Towards a GOOD Decade - 4 Subtle Ways to Enhance Your Wellness Routine This New Year

*This year, I’m going to be healthier* says almost everyone at some point in their life ever. Nearly half of Americans each year to be exact!

New year’s resolutions get a bad rep. We’re all too familiar with the ambition to start eating healthier, start getting in shape, start prioritizing our relationships, start improving our sleep quality, start start start start leading a healthier lifestyle at midnight January 1st. Or at least after the glass of bubbly wears off… 

These are great ambitions, all underlying an inner drive to embody a mighty aura of health. But what does it even mean to be healthy? Why is this worth chasing and how do we get there?

You, my lovely reader, do not need to be fixed. Losing “x” pounds or drinking green juice every morning for the rest of your life is not your sole ticket to wellness. I do, however, hear your desire to craft a better version of yourself through greater health loud and clear and I am here for it!

Our philosophy in wellness goes beyond the physical. We  believe that finding balance in a richer experience of the beautiful creation on this earth that is entirely you sits at the core of living a healthy life.

Let’s reframe this goal then: how can we lead a GOOD life? Now that’s what I’m talking about sister. 

Maybe resolutions get a bad rep, but the new year (read: new decade!) is a perfect time to take the small steps leading to a better state of being. Blank slate, a fresh start, new year new you. Haven’t heard that one yet huh? We capitalize on this opportunity to finally take action and initiate positive change.

But the promise of resolutions takes a sharp turn in their pursuit. This sought after mystical change is often broadly defined, unrealistic, and lacks a practical plan for execution. We also expect it to happen right away. This isn’t to say you can’t think big - shoot for the stars gf! - but every big picture can be broken down into smaller steps, giving us the collateral benefit of celebrating multiple smaller victories.

We know what works. Research in goal pursuit and the process of implementing positive change all point to the power of habit. So what can we add to our lives to achieve positive change towards a GOOD life? 

Here are 4 subtle ways to enhance your wellness routine and lead a GOOD life:

Add plants

There has been a big push recently for eating a mostly plant-based diet - one centered around minimally processed foods and minimizing refined foods like added sugars. As hectic as the world of nutritional research is, there is not debating how eating whole foods can enrich our well-being. 

One of the biggest hurdles in dietary change is how we view and approach the food itself. Instead of driving all attentional focus towards avoiding certain foods, think about what you can add to your plate: 

→ mix spiralized veggies with your pasta

→ add riced cauliflower with your risotto

→ toss spinach in with fruit for smoothies

→ add a bed of greens under your meal, which basically turns any meal into a salad.

By adding more plant-based, nutrient dense foods to your favorite meals, you’re achieving small steps towards change without taking anything away. Soon enough, finding ways to sneak butternut squash into your favorite mac and cheese recipe will become second nature - and a fun mission to take on at that!

Embrace movement

Embrace movement, not exercise. The difference? It’s all mental.

We associate exercise with something much like a chore - something to compensate for another unwanted behavior, to burn off calories, to do what our culture has taught us is “right.” 

When we shift our focus to movement, we become more tuned in with what our body can do. We learn to celebrate it, finding new ways to move more often. Whether that be trying a new workout class or taking a morning walk, we start finding places to add movement to our routine because we want to, not because we have to.

Where to start: seek out a new group workout class for the purpose of movement. Trying out different fitness modalities exposes us to novel ways to move our bodies. Doing so with others adds an entire layer to the experience dedicated to community. You might have an innate love for kickboxing, but how would you know if you never tried?

The physical activity itself - viewed as exercise or movement - is essentially the same. But the experience endured by this shift in mindset makes all the difference in learning to love the ways our bodies can move.

Slow down

Ever heard of burnout? A rising syndrome characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion brought on by the excessive and prolonged stress of our productivity-obsessed culture. 

Maybe you never slapped a name on it, but the sensation is all too familiar for the working population, students, and moms alike. And it’s growing. 

In order to combat and prevent burnout, we need to take a step back and slow down. Imagine spending more time for the things you love and producing better quality work. Taking time for yourself is what really feeds an efficient productivity and creative work - not the consecutive hours spent drooling at your laptop screen that we believe it to be.

Set boundaries with yourself and others. If you keep a planner, block out time every day for yourself, whether it be through an extra hour at night to cuddle with a good book, or rising for an early morning spin class.

Another subtle way to slow down is at meal times.Do you find yourself breaking record times for how fast it takes to eat your beloved winter grains kale salad? Establishing a non-negotiable block of time to enjoy food or grabbing meals with a friend takes something you do anyway (eat) and creates a refreshing experience to help you power through the next task.

Practice gratitude

Write it down, whatever it is you’re grateful for. This act can be as spontaneous as keeping a notes page on your phone, or as ritualistic as recording 3 things you’re grateful for in a journal every morning. 

As simple as it seems, practicing gratitude daily helps improve the experience that is your very being. It projects our focus physically, biochemically, and mentally onto the GOOD - helping to lead your everyday life a little brighter. 

Reroute your 2020 and make this a year, a decade, and an entire livelihood builty around you. Let these subtle additions to your wellness routine guide you to a greater experience of health. PS- stay on the lookout for GOOD events hosted soon in a city near year to continue crafting a better version of yourself through greater health in the presence of others!

Written by Samantha Sette