Every new year people want to eat healthier, work out more and be a better version than themselves. I stopped having new years resolutions just because I knew I couldn't do them more than a few months (or only weeks?). And I belive, if you want to change, start now!
But after listening at a podcast about human health and psyche in daily life (it's a well known norwegian doctor and psycholog having the podcast), I may just realize a few things about my life and how to succeed with my goals.
I have always been a overthinker,
and I always try to not to be one because I get so stressed and my energy get easier drained. And stress doesn't bring any good health either in the long run. I eat more bad food (but this also comes from bad planning), have more bad thoughts and stress also makes my mood really bad. This is just a few things that can result if I live a stressed life for a longer periods. Can you relate?
In that podcast, "God Bedring" (eng: get well), I learned maybe the one most important thing I have learned to actually succeed with a New year
resolution, or goals in life: Make your goal as little and as easy as possible. Don't say you are going to work out three times in a week, make your goal one time a week. Because if your goal is to work out three times a week, and you can't do it, that is the best recipe for failure. You will feel bad, and you may feel that you are a big failure and stop work out and go back to bad habits. There have been studies on this. Those who have the lowest goals, actually work out more than the small goal, and make it a good normal habit and feel better about themselves! It's seems very logic too, and it's better to succeed with working out once a week, than none. People have so much stress and things they (feel) they have to do every day, and that may feel like a huge pressure. And if you makes a lot of other things you (feel) you have to do, then it's becoming more bad stress than happy moments in your daily life.
My mom always told me "Just try for 10 minutes", and that have always been a good motivation for me, because I almost every time end up working out for an hour.
But back to my life of a overthinker.
Since I have tried for a long time not being one, I haven't succeed in overthink a little bit less either. I go to bed late, I'm more irritated in daily life, and high shoulders is normal for me. I have meditation techniques before I go to sleep and that help most times, but I want to do something more. Good sleep hygiene is so important to not get a stressed life too, and I know this is the hardest one to change. I try to go to bed one hour earlier, and I have actually done it the last few weeks.
But I started with buying a book, Tenk Enkelt (eng: Think Easiely) by Carina Poulsen.
It have actually helped me see the most important things in life, and explaining me a lot about how our brain works with all the amount of distractions and choices in our daily life.
I read in it one hour before I went to bed, didn't use my phone or looking at tv, and I have started to fall asleep easier and faster. But I don't stress it if I don't do it one time or two, it's just life.
My goal is to think less (bad thoughts), and hopefully it will result in more energy and a happier life.
I have never been that much ready to become more calm and actually live a better energetic life. But also not expect much too. What I never learned in school is: It's not important to get a top grade every time. But just going from a D to C, you have improved your skills and become better!
I have until now actually stressed less,
and thinking "less". Seeing the meaning and value of life, and don't think about things I can't control. It's so easy to say it, but by reading this book, I understand how I can do it. It doesn't look like it's translated to english, and that is sad, because I really recommend it. And by stressing less I have actually change my diet to the better, and my lust for chocolate have just disappeard. And it's not hard at all. Just because I don't have high goals and don't try to control everything. It's a lot to learn in every choice and thought you think.
The reason why I want the change now is that I'm turning 30 years old this year, my health have become more important to me and I think a lot can change to the better by change the thoughts.
I also going to read a book who is called "Maybe you are healthy?" by the same doctor that are on the podcast "Get Well".
But what's works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you!