Kicking off the new year can be both exciting and intimidating, depending on what you have going on for you. It can be considered a fresh start, a chance to set goals and intentions, or a continuation of things impacting your mental health and well-being that feel out of your control. Here’s to a fresh start to self-care!
So much of the new year surrounds the “new me!” mindset, which I personally do not consider to be healthy. I am all about a reset and refresh, but I do not like the connotation that people need to change who they are to create and conquer goals, and in particular, have to wait until January 1st to do so.
I’d like to share some of my personal self-care awareness strategies that I use to start off a new year that can help with the pressure of needing to make lofty, unrealistic, and unhelpful changes.
Reflect with compassion
Things may have not played out the way you wanted them to last year. Find a way to learn from the lessons instead of being hard on yourself
A healthy routine takes time to implement
Regardless of what your goals or intentions are for the upcoming year, understand that it will take time to create new habits and routines
Balance is key
There is no need to change everything. Find a way to create balance so you do not have an “all or nothing” mentality going into creating new habits
Winter is for rest and rejuvenation
Days are shorter and darker, it is cold, and we are human. Rest and relaxation is a natural part of the winter season – remember that!
Be kind to yourself!
Above all, be kind to yourself and create new habits out of care for yourself and your overall well-being.
Take care,