Enter 2024 with purpose: How to replace your resolutions with real change
A New Year can bring with it the excitement of new beginnings. It’s a chance to start over and to be a better version of yourself. It’s also an opportunity to reflect, refocus and realign your priorities – but let’s stay away from resolutions, okay?
Most people default to setting New Year’s resolutions year after year. But a study from the UK found that almost two-thirds of the 180 participants abandoned their resolutions within the first month. Likewise, more than half of the subjects had made the same resolutions, or similar ones, the year before.
Let’s be honest – the study’s results aren’t exactly shocking. We’ve all been guilty of setting resolutions that we didn’t, well, resolve. That’s because, while New Year’s resolutions may be well intentioned, they’re just empty words when they have no action plan to support them.
By committing to unsustainable changes, we’re setting our future selves up for failure, rather than rewarding ourselves with a year of success.
So instead, let’s replace resolutions with the six Rs. Instead of a one-off resolution made in the heat of the moment that will simply serve as a reminder of everything you didn’t get done, it’s time to embrace a structured way of being that will enable you to truly alter and elevate your lifestyle.
1. Reflect
Find your why, before you can work towards your how. Before you take any steps towards your plans for the next year, we suggest you take some time to look inwards and reflect on the year that was.
Go on – put pen to paper and write your reflections down. Some prompts that might help you to get started are:
- What did I accomplish this year?
- What brought me the most happiness and peace this year?
- What were my main priorities this year?
- What challenged me the most this year?
- Who filled my cup this year?
- Where did I enjoy spending my time this year?
- When did I feel most satisfied with my life this year?
- When was I most proud of myself this year?
- Why did these things make 2023 great?
- What would I like to bring with me from 2023 into 2024, and what would I like to leave behind?
You should end up with quite a considerable list of observations. Use these answers to focus on what your uttermost inner being wants, and determine your purpose for 2024.
2. Recover
The end of year – and good old festive season burnout – can leave even the most energetic among us feeling drained. If that’s the case for you, you’re in no state to be making or sticking to commitments.
Both the heart and mind need to be rested and working in synchronisation in order for you to gain clarity on what your whole body wants – not just in the moment, but over the next 12 months.
What are some activities you like to do to help you wind down and recover? You might not even know what they are yet. Take some time to discover the blissful art of doing nothing, whatever that might look like to you.
When the madness of the year starts to wear down on your own resources, use this same method to replenish by pausing, taking stock and starting again.
3. Reset
We always have the option to set and reset our boundaries – but when we do this, there can be pushback, both internally and externally.
You need to shed old habits to become a better version of yourself. But soon enough, your brain will inevitably be begging to go back to its comfort zone.
Similarly, building up barriers can often leave those people stuck on the outside pounding on the walls, trying to get back in.
Whether it’s committing to not looking at your work emails after you sign off for the day, or distancing yourself from those who don’t uplift your life, a major reset can cause some major waves – but if you ride it out, we promise it will be worth it.
4. Recharge
We can’t help ourselves unless we make sure our own cup is full. So how are you going to charge your battery in 2024?
Will you schedule blocks of ‘you time’ in your calendar? Will you take holidays when you need them? Will you take up a stress-free hobby that enriches your life? Will you give yourself time that’s free of technology?
There are a range of ways that you can recharge, reground and reconnect with your inner world, and these will look different for everybody.
One way to recharge is to spend the holidays with us at Elysia Wellness Retreat. For the first time ever, Elysia will be open throughout Christmas. We will also be open exclusively to those with New Year bookings of 4, 7 or 11 nights between 27 December and 7 January. You can view our seasonal packages here.
5. Rituals
It never hurts to set yourself some rituals to get yourself into a positive routine – but don’t go overboard with it.
Start with three. These can be rituals you commit to following wholeheartedly all year long if you really want to. (Hey, that’s starting to sound like a resolution.) But they can also be rituals you focus on for a shorter period of time, like a week or a month, before selecting another three to work with. (Okay, that sounds better.)
Some ideas to get you thinking:
- Practise gratitude daily
- Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day (you can start this at a lower number and build yourself up over time)
- Practise affirmations every morning
- Do one thing just for yourself every day
- Drink 2-3 litres of water daily
- Practise active listening
- Journal for five minutes every day
- Practise good sleep hygiene
For more inspiration, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our Mindfulness Monday tips.
6. Reward
You’re putting in the hard work to create your dream life, so you should also be celebrating and rewarding yourself for the wins you achieve.
Positive reinforcement works for a reason, and that’s because when you reward yourself, your body releases dopamine, giving you a sense of pleasure. This creates a positive feedback loop within your brain, which will help to keep you motivated and productive.
This reward doesn’t have to be anything lavish. Even the smallest rewards, like listening to your favourite song, will have the same effect on your pleasure centre.
When you have this framework set up at the beginning of the year, you can fall back on consistency and routine when your motivation fails you.
That’s why it’s time to kick the resolution habit and embrace a more structured and less spur-of-the-moment approach to health and happiness in 2024.
