Start the year by filling your cup

The start of a year can be a difficult time for some. As we ease into the new year, there is an unwritten expectation that the new year comes with pressure to create new goals and an expectation to reinvent of ourselves. We’re here to tell you it doesn’t have to be this way.

Although the new year provides a consistent mark in time that some people find as a useful period to reflect and set goals, it doesn’t have to be as scary as many make it out to be. After all, we’re all about doing things to fill your cup, not deplete it, so here are a few tips to help combat the stress the new year often brings on.

Focus on carving out time for you.

Do you ever finish up the year feeling like you could have spent more time to yourself? Why not set aside time each week specifically for you? Whether that’s going for a walk, reading a book, journaling, listening to your favourite podcast or simply indulging in your favourite new series. Make you time non-negotiable and we can recommend, it’s better when it involves a cuppa! Setting your boundaries is a good way to ensure you get time to yourself, which is funnily enough our next tip.

Set your boundaries for the year. Let’s be clear, this isn’t about setting your goals.

Boundaries are important in helping to identify what is acceptable and unacceptable in relationships. Whether that’s with family, friends or in a professional setting. If you’re looking to set and maintain boundaries, here are a few tips. Think about why you want to put boundaries in place. Is this to spend more time with family, or to create more time for yourself? You can start by just implementing a few new boundaries, learn to be consistent with these, then add more as you get comfortable adhering to them. If you’re boundaries are crossed, communicate this, but make sure that you’re always applying perspective. Boundaries can be flexible if you know your limits and what you’re willing to put up with. See your new boundaries help you in fostering healthier relationships not just with others, but also with yourself.

Get more zZzzz, sleep can be more helpful than you know.

Alongside eating a nutrient dense diet and exercising, sleep plays an essential role in our mood and how we function day to day. According to Beyond Blue, 4 in 10 Aussies don’t get enough sleep, that’s a lot of moody people! Although we can’t tell you what the perfect number is for hours of sleep, what we do know, is that it is recommended that most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to function optimally. You’ll be able to reap the benefits of feeling more energised, more alert and your immune system will also thank you for it.

Just three things to remember; time for you, boundaries and priorities sleep. Hopefully, these tips will help you kickstart your year with ease and allow you to focus on the things that will lift your mood and therefore the mood around you.

MOOD x