A Slow Start to the New Year
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday break! I really enjoyed mine. Marcus and I went to New York City for a few days. I always love going back to the city to visit, so the trip was really fun, even though Marcus caught the flu and spent a portion of it recovering. We celebrated Christmas at my sister Tara’s house with her family and my parents. It was so nice and refreshing to spend time with my family. We had such a great time.
If you read one of my previous posts, where I answered some questions about co-parenting and being a bonus mom, you know we have holiday arrangements for MJ, my bonus son. He spent Christmas with his mom and then celebrated the New Year with us. My father-in-law also came into town to hang out (MJ LOVES spending time with his grandpa), and we just relaxed. The older I get, the more I appreciate being able to do things without considering an agenda, like sleeping in, going for long walks, sunbathing in the backyard, reading, and going out for meals. These are all things I love doing but rarely get to do with how busy life gets.
I’ve shifted my approach towards the new year in the last three years. Instead of psyching myself out with lists of things I need to check off a list, I’ve been ringing the new year in at a slower pace and with a sense of ease. I’ll admit that society and social media pressure me to come up with major goals before midnight on NYE. By the time January first comes around, most of us are feeling burnt out from the previous year and aren’t in the headspace to make extreme commitments. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holiday season, and it’s my favorite time of the year, but it’s also such a busy time in my professional and work life that I just want to chill.
I recently saw a post on Instagram that resonated with me. It said, “January can be a month of rest and reflection instead of resolutions. Look around you; we’re in the thick of winter, and everything else comes back to life in the spring. We don’t need to rush into the new year. We can get to spring gently.”
This was the first time I had ever seen someone express what I had been feeling over the last few years. Instead of feeling guilty over not sharing a vision board or a list of ins and outs, I felt relief after reading that. It’s a great reminder that rest is both okay and needed. I can’t pour into my goals from an empty cup, and I certainly don’t want to start the year at max capacity.
That said, I’m not implying that you shouldn’t set goals each year. I love setting and accomplishing my goals. But my point is that we don’t have to let social media pressure us into doing things before we’re ready. Goals are personal and special. They should be set on your terms at your own time. So, after taking some time to unwind, Marcus and I are going to write our goals for the year sometime this week—both our individual goals and our family goals.
One of my personal favorite goals to set are fitness goals. You guys know I’m passionate about my health, and I genuinely enjoy moving my body. It makes me feel happier and energetic. Overall it makes me feel really good. I’ll be focusing on that this year again, so I thought it would be helpful for me to share some tips with you all.
Be clear about your WHY.
Fitness, wellness, health, or whatever else you want to call it, is very personal. For example, I mentioned I enjoy working out, which makes me happy, but I also work out to stay toned and in shape. Working out also affects my mental health. It helps relieve me of anxiety and lack of motivation in other areas of my life. Working out alone gives me a huge sense of accomplishment that impacts most things I end up doing the rest of the day.
Start with realistic goals.
This is important. A lot of times, we set ourselves up for failure, which then discourages us from seeing our goals through for more than a week or two. You may tell yourself you want to start working out five days a week. But that can be hard if you haven’t worked out in months. You end up not meeting those expectations you’ve set for yourself and then disappointing yourself. No one needs to start the year in a shame spiral. Start with two or three days a week and increase your workouts as you feel yourself becoming stronger.
Consistency is key.
With the proper discipline and commitment, working out can become a great habit. The more you do it, the easier it gets. By that, I mean the easier it gets to show up. Some workouts are challenging, no matter how many times a week you work out. I know this to be true for myself, and I’ve heard a lot of people say this too. The hardest part of working out is getting through the mental battle of getting up to do it when you can easily find something else to do. Sometimes I really do want to sit on my couch and scroll aimlessly through social media or sleep in an extra hour, but I know once I’m working out, I feel happier. I’ve never regretted a workout, but I can absolutely recall all of the times I regret not working out.
This one will seem more superficial, but I promise it helps. Buy yourself some cute workout clothes.
Shameless plug: I just launched some new activewear over at Gorjessfit. I worked really hard on this new collection because I know I get a little extra pep in my step when I feel good in my workout gear.
Gorjessfit leggings are high-waisted, so they cinch at your waist, and you don’t have to worry about them being see-through when you bend down or squat. They also have v-cut stitching in the back, which makes for a super flattering silhouette. You can pair them with the new supportive halter sports bra and sculpting zip-up. You’ll need that last one if you’re in LA right now. What is going on with this weather?!
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Thanks for reading!
