Healthy Habits to Practice in 2020 and Beyond

New Year’s Resolutions revamped and how to start the decade off right …

Words: Charlotte Rollin

Image: @hellosunshine

As Instagram Stories are taken over by 2019 highlights reels and you’ve just about worked your way through all the remaining festive chocolate in your cupboards, it’s safe to say that the New Year is approaching and with that, comes the dreaded resolution small talk from extended family and Barbara in the hairdressers.

In recent years- through the wonderful help of social media and the advice of wise and incredible women online no less- we’ve learnt so much about ditching the traditional resolutions that may normally be swirling through your mind at this time of year and instead have welcomed a less pressured approach that focuses on realistic changes that will really make your heart sing. None of this ‘drink more water’ malarkey (because who ever manages to keep that up?!) or vowing to read more books whilst still doing an hourly scroll of Insta before bed, no no, these days we’re all about reserving our precious intentions for things that are sure to be 1) upheld and 2) helpful to us in our everyday. And whilst resolutions or promises for the new year are inherently personal things, we’ve put together some suggestions of healthy habits that might speak to you if you’re looking to self-improve but have no idea where to begin. So, we’re cheersing (with prosecco or pink lemonade in hand) to a New Year that focuses on positive and realistic changes that lead you on the path to a happier, more mindful and content year!

Quit negative self-talk/ditch your self-deprecating internal monologue

This may be easier said than done, but counteracting toxic self-talk and the automatic self-deprecating thoughts that naturally come to mind if you’ve been living in a negative headspace for a while is one of the most beneficial steps you can take towards a world in which kindness towards yourself comes more easily. Living in a world so wholly infiltrated with messages about physical self improvement (sorry beauty industry but we’re looking at you) it can be hard to imagine possessing a positive internal monologue about yourself- especially when you throw our good friend insecurity into the mix. Even taking the somewhat small steps of acknowledging a negative thought about yourself or your abilities and countering it with something more productive and positive leads you on the path to challenging the script and achieving a more neutral stance on the things you normally give yourself such a hard time for.

Introduce gratitude into your everyday

This is one that we’re sure you’ve heard again and again online in 2019, but gratitude is seriously cool! It can be all too easy to get wrapped up in the small inconveniences that life throws our way without being thankful or acknowledging when things do go our way. Whether it means keeping a gratitude journal, noting down any positive achievements or good luck that comes your way or simply taking extra time in your day to channel a mantra that is more positive, this combination of gratitude focused changes might just help the negatives feel more manageable.

Say goodbye to diet culture and the emphasis on appearance based validation

Dieting, WHO? We would like to preface this next point by emphasising that we 100% believe in bodily autonomy and the importance of making decisions for your health (mentally and physically) that have your best interests at heart fully. But in a world so truly occupied by the notion that thinner = better, we’re going into the next decade leaving these ableist and discriminatory views behind. Diet culture is lives on so prevalently because companies across the world profit from the weight based insecurity may of us have, but the new decade signifies an opportunity to turn over a new leaf in creating a more positive relationship with your body- and that means leaving diet culture behind. Unfollow the people that encourage exercise as a reaction to food, remove the narrative that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods exist, eat based on what you truly want and not what you think society expects of you, and start the path to making peace with food and the amazing opportunities and happiness freedom in eating can bring.

Detach your self-worth from productivity

Are you the sort of person that rewards a ‘productive’ day with your favourite meal, or only permits watching a new episode of your current binge-worthy show when you feel you ‘deserve’ it? Not any more! Intertwining basic self-care such as enjoying food you love, socialising with friends or the need for down time with the intangible nature of productivity can be a toxic one to say the least. Oftentimes our productivity can be out of our control, with external stressors, mood and circumstance more often than not dictating how much we can get done in a day. Channeling an approach which focuses less on unrealistic expectations of yourself and instead rewards the tiny victories, no matter the goal, with a healthy, positive and mindful routine.

Seek to remove relationships that don’t bring out the best in you

Christmas is perhaps a time when toxic relationships become most obvious, as the down time spent with those in your circle increases and unhealthy habits or narratives are easier to spot. There’s a reason why January is the most common month of the year for break ups, and whilst we’re not suggesting you ditch your partner or sometimes unreliable friend as soon as the clock strikes 12 tomorrow, the start of the new year can be a welcome opportunity to assess how you want those relationships to shape your 2020. Putting yourself first can be a hard habit to implement if you’ve lived a life in which you always prioritise others, but this is your (friendly) reminder that those who don’t serve your existence in a positive way are not entitled to space in your life if you don’t want them to be.

Assess your relationship with social media and technology (scary, we know)

We’ve heard the stats. We know by now that cutting down our time online is essential for a comparison-free life. But does that stop us having a nightly scroll of Instagram Stories before bed? Or watching our fifth YouTube video of the day by 8.30am whilst getting ready for work? Nope. Social media detoxing isn’t easy, and going cold turkey (yes we still have Christmas food on the brain) is rarely an approach that works in the long run, but every small change you can implement towards a life which exists outside of the parameters of your Instagram feed is one that’s sure to bring you happier and more tangible memories.

We would love to know the healthy habits you’re taking into the New Year with you and what the new decade and chance for a fresh start will bring to your life. Happy New Year Insecure Girls’!