2020: The HEALTHIEST thing you can do for yourself this new year
Knowing how busy the end of the year is, I’m going to keep this note short and sweet.
However, do not mistake its brevity as unimportance!
This may just be the most important note I have written all year ;)
Here is what I want to share with you that I would truly love for you to take to heart:
No matter how much traditional health stuff you DO for your health –from clean eating to exercising– it doesn’t make up for a life lived in chronic stress, sleep deprivation, and unhappiness.
I have found over the years that sometimes even the pursuit of health can become a source of stress.
“Oh no, I ate too much sugar/ greasy food. My health will deteriorate.”
“Oh no, I haven’t been to the gym in weeks. I feel so guilty and gross.”
I am not saying that healthy food and movement aren’t important.
In fact, you know that I believe in both of these aspects of life as a fundamental cornerstone of health.
BUT, what I am saying and what I really want to bring close to your heart today –as a New Year and a fresh start are at our fingertips– is that if you DO all the things “healthy people” on instagram preach, but you are running around crazy stressed, overbooked, feeling guilty and unsatisfied with the life you have, you may have to refocus your attention on a different part of your health and life, namely and most prominently:
your relationship with yourself: Do you like who you are?
your relationship with others: Do your friendships (and marriage) nurture you?
your commitments and schedule: Are you always running or is there space for you to just BE?
your sleep: Are you resting enough and getting good quality sleep?
your life: Do you like it? Is it the life you want? Are you happy?
Sometimes the key to MORE is actually LESS.
Doing less.
Having less commitments.
Having less things that clutter your home.
Focusing on quality not quantity.
I am well aware of the pressure in our society to “do it ALL.” I feel that pressure as well and it is only through constant remembering and active revisitation of the order of my life and my feelings about who I am and the life that I am creating that I am able to re-align and rework how I do things.
It is not easy, but, trust me when I tell you that if you can create an awareness for your own life, your own needs and create the space for you to step out of the constant rush and stress epidemic, you will see 100% more clearly and can align yourself in a way that sets the foundation for true health AND happiness to flourish.
Plus, let’s be honest, isn’t it so much easier to exercise and eat heathy AND enjoy it all when you are not sprinting to the gym or battling cravings induced by stress 24/7?
Let’s start 2020 on a different, more intuitive, and deeply nourishing foot, shall we?!
I hope you’re with me.
Love & happy New Year!
Caroline
