The end of the year is a natural time for reflection, recognizing that a new year is about to begin as this year ends. Reflection can be a doorway to wisdom and insights. It’s a springboard of hope to something bigger and better.
Rest for the mind
The hectic holidays may have left us feeling frazzled, tired and even exhausted, especially if 2017 was a busy year. Sleep alone is not enough to restore us from that fatigue. The brain needs rest and recovery just as the body needs to rest following a strenuous workout.
Taking time off from the constant streams of information and conversation coming from all directions can result in greater happiness and healthier bodies. If the brain does not have a chance to just chill, your mood, performance and wellness will suffer greatly. Let your mind wander or daydream.
Too much work, over scheduling and constant “go, go, go” thinking can bring mental confusion, forgetfulness and frustration. A 10-minute power nap really does wonders, as does a 10-minute mental time-out for simple mediation. Don’t know how to meditate? Just sit still and listen to your breathing or your own heart beating as a start. Pay some attention to yourself.
Trust your inner wisdom system
We all have a sense of right and wrong, of what is good for us and what is not. Listen to that inner voice more often. It can keep us out of trouble. Don’t overdo it with your exercise program and don’t neglect it, either. It works the same with watching our weight — don’t eat too much or diet in the extreme. Our inner voice reminds us to find that happy medium.
Get a game plan
Focus on your strengths, identify your stumbling blocks and put together a game plan just for you.
Have the courage to trust yourself. As you own your abilities, they grow and improve. Our creative energy flows best when we trust our inner voice.
Write out what you want and the simple steps to get to each goal. Check in on these goals and action plan periodically just to stay on point. Use this list as your compass for making decisions and your daily schedule.
Think staying power
Be present every day in 2018. Slow down and smell the roses, embracing every moment in the now. Force and aggression disrupt the inner peace and breaks creativity. Negative feelings impede the benefits of healthy exercise and good food.
Relax and cooperate with others and the world around you to make the most of your good choices.
Make 2018 a time of greater success by paying attention to the small details of your life. Wipe the slate clean and give yourself a fresh start.
Jennifer Closshey is a doctor of integrative health and a Plant City YMCA yoga instructor. JenniferClosshey@gmail.com.