Ok, let’s have a quick show of hands… How many of you are still managing to make it to the gym five days a week? And what about your 15-minute morning meditation? And the 8 hours of shut-eye you had promised yourself each night?
If you’ve found yourself sheepishly counting back to the last time you dusted off your running trainers or did some deep breathing, don’t worry – Us too.
As our storm-plagued winter rages on and day-to-day life is as hectic as ever, it’s no surprise that some of our most well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions have begun to fall by the wayside.
In fact, 80% of New Year’s Resolutions have been said to fail by mid-February, leaving us disappointed, remorseful and downright demotivated – as if we needed more reasons to guilt-trip ourselves!
But don’t fear. February is also the perfect time to pick yourself back up – to regroup, reflect and refocus on your goals. With spring just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to inject a sprinkle of sunshine and a whole lot of optimism into your routine.
No better time than the present?
So, if those expensive bullet journals have been collecting more dust than to-do lists and your savings account is looking a little more budget than #balling, here’s exactly what you need to do to get re-energised for the coming year this February.
January always brings a chorus of ‘New year, new me’ mantras, and it’s easy to get drawn in by the allure of a fresh start. After all, we’ve all been there on January 1st – Whether we’re rushing out to buy a gym pass or deciding that this is the year we’re finally going to learn salsa!
But although we traditionally set New Year’s Resolutions in January, there could be a better way.
A growing number of people swear that February is the best month to start your resolutions – but for real, this time.
Lifestyle blogger and founder of One Good Thing, Jill Nystul, says that February is the perfect time to start your resolutions because you can take a whole month to reflect on what you want to happen that year (Not to mention gobbling up leftover Christmas treats before your health kick begins!)
What’s more, after the hustle, bustle and overindulgence of the festival period, it’s important to readjust and settle into your old routines before you start attempting radical lifestyle changes. You’re also far more likely to stick to your resolutions this way.
See? You didn’t fail your resolutions – you just happened to postpone them!
Pick your purpose
So, you’ve taken some time to gather your thoughts together. Now it’s time to figure out what you want (and, at the risk of sounding like the Spice Girls, what you really, really want!)
It’s all well and good settling on some resolutions – but why should you care? What will spur you on to put in the hours? How will you make them happen?
In short, you need to find your purpose. It may sound overwhelming, but it really is as simple as jotting down a list of things and values that are important to you.
Are family and friends your everything? Keep this in mind when you resolve to finally get organised this year – This’ll ensure that you free up time to spend with them.
Focused on career development in 2020? This should in turn motivate you to go for healthier, more nourishing choices in the supermarket aisles so that you can sustain that razor-sharp ambition and work ethic.
Concerned about your carbon footprint? Think hard about your ‘why’ as you commit to investing in sustainable fashion, for example.
(We’ll let you into a little secret… MYWALIT will soon be making it easier for fashionistas everywhere to go sustainable. Watch this space!)
Stay optimistic
In the wise words of poet Patience Strong, “In February, there is everything to hope for and nothing to regret.”
The key to successfully re-energising your New Year’s Resolutions is staying positive.
Slipped up on your healthy eating? Or maybe you’ve dropped the ball on your daily language-learning? Simply recognise this and move on! There’s no time to dwell on past mistakes if you want to make real progress this year.
Commit to swapping out all that negativity for a more optimistic mindset. Instead of thinking what went wrong, consider how you can learn from it – and how you’d do it differently next time.
Ready to re-start your resolutions this February!? Let us know what you’re committing to in the comments below!
