Greetings! Happy Happy New Year! I am so grateful to have made it to another year and I am glad you made it too. I'm sending you all my love and well wishes as you go through this New Year. Last year was quite eventful and most definitely took a toll on our health in a number of ways.
With anything new comes the need for a fresh start and some level of improvement. Whenever there is a new year we tend to see a lot of new year's resolutions coming up. People want to strengthen their connection with God, be more intentional with their finances, exercise more etc. While I don't personally subscribe to the practice of making new year's resolution I can certainly understand the allure towards change that a new year awakens. There is a certain air of a second chance that accompanies a new day, new week or even new year. So don't be discouraged, if new year's resolutions are your vibe I definitely encourage it. Each year I create a list of goals in different areas of my life that I want to accomplish. Sometimes I write lists. Last year I created a digital vision board that I kept on my laptop screen so I could see it everyday. It was lovely and aesthetically pleasing. I accomplished some things and the rest I am carrying over to this year to continue working on. My point is give yourself some grace as you make your way through your goals this year and onward.
Today I want to talk about health goals. Every new year people create health goals. Majority of the time they get swept up in the New Year's latest diet craze, they start a gym membership, they cut out all the carbs and then two weeks later they quit. In this blogpost I'd like to share some tips on how to make sustainable health goals that encourage you to be compassionate with yourself and are less stressful. Before we go any further I'd like to announce that THHN's theme for this year is "SUSTAINABILITY". This year on the blog we will be exploring sustainability in every aspect of the word.
To begin with the tips for creating sustainable health goals let's define sustainable. Sustainable means to be maintained long term. When it comes to creating health goals sustainability is key. You want to set goals that can be maintained long term, not goals that are prone to an end date. With this in mind let's talk about how we can create holistic health goals that are fulfilling and sustainable.
Areas to nurture for sustainable holistic health:
Physical- Food, Rest, Physical Activity
One of the things people generally say when they want to embark on a health journey is, they want to "eat better". Typically this translates to going on a diet and eliminating certain foods. Friends, you don't have to do that. I recommend focusing on what you can add and approaching foods with a sense of curiosity. Instead of "stop eating____" try "Add one new vegetable each week" or "try one new recipe per month". In addition to focusing on adding instead of elimination, try exploring intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is a framework of ten principles to help you create a healthy relationship with food. I have written a blogpost that talks about intuitive eating. Click here for a blogpost on breaking the chains of diet culture.
Instead of jumping into a strenuous workout routine, take some time to explore different forms of physical activity. Once you find different kinds of movement that you enjoy, you'll find that you will be able to stick to consistent movement. Some examples to get you started is dancing, walking, hiking, running, resistance training, yoga, jumping rope etc. You can create a schedule for when you would like to engage in movement. Be sure to schedule it at a time that is feasible for you and fits seamlessly in your routine. Focus more on how you feel instead of the number on the scale. I know that weightloss feels like the absolute meter for how healthy you are but it is not. It is normal to want to lose weight. Our culture makes it impossible to take care of our health without lingering thoughts of adjusting our body's appearance. However, focusing on this will make it hard to enjoy a sustainable health journey and will remove the joy from the experience. Focus on how you feel. You may lose weight and you may not, both of these are okay. Focus on things like:
- Are you sleeping better at night?
- Does your body feel more open and less tense?
- Do you feel clear mentally?
- Is your focus and concentration better?
- Is your endurance getting better?
- Do you feel happier?
- Are you able to relate to people better?
Don't forget to have rest days. You do not have to workout everyday. Your body needs time to rest and recover between sessions.
Another thing to consider when taking care of your physical health is rest. We usually only consider food and exercise when we think about health and that in itself is not sustainable because the other parts of our being get neglected. In addition to taking care of yourself through food, taking care of yourself through rest is necessary.
- Take naps during your day
- Create a night routine that you enjoy
- Take the hour before your bedtime to unplug and relax so that your transition from awake to sleep goes smoothly.
- Try to reduce your screen time: You can start small, maybe in 15min increments until you've reached a healthy balance.
- Fight the guilt that says you shouldn't be resting. Your rest is important.
Check out our blogpost on sleep here.
Spiritual- Your Relationship with God
Nourishing our spirit is also an important part of overall health. Feeling connected to God and your purpose is an integral part of the human experience. For me, my devotional life is an important part of my daily routine. I have definitely had days where my consistency with this falls off. This is where grace comes in. Instead of beating myself up I just pick myself up and get back into it. A relationship with God is one that encourages forgiveness, grace and empowerment. He doesn't throw us aside when we fail or show signs of imperfection. Instead, he opens his arms ready to receive us and empowers us to live lives that please him. I find comfort in this and always remind myself of how much he loves me and it empowers me to show up for him. He knows we aren't perfect, but he loves us regardless and that is beautiful. I feel the most fulfilled and connected to my purpose when I include God in my days. One way I do this is by engaging with him in the mornings (devotions). I spend time in the word, prayer and dancing and music.
Prayer is very helpful as we deal with human experiences. Things that bring us joy, peace,
anger, hurt can all be brought to him because he welcomes it and cares for us. If you are not in relationship with him, know that he loves you and welcomes you whenever you are ready to come to him. He is not a scary and mean God, he is loving and kind and caring.
- Ask for prayer
- Find creative ways to connect with God, it doesn't have to be the same everyday. You can connect with him outside, through your time of joyful movement, through art. Keep it fresh :)
Mental- Therapy/counseling, Prayer, Journaling, relationships, emotional support
Lastly, taking care of our mental health is also a necessity, especially in today's world. If you can afford to, I encourage seeking out a therapist and go to therapy. You don't have to already be in a crisis to engage in therapy. Therapy helps us navigate our feelings and emotions both good and bad and also provides tools to help us engage in healthy interactions. Another helpful tool is journaling. Get a notebook and make time, however often, to sit and write. Sometimes writing down our thoughts can be a helpful way to clear our minds. You can search writing prompts online if you need a little guidance. I also share writing prompts from time to time on our instagram stories @theholistichealthnut. Emotional support from loved ones is also a key determinant of health. While it is currently hard to physically engage with loved ones because of the pandemic we can still make due with what we have by engaging with each other through technology and small gatherings.
It is natural to want to take care of our health so that we can function at our best for ourselves, loved ones and all of our endeavors. I encourage you to remember the words holistic and sustainable whenever you think of health. Health is not about a quick fix or the latest dieting trend. It is about engaging in practices that make you feel good and can be sustained long term. I hope this blogpost was helpful to you. If it was be sure to send it to a friend and subscribe if you haven't already. We love having our community grow. Happy New Year and I love you.
Wishing you sustainable Holistic Health for 2021 and beyond,
Kaydine <3
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