Happy New Year, Happy New You?
As January has drawn to a close and the festivities of December seem a distant memory, some of us will have come to the end of a New Year challenge - Dry January, Veganuary, No-sugar-anuary etc. Some of us may have taken on such challenges and failed at the first whiff of a social event, and some of us may not have felt the need to participate at all, but for others the pressure to ‘transform’ in the New Year and become the ‘New You’ can be stressful and overwhelming.
There is no denying that abstaining from certain sins for a month can be beneficial for both body and mind with lots of people experiencing huge benefits by taking up the challenges – according to Alcohol Change UK two-thirds of people who enter into Dry January are successful, and 70% of those continue to drink less throughout the year. But what if we already looked after ourselves? Wouldn’t it be nice to ignore the stream of posts about ‘getting better’ and instead feel 100% happy through January and beyond?
A holistic approach to wellness and lifestyle could be a far more effective way to be happier without the need for dramatic transformations or mass removals of things you enjoy. Reassessing your nutritional intake, exercise regime and self-care are positive ways to build a sustainable and realistic plan. The first step to change could be to prepare yourself mentally and whilst many of us know the huge benefits of talking therapy, there are still some stigmas attached that prevent some us taking the leap. Talking to a professional can help relinquish bad habits, build self-confidence and restore mental well-being – all the skills needed to tweak your behaviour to improve your mood, wellness and body.
The benefits of counselling are unquestionable. Talking to an unbiased, non-judgemental professional can guide you through your issues and help you understand why you want to make changes and how to implement them in your life on your terms. Anyone who has been through addiction will testify that you have to be mentally prepared to take on the challenge and sometimes that means talking through past events and feelings. If ready, lifestyle changes such as reducing alcohol intake, stopping smoking or eating healthier can be simple and rewarding.
Once you have identified parts of your life that you want to improve in a positive way, you may find that small changes are easier to maintain. Seeking advice from a nutritional therapist, finally making that physio appointment, or booking a course of acupuncture treatments will put you ahead of the game – professional advice is easily accessible and many find a holistic approach key to sustainable change.
In short, change your habits, strive to be better – but make sure you are ready to take on the challenge. Next year you can smugly over-indulge and then head into January without guilt and regret – just being you.
Our collective of experienced, professional therapists offer a wide range of treatments and support that may help you on your journey – contact them for more information on what they can do for you.