The New Year’s day is a special one. When the ball drops at midnight, it is not just a cause of celebration. It is also a chance at fresh slate. It is a chance to start anew.
There is something vitalizing about making a New Year’s resolution. The “I can do it” or “This is my year” attitude fills us with optimism. We are all motivated to make the changes. Then slowly this optimism blends with our daily lives and slowly fades away. We give up on our new year's resolution.
There are a lot of self-help articles online that guide you on how to make your resolution last. Some say start with small and incremental steps. Some say make milestones to keep you on track. There is advice everywhere. Yet, they are not easy to sustain.
This is why we compiled a list of resolutions that are sustainable intrinsically.
The ideas listed are things you can do effortlessly or when you have your down time. The ideas are small, but have significant impact in our lives. The ideas are fun so it doesn’t feel like a task.
Write yourself a rainy day letter 
We have all heard the wonderful benefits of journaling. The practice however requires us to do it regularly to reap the actual benefits. It is difficult to build this discipline.
Lucky for us, there are still smaller and similar steps to help us through our good and bad days.
Whenever you have some time, and are in the mood, write yourself a rainy day letter. Include all the good things in your life. Things you are grateful for. Things that motivate you. Your purpose in life. Photos of happy moments.
When you are in a slump, or sad, or unmotivated - look at these rainy day letters to get you through.
The letters will fill you with some positive energy. At the same time, it also makes you more self reliant. Helps you take charge of your feelings without depending on someone else.
Start this new year with giving equal importance to your mental and physical health.
Work on your posture
Have you ever noticed why some older people appear bent and some straight?
Have you experienced lower back or neck pains even though you have good attendance in the gym?
Have you wondered why as you age, you start developing joint pains?
It all boils down to your posture. Regardless of your body type, you can work on a healthy posture that you'll be thankful you dedicated time to.
As young adults, most of us do not give importance to our posture until we really start experiencing some symptoms. But there is a reason why we are bombarded with correct posture tips and equipment and chairs and what not. So, when you think of perfect bodies - these are the ones that you actively work on, but also help maintain them in such state. And by perfect, we mean healthy, not fitting a specific number or size letter.
Believe it or not, a correct posture can help you with stress, concentration, blood flow, digestion, your fitness goal and avoiding joint problems, while at it. These are just some of the smaller everyday benefits. Read here to really understand the benefits of a good posture.
It is easy to just sit for long hours at our working desk or slouch on our sofas. You can do the same by adding a right compression garment while doing that. A good quality waist trainer for instance can restrict your incorrect movements. It will allow you to maintain a straight back effortlessly.
Start this new year by taking small steps that care of you in the future.
Stop eating before you are full
"Hara Hachi Bu" is a popular term in Japanese culture. It is a practice where one stops eating when they are 80% full. The aim is to feel satisfied and not full.
This is a very easy way to restrict your calories. It helps you avoid mindless eating. Instead of radical diets or skipping meals, this is a more sustainable and healthier alternative to a better health. Believe it or not, but done over a long period of time - it also helps maintain a slim waist, just by stopping at those 80% fullness.
There are two ways to ensure you follow this through. One, you can use smaller plates to make sure you serve yourself smaller portions. Secondly, you can start wearing shapewear. A slight compression helps you eat in adequate portions. Further, it helps you avoid overeating. So even if you cannot already practise Hara Hachi bu, you can at least start with avoiding more than you should, only by wearing the proper shapewear.
It is the opposite of the big meal pants.
Start this year by taking steps towards longevity.
Practise hygge
Hygge is one of those words that cannot be easily translated. It is a feeling of contentment or well-being when you practise the simpler things in life. It's one of those realistic goals that takes lower effort, yet with disproportional benefits for your wellbeing.
In our daily busy rut, we often miss out on stopping and appreciating the smaller things in life. A board game evening with your family, adding candles to change the weekday dinner vibe, a hot cocoa alone with a book, the smallest appreciation-worthy things in life. Start including more of these in your daily life.
Don't let this be a “weekend only” or “when I have free time” thing. Make an intentional effort to find ways to practise hygge in your daily life. When you find ways to include it in your monotony, it will not feel like an additional task that you need to do. Hygge fills your mind with the positive we all need to live a healthier life.
They say being happy requires effort. Hygge is a low-effort way to be really happy.
Start this year by taking control of your emotions.
Know what you don't know
Do you know Shapewear can actually help relieve Menstrual cramps?
Do you know if you use boiling water for your tea, you can destroy catechins (the health promoting compound in your tea)?
Do you know scrubbing your teeth aids abrasion and that you should only massage your teeth while brushing?
For our periods, we always just follow the generic advice we read online. In the world of electric kettle, we boil water until the machine stops and use overly hot water for our tea. As adults, we do not really go online and google how to brush your teeth.
Turns out, there are many everyday activities that we are ignorant about or doing incorrectly.
We need to stop running on autopilot and be more mindful about our daily life. We run a lot by using information easily provided to us through ads, social media, etc. For instance, In order to sell more of their product, a toothpaste company promoted that we need toothpaste the length of the bristles. In reality, we only need a pea-sized amount.
When you have some free time, use it to think about how you can do your basic activities better. Being more mindful will help you realise there is always some way to live a 1% better life with super tiny changes.
Start this year with more mindfulness.
Kick off the New Year right
These are all building blocks towards more discipline in your life. Towards a more content life. Towards a more self-controlled life.
Writing the rainy day letter will slowly turn into a more formal or regular journaling practice. Your old self will not be able to thank you enough for your correct posture during your youth. Eating in mindful portions will help you develop a better relationship with food. Hygge will help you realise abundance in your life. Knowing what you don't know will not only make you smarter, but also gain more control of your activities.
Start your new year with effortless and sustainable goals!
And a Happy New Year from all of us, here at Shapellex.
We believe in you (!)
