When I make New Year’s Resolutions, I always make them with the expectation that I might not follow through. I know that sounds sort of counterproductive, but I never want to set myself up to be unsuccessful in my goals. So, I’m excited to start my resolutions, but I’m also realistic about them. This, of course, seems to result in feeling pretty apathetic toward those goals because I’ve created them with the idea that I’ll fail.
This year was different. I spent a lot of time thinking about my goals and figuring out what I wanted to accomplish this year. I wrote down a list of goals and narrowed it down to three reasonable and attainable ones that I felt really good about. I’ve been monitoring myself this month to learn what does and doesn’t work for me. I’ve found that the more reasonable and attainable I make my goals, the higher the chance I seem to have of sticking with them. Shocker, I know.
However, there was more to it. They were attainable, yes, but they were also kind. Going into the new year with my go-to goal, “I want to lose weight”, has never worked out for me because I end up feeling bad about myself. So instead, I focused on smaller tasks that would both contribute to weight loss while also allowing myself to be kind to my body. Now that it’s been a month, here’s how those three resolutions have played out.
1. I Want to Cook More Food at Home
This was shockingly easier than I had expected. Sure, the groceries are expensive, but it’s been both rewarding and comforting knowing that I’ve cooked everything I’m putting in my body. My roommate has been especially helpful in helping me cook and joining me for dinner so I’m not eating alone. The only downfall is the dishes. Who knew that cooking at home meant using every pot and pan you own? Regardless, I’ve not only been feeling better about my body, I’ve been feeling better overall. I’ve struggled with digestive issues for a while and eating what I’ve cooked myself seems to be helping the way I’m processing food. I’ve also been able to ensure I’m eating the right amounts of protein and nutrients my body needs.
2. I Want to Sync My Activities with My Cycle
Cycle-syncing is something I’ve heard a lot about in the past couple of years and have been really interested in pursuing. My understanding of it has been syncing my exercise, diet and general daily activities with my hormone cycle. One month has, of course, allowed me to fully see what this would be like — and it’s quite beneficial to my body and my mental health. For example, in the Luteal phase (usually about two weeks before the start of one’s Menstrual phase) a person might have lower energy, mood swings and feel stressed. During this time, it’s recommended a person should eat more protein and carbs. Just knowing how to take care of myself and recognize why I might be feeling a certain way has helped me act much more kind to myself and my body.
3. Read One Book a Month
This one isn’t health and body related, but it was still important to me. When I was a child, I read more books than I care to remember. I’ve always been a book girly to my core, but as I’ve grown up and started university, my patience and time have been worn thin. I usually spend my time reading a never-ending list of course readings and journal articles. So, when it comes to reading books for fun, I end up feeling burnt out and disinterested. In the first week of January, I took my time in Indigo and searched for a book that really piqued my interest. Once I found it, I carved time out of my day to read a little bit of it. I’m almost done with it, and not only have I been thoroughly enjoying reading it, I feel a sense of accomplishment I haven’t felt in years.
There you have it. It turns out that when your goal is something that doesn’t make you feel bad for not already accomplishing it, you’re much more likely to follow through. Who knew!? I’m now one month down with 11 to go — and if this month has been a sign of anything, I know that I can keep going as strong as I have been. Maybe this new year will really allow me to be a new version of myself.