My New Years resolutions...

So we’re nearly two weeks into January and I’m only just getting around to publishing this post. Not because I haven’t wanted too, but instead it’s given me plenty of time to think. Think, because I’ve never actually given myself a new year’s resolution before…

I’ve always been of the impression that if you want to change or better yourself and your lifestyle then, why wait until the start of a new year to do it? If you really want to change something, then you will, there’s no doubt about that. So instead of throwing myself in at the deep end (and inevitably failing) I wanted to set myself goals – goals that I can aim towards throughout the year and look back on at the end of 2015. Goals that aren’t impossible but still make an impact. So here goes…

To keep on top of my anxiety

During 2014 I was diagnosed with having health-related anxiety. Not something I have had for long time but a mental health issue that I was made aware of the year before when I experienced my first panic attack. 

I’ve always been a bit of a worrier and dwell on things far longer than I should. However, worring about my health and panicking every time I felt an ounce of pain, niggle or notice a change in my body, had never been something that I thought would overcome me. In eight months I went from having the attitude of 'it's nothing, stop worrying' to 'I must be dying' or 'I must have some dreadful disease'. 

I was lucky enough to get help in tackling this head on and after doing a lot of my own research and CBT sessions, I understand my anxiety more than ever but I still have a long way to go. Which is why my goal for 2015 is really push my anxiety to its limits and be completely in control, which leads nice too...

To stress less

It's a well known fact, stress does not do anxiety any favours and throughout 2014 I have felt myself becoming more stressed than ever before and most of the things I stress about are so small. 2015 is all about not allowing things to build up and get to me, rising above life's challenges and seeing how small things are in comparison to real problems other people have in the world.

The best way to deal with stress is to tackle it head on - take a step back, three deep breaths and think about the situation. Be it work, home life or money issues, there's never a reason to worry or stress. 

To incorporate a healthier lifestyle

Now I wouldn't exactly say I'm super unhealthy, but I'm not the healthiest person around. Don't get me wrong, I attend the gym whenever I can, I go walking with the dog at least five times a week, but what really lets me down is what I eat. Fruit and vegetables are few and far between. 

With Andrew working away from home four nights a week, I have used the excuse of it being too difficult to cook super healthy meals for one, for far too long. So 2015 is all about incorporating more vegetables into my evening meals and snacking on healthier snacks like fruit and nuts during the day. Opting for the chocolate snacks was becoming too easy and not doing my waistline any good! Now I don't want to jump right in so I want to start off small, incorporating lentils as a good substitute to meat and adding easy vegetables to dinners. Overtime this will become second nature and snacking will hopefully become a thing of the past!

In order to incorporate a healthier lifestyle, that also means becoming a fitter person, which means training more and not making excuses! This goal is going to be tough but I know I can do it and I'm going to keep reminding myself that!

So there we go, that's my three goals. Easy goals that I can work towards and better myself. And with that, here's to a bloody good 2015!