Full of good intention, resolutions are made to give us focus for the fresh year ahead. We’re always looking to better ourselves, and often make resolutions to improve our health, fitness, or relationships. 

Mindfulness, and goal setting, help us to manifest what we want to attract in our life. Here are some ideas to help get you inspired this new year. 


DECLUTTER YOUR HOME 

Imagine yourself in a clean, cleared out, organized environment. It might take some work to get there, but once you do, it’s so very worth it.

Start simple and donate any duplicate items you own. Next, get rid of everything you don’t use on a regular basis. The stack of magazines you never read? Toss them. The fuzzy socks you wear approximately once every two years? Say goodbye. 

As you go through your belongings, focus on eliminating not just the items you don’t use, but also the ones that don’t bring joy or meaning to your life. –Paige Smith, makespace.com

It isn’t the stuff in your life that makes you happy. It’s the meaningful relationships, and the priceless experiences! You know that! 

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Jojo, my niece


MORE TIME WITH THOSE YOU LOVE 

A palliative nurse who has counselled the dying in their last days, reveals the most common regrets we have at the end of our lives:

  • “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” 
  • “I wish I hadn’t worked so much, and missed out on more important things in life”
  • “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.” 
  • “I wish I had spent more time with my family, friends, or children.” 
  • “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”  

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    This summer was full of people I love. Paddle boarding the magnificent Valhalla glacier lakes.


LESS ALCOHOL 

The key word is less…because more then we’d like to admit, that nasty hangover just isn’t worth it.  Often times, your trusty ol’ liver can’t handle as much wine as it used too. 

Hangovers are the result of a complex inflammatory response: “Your body deals with all systemic insults less and less effectively once you’re north of 25, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a car crash, a severe infection or a night on the town, you’ll take longer to recover.  –Dr Chris van Tulleken

One of my absolute favourite beverages is kombuhca. I often use it as a probiotic-rich, refreshing, fizzy, alcohol substitute.

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A glass of unpasteurized kombucha will repopulate your hard working digestive system with thousands of healthy micro-organisms.

Another delicious + organic option is this Sparkling wine from: Villa Teresa – Prosecco Frizzante. 

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Organic Prosecco Frizzante

Then, there’s Sake –a traditional Japanese beverage, made from rice, water, yeast, and koji. 

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It’s truly alive. Koji bacteria (used to ferment the rice in properly prepared Sake) gives this traditional Japanese beverage probiotic life.


BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Nine in 10 women want to change at least one part of their body. 

According to the Dove Global Beauty + Confidence Report, which interviewed 10,500 women from 13 different countries, 85% of all women, and 79% of girls, admitted they actually choose not to participate in important life activities when they don’t feel great about their appearance.

We put so much emphasis on our physical appearance, and are always comparing ourselves to others. It can be challenging to accept yourself the way you are. It’s become such an accepted norm to put yourself down that it seems to have become a way in which women bond and relate to one another. 

Studies show that feeling uncomfortable emotions of any sort—stress, loneliness, even boredom—made many women start berating their looks. Nichole Wood—Barcalow, Ph.D., a psychologist at the Laureate Eating Disorders Program – says, “If we’re having a bad day, we often take those negative emotions out on our body, rather than directing them at what’s really troubling us, like our boss or boyfriend.”

This negative self talk is taking up so much valuable space in our brain. The good new is: “It’s absolutely possible to create neural pathways that favor affirming thoughts,” says Ann Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D. As soon as a negative thought enters your mind, replace it with a positive, self-loving one. Try appreciating your body for what it does, versus what is looks like.

And the most massive shout out to all the Baby Mamas out there. Your bodies are absolutely spectacular – you grew a miraculous, miniature human! Even if you didn’t (like me!), you’re perfectly, perfect, just as you are.  

So, the next time your mind wonders to your waist size –remind yourself how you had your co-workers in stitches in the staff room. That’s because your sense of humour, and amazing attitude will always get your further than any physical quality. I promise.

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“Thank you to the women in Hollywood, leading the way, inspiring and normalizing the female body in EVERY form, and thank you to @glamourmag for letting my cellulite do the damn thing on news stands everywhere today.” Lena Dunham re. her un-retouched magazine cover


DITCH POOR QUALITY FOOD

  • White flour. You don’t need it. Try switching it up to lower gluten containing grains like: spelt, or rye. Or sprouted Manna bread–it tastes like a muffin. 
  • White sugar. It makes you feel bad. Blood sugar swings, moodiness, hormonal havoc, and way more. Raw honey, pure maple syrup, fresh fruit + Medjool dates, and even raw sugar cane, are some of my favourite, more nutrient-dense alternatives.
  • Energy drinks. These things are the devil, and diet varieties are even worse…beyond harmful to your brain, liver, and intestinal system. Have a big glass of water, or refreshing kombucha, a power nap, or a hot Matcha green tea. 
  • Veggie oils. These oils are ridiculously processed: soy, corn, canola + peanut. Choose avocado, olive, coconut, real butter, or ghee instead. 
  • Boxed cereal. Oh, the high-frutose corn syrup! The food colouring! And all the other unpronounceable ingredients. Make your own granola, muesli, or cook up some steel cut oats. 
  • Granola bars. Not that much different from that chocolate bar. High in unnecessary, empty calories. There are awesome homemade recipes out there, like these: Feel Good Hearty Granola Bars

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Only real food ingredients in this Raw Key Lime Pie. Lovingly made from: avocados, coconut, dates, lime juice + zest.


Wishing you all the very best in the beautiful new year.

I love you,

Jenn

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