You may be contemplating what your new year's resolutions should be, or perhaps you have already made a list and bought that one year membership to the gym and vowed to run the treadmill and kick start your new year with a fitness blast!
New Year resolutions are a tricky one for me, mostly because by February I have forgotten them, but also resolutions for a whole year all seem a bit too daunting. So I have been thinking of some ways that I can ease myself into the New Year and bring a bit of Zen into my 2013.
Here are my 5 ways to relax into the New Year (maybe they are New Year's resolutions in disguise…oh well)!
1) Take time out daily to do deep breathing and meditation. I have only just started doing this and it's great if you suffer with depression/ anxiety and stress. It takes practice to calm the mind and bring it to stillness. Yoga is also great for meditation and controlling the breath. If you're busy all day with work, kids and just day to day stresses, it's really important to have that 'you' time and relax.
2) I am going to try to reduce my caffeine intake. I absolutely love coffee, the smell of it and frequenting my local café for my morning coffee has become almost a ritual. This one is going to be hard to put into practice! I have started replacing caffeinated drinks with herbal teas. (This is going to be tough- I'm English and I usually have four cups of tea a day)!
3) Not worry so much. Now this is a really important one- learning to let go of anxieties and day to day stresses. I'm trying to practice mindfulness and 'being in the moment.' I'm not quite there yet- I'm usually thinking about what I'm going to be doing tomorrow, next week, or in a few hours! Easier said than done but I'm giving it a go.
4) Take each day as it comes- take time out to appreciate the small things in life. Summers here, the birds are singing and the flowers are in full bloom and the sun shines gloriously on this city (at least some of the time)!
5) Marvel, explore, throw caution to the wind and face my fears. Ok this is rather a broad area that encompasses many things but the general idea is to do something that will really challenge me, try new activities, and visit new places. I have been thinking of attempting a bungee jump for quite some time now, even thinking about it makes my stomach feel queasy. Admittedly this isn't a relaxing activity or very 'Zen' but maybe some adrenaline boosting activities will balance out all the meditation and work wonders! Being fairly new to Auckland I'm going make every effort to explore my local neighbourhood. The new cookie and milk bar called 'Moustache' just down the road looks very tempting and definitely needs exploring!
Whatever your New Year's resolutions, whether they be chilled or not - make it a good one - one to remember!
Submitted by Sara Akkad