How to create a better alternative to New Year's resolutions

Gosh it's been a while since I wrote last.  How are you?
Here we are in Guernsey in a 2nd sudden lockdown after months of freedom.

It's caused me to jump onto facebook and do a 'live' each day so I thought I'd also write to you and share some of what I've been talking about to help you navigate this New Year.

January is the time of year we start New Year's resolutions but did you know that most of us have given up by mid-February!

No surprise really, people set themselves short-term unrealistic goals and if you know me by now, I'm a long-term sustainable kinda girl which means gently, gently..lets do this in a way that's really gonna work and survive curve-balls like pandemics and family crises.

 Remember this is the toughest time of the year for 2 reasons:

 1.  Unless we've done some reflection over Xmas, we're still reeling from the year before - what's gone right, what hasn't and are we going to survive the shenanigans of 2020 and beyond?

2.  It's Winter - there's a lack of natural light, we break more natural laws than any other time of the year, getting up before it's light and eating after dark plus our lymph ( part of our cleansing system) is naturally thicker which means if we're stressed, not eating well and dehydrated, we're more susceptible to infections of one kind or another.  
Plus we tend to drink more tea and coffee (dehydrating as they're diuretic) and less water, comfort eat more and perhaps drink more alcohol ( certainly round Xmas activities) leaving us more than a little depleted, hence more illness in the New Year.

 A recipe for disaster right!!

Yep!!

Ok so here's what I suggest:

A)  Start by thinking through any changes you want to make in terms of the bigger picture.  
For eg;  you want to lose weight.  Ask yourself why?  What will it give you?  
Who will you become when you've lost this weight?  Will you feel more confident?  Does that mean you'll get on the dating scene, or try for that job promotion or wear a bikini on an exotic holiday?

Or do you want to be fitter?  What will that give you?  More energy?  Does that mean you'll plan an exciting active holiday adventure?  Or have more energy to hang out with your grandchildren?  Or maybe you'll sign up for that course you've wanted to do for ages so you can start your own business?

 Allow yourself to dream. 

We adults never allow ourselves to dream and we never give ourselves enough time to make our dreams come true.  We let the voice of reason and resistance and fear take over as soon as we start to imagine ourselves in a loving relationship or pursuing a different career or living happily ever after (whatever that entails).
 

 You have a right to a beautiful life. 

Make no mistake about it.  No, it's not plain sailing, I hear you.  The voices inside our head remind us of this on a regular basis but it's we who hold ourselves back.  It's we who tell ourselves we're not good enough or deserving enough.  

Not in so many words of course.  Our inner critic is very clever that way - disguising these feelings as fear and guilt etc.

We don't need to make dramatic changes if they're scary but we can acknowledge what we want, sit with them and consider what needs to happen to get us there.  

Then make small step by step consistent changes each and every day towards that endeavour knowing in the back of our mind, there's a bigger reason we're doing this than just losing weight - we wanna feel good and make our dreams come true, make our lives work for us not the other way round.

B)  Why not give yourself 6 months, 12 months or 18 months to pursue your goal of feeling happy, healthy and inspired or whatever it is.

 It's probably taken years to get to the place you're at now where you're unhappy with your weight, tired and unmotivated or weighed down with aches and pains.

 It won't take as long to resolve but give yourself some time.  Some weeks you may not see weight loss but if you've a long-term approach, you will.  

It means you can do my 80/20 approach to include your favourite foods - slower but sustainable.

Want to hear more and on facebook?  Pop over to @myfullernutrition and watch this week's facebook videos.

Sending you much love and get in touch if you're ready to make a plan that works for you (and do the deep dive emotionally, mentally and physically) that isn't onerous and misery-making but inspires and excites you.  

This is how my clients feel when they get off their free 30 minute discovery call.  
With that kind of positivity, you can't fail and this is how creating healthy habits should feel - fun, possible and satisfying as each week you get closer to your goal.  

And slip-ups are allowed - they're part of the journey.

Lets do this!

Lets make your dreams come true - make your life the way you want it.  

Contact me here or reply to this email.

Big hug

Sophie xox