A lot of us desire to incorporate greater mindfulness into our life. We want to be more attentive to each passing moment, and more diligent about self-care. The problem is, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, forging mindful practices can be difficult.
There’s no time like the new year to be truly intentional about forming new habits. As we reach the end of the year, a season often devoted to self-reflection, consider some simple ways to ring in the new year more mindfully. We’ll offer just a few suggestions.
6 Ways to Practice Mindfulness at the Outset of a New Year
1) Reflect on the previous year.
As you set goals for the future, it’s always smart to reflect on the past. This doesn’t mean wallowing in what you perceive to be your shortcomings or your mistakes. It simply means taking clear-eyed, honest stock of where you are in your life.
As you reflect on the previous year, ask yourself questions like:
- What are some of your greatest strengths?
- What are some areas where you’d like to improve?
- What triggers your stress?
- What are some new habits you’d like to form?
- What are some things you can celebrate from the previous year?
2) Celebrate improvements.
Nobody expects you to achieve all of your goals, or to suddenly develop a robust practice of mindfulness, overnight. Such lofty expectations can be crushing.
Instead of setting yourself against such a high standard, develop a routine of celebrating little victories and incremental improvements. As you reflect on the previous year, try to find even small ways in which you have moved closer to your goals, or in which you’ve broken unhealthy habits. Write them down; celebrate what you’ve achieved, perhaps even speaking affirmations to yourself out loud.
3) Find a support team.
Developing new habits is hard, but it’s way harder when you try to do it alone.
As you think about adopting a more mindful approach to the coming year, get some people in your corner who can support you and hold you accountable. Find a small group of close friends who will encourage you while also pushing you, non-judgmentally. Share your goals with them and ask if you can return the favor by holding them accountable for their personal goals.
4) Do some decluttering.
Another important way to move ahead with your mindfulness goals? Declutter your area. Take some time over the holidays to remove some of the distracting items that you’ve allowed to accumulate. Create a useful, accessible area for yourself, an environment in which you can pursue mindfulness without being encumbered by physical messiness or chaos.
Remember, messiness can tire out your brain and sap your creativity. As you pursue a goal of greater mindfulness, decluttering is an important way to position yourself for success.
5) Get more sleep.
At the outset of a new year, we all want to develop healthier habits and routines, whether that means eating better or going to the gym every day. Such habits are noble, and often achievable.
At the same time, though, it may be wise to start with something even simpler, and even more foundational to personal wellbeing: Simply resolve to get more sleep each night. Prioritize rest, perhaps by developing a bedtime meditation routine or by investing in some relaxing CBD.
Prioritizing sleep is another important way to position yourself for success in the new year.
6) Schedule self-care.
Before you plunge head-first into the busyness of a new year, section off some times for self-care. Put them on your calendar, and then keep those appointments! This could be as simple as blocking off an evening each week to just be home and enjoy a soothing soak in the tub; or a PTO day you take each month to go to the spa or simply sit on your back porch with a good book.
Resolve to Be More Mindful
There are plenty of tiny steps you can take toward a more mindful, intentional life. As we hit the end of the year, think about some resolutions you can make. And if we can help, reach out to Asé Pure Naturals directly.
