Setting Intentions for 2021
Wow… What a year 2020 has been… I gotta say i didn’t completely hate it as I managed to achieve a lot and I like being alone too so self isolation didn’t bother me all that much but my heart goes out to everyone who struggled, lost loved ones and is finding it difficult to move forward into this new year as I know it is a very difficult time.
We have just had our Chrissy and stepped into 2021 hopefully trusting that things will improve, I mean they can only go up from here right?! It’s time to reflect on what we have learnt in 2020, what we want to leave behind and the lessons and practices we want to bring with us.
Let’s begin with gratitude and appreciation for the relationships and opportunities that you had and made in 2020 and the lessons, achievements and ways in which you adapted. A lot of positive came out of a disaster of a year.
In stead of a new years resolution, I like to pick a word for myself that I use as an anchor to bring me back to focus on what I want to achieve for the year and the lesson I need to learn. This year I have chosen the word
SELF-COMPASSION.
I invite you all to try this out as it can really help to keep you on the right path, focused and inspired. I chose self-compassion as I can often be quite hard on myself and push myself too far with work and commitments to the point of burn-out. I am a YES person and I am now leaning in to feeling comfortable with saying no, listening to my body, being compassionate with myself when I reach my limits and making sure I keep up with my self-care.
Some of my practical tips to leaving behind 2020 and stepping fresh faced and inspired into 2021…
1. Journaling
Get yourself a gorgeous journal ( I love moon journals so I can live in accordance to the energies of the moon, planets and cosmos) and start to write daily these things
- what you’re grateful for
-what you love about yourself
-what you forgive yourself for
- what you forgive someone else for
-what you want to achieve today
-what you want to achieve this year
Add your own mindfulness messages in as well and keep in mind your word for the year. How will you keep yourself true to this word, how will you express this or show this to yourself? How can you be present with authenticity?
2. Drinking water
I know I harp on about this a lot haha but seriously… we cannot function without being hydrated. Our cells just don’t work properly! 2.5-3L per day please!
3. Regulating your blood sugar
After all the drinking and eating over Chrissy and New Year’s you may find yourself constantly hungry and craving sweets, salty carbs or alcohol. This is pretty normal as these are dopamine releasing and also wreak havoc on your blood glucose stabilisation. Be kind to yourself and make sure you’re having a big load of veg and a decent amount of good quality protein (about 1g of protein per kilo of body weight spread out across all meals) at each meal to help you feel satiated and in a good mood! Keep your drinking to 2 glasses max per night and have at least 3 nights alcohol free per week. It’s ok if you need to build up to this, better that than having a binge.
4. Movement
Try and do 30-60minutes of movement each day, a walk is awesome if this is all your able to do that day. Yoga, dance, a Pilates or gym sesh, these are all great options too. Exercise gets your blood moving, your endorphins pumping and your fat burning! It is also great to pair your meals with your workouts and exercise. Making sure you’re eating a small amount of carbs (a banana or 2 dates) before workouts and then having your meal straight after (within 20mins) will ensure peak performance, stamina, enjoyment and muscle recovery!
Of course if you want more detailed nutritional advice book in a consultation!
There you have it my top tips for starting off 2021 and getting back into the groove of things. Remember its totally fine to celebrate, relax and let go of your health goals for a little bit but always look after yourself. Ask yourself if this helping me or hindering me?
In health and love!
Lisa xo
