they can help you evolve your routine as needed and keep you accountable without judgment. The end result will be a healthier, more resilient version of you.