New Year..New Me?

Hello 2019 and welcome.

Is it just me, or do you love the feeling of turning a corner and starting a new year? It’s always such a great feeling to pack away the last 365 days and put a lid on them, much like the Christmas decorations that I was pulling down as soon as possible after Boxing Day.

I’ll be completely honest, I started writing this post at the turn of 2019 and it’s only three weeks down the line that I have got around to finishing it, doh! But here we are, another year, another set of goals!

New Year, New Resolutions

Resolutions, you either make them or you don’t. Stick to them, or you won’t. For me? I always make a list and sometimes it’s turned out beautifully. The biggest success definitely arose from my resolution to give up meat a good eight years ago! I’ve reflected on the last year and think I’ve come up with a few good pointers for 2019, which I’ll unload on my blog to somehow make me feel more accountable. Here goes:

1) Stop being a slave to the internet

You might think that’s ironic, considering that as I am a blogger, I’m pretty reliant on the internet. True dat. However, I am not gaining anything from the countless hours I spend glued to my phone, scrolling through feeds of cute animals and hot bods I’ll never have. Each time that little app on my phone tells me my weekly screen time I die a little. It all adds up and it’s a really bad habit that I am seriously going to make efforts to break.

My actual instagram feed. Cats and Rafael Nadal, pretty accurate description of my taste!

2) Be more creative

I like to think this one ties in pretty well with resolution one. I have so many hobbies that I don’t dedicate enough time to and it makes me sad. I’ve got guitars that I only pick up to dust for goodness sake! I’m hoping with the extra time I’ll gain from stopping scrolling I’ll actually take the opportunity to pick up a sketch book, or finally learn to play Cancion Del Mariachi!

The Secret to a Good Life – Exhibition at the R.A, London

3) Drink less

In 2019 I envision Chrissy V2.0 as someone who drinks a lot less. I’m not saying I was an alcoholic before or anything, but last year I did try my best to pickle myself. I think half of it came from the fact I was getting over some serious anxiety and found drinking helped calm the nerves, that and the fact beer tastes hell’a good in the midday sun (and boy did we have a lot of it in the summer of 2018). So, yes, dry January is going okay.

I’ve started following some excellent sober accounts on Instagram, @sobergirlsociety are particularly inspiring and great to keep you off the wagon if you’re looking for a little boost along the way.

In a nutshell, New Year New Me is about improving myself, getting better at the things I think I let myself down on and with any hope, getting to the end of 2019 feeling great.

Each year we all have the opportunity to make changes that lead us forwards in life.

It’s true. So look back and reflect on your last year. Pick some things you think you can make a dent in and write them down. Make them happen. I’ve listed three pretty simple ones above that I am certain I can achieve with a bit of willpower.

PS: Usually this is written down in a diary, but seeing as I’ve been neglecting my blogging it felt like a fantastic way to start the ball rolling for 2019, that and it helped me blow the cobwebs off my wordpress account!

Go go go! x


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Don’t Let Self Doubt Catch You Out

It’s something that you can’t quite describe until you are in the midst of it, a bought of the ole’ self doubt.
You know that feeling, when everything is going well, yet self doubt stops you in your tracks? Not sure what I mean? Here’s some signs you might be holding yourself back from your own sucess:

You wake up a different person

So usually you are a pretty happy-go-lucky kind of person, right? Have a good sense of self and wake up with the get-up and go attitude? Yeah, me too. Usually. But this last week it hasn’t been the case. I’ve been waking up and thinking up all sorts of put-downs. Completely irrational, and pretty unhelpful really.  It is almost like a switch has been turned on and I can’t quite get back to my usual way of thinking.

You can’t get going

For most of us time is precious, we Brits work the longest hours in the whole of the European Union. Yet on one of your few days off that you had so many plans for, you find yourself lying in, wasting time on social media and decide it’d be best to stay in your pyjamas. It’s a vicious circle between not being motiviated enough to start something and then guilty for wasting time!  Work days can be even worse, you might find that nagging voice is trying to talk you out of being productive.

Your outlook is negative

This really ties in with the last point. If you have a negative outlook, how on earth will you get going? Do you think Serena Williams gets up each morning and talks herself down before getting on the tennis court? No, that’s not what gets the job done. A positive mental attitude is half of the hurdle. Rather than sit there and over-think things when I know I am in a bad mood I just try to convince myself to ignore these unwanted thoughts and carry on as normal. If I am still feeling negative about something down the line, then i’ll invest some time to think about the problem!

Self doubt

What’s The Cause?

There are so many reasons we can get into a mental slump, try to ascertain what you think might be contributing. When you understand what causes you to act a certain way you are more likely to be able to prevent it.

What Breeds Self Doubt?

– Comparing yourself to others
– Someone being critical of you and knocking your self esteem
– Being overworked  and under too much pressure
– Hanging around people with negative outlooks
– Monthly hormonal changes

It’s not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it has made you reflect and understand what may be having an impact on your moods. For me, the week leading up to my period can sometimes catch me out. It’s crazy how much a change in hormones can effect my mood! In a way I am lucky because I know I just have to ride it out and soon I will be back to normal. Although for some of you the doubt may not disspear so quickly.

If your mental struggle with self-doubt is stopping you from acheiving there are little lifestyle changes you can make that will help.

What You Can Do To Banish Self Doubt

walkingExercise: Exercise is a great way of alleviating all sorts of mental stresses. When you get out into the fresh air and get your body moving it allows a bit of breathing space. You will find your focus will be on the task at hand, rather than all that overthinking you’ve been doing. Not only this but exercise releases endorphins, which promote an overall feeling of wellbeing. So even if it is just a brisk walk, get out and move your body when you can feel that negative mood setting in.

 

 Herbal teaWatch your diet: If you are feeling not quite yourself, it’s probably best to lay off the caffiene and alcohol. Stimulants and depressants are the last thing you need effecting your moods. They can make an already anxious mind go into overdrive! Herbal teas are a great option if, like me, you like to sip on a warm mug of something throughout the day.Try to aim for a varied diet too. I always feel that little bit better in myself if I am making the effort to fuel up properly.

 


Talk: 
Sounds obvious, but so On the phonemany of us internalize our problems, thinking they aren’t significant enough to warrant talking about it. A good friend or family member will be happy to listen, so if you really can’t lift yourself out of your self-doubt then I’d recommend having a chat. It’ll ease the burden and most of the time the people around you can offer you some valuable advice too. Get off whatsapp and actually give a friend a call for a change.

 

Remember, we are all capable of achieving great things. Even the most successful people started off from nothing. Believing you can do something is probably the biggest step you can take!

Not going to lie though, this post took me about three days to finish, I just kept on stopping. Note to self: Must remember to take own advice.

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Welcome

Hi,

I’m Chrissy and this is my blog.

I’m passionate about healthy living and through this blog I hope to inspire you with tips and tricks to lead a happy, healthy life.

Ditch the fads, ALL of them! This is not about the newest vegan trend or how to lose weight juicing, this is me, this is real life.  I work 9-5, I pay bills, I have vices and cravings, I like a drink, I am as Jo Bloggs as they come.

A few years ago you would have not seen me set foot in a gym, pound the pavement running, or even cook anything myself unless it had instructions involving a microwave. Sounds familiar?This lifestyle took a while to unravel and so it should, humans are creatures of habit and no 10 day clense will change you for good.

Fastforward to the present and I am loving the updated version of myself.  Exercise? It’s a hobby I really enjoy and manage to fit it in with my lifestyle. I can cook a healthy meal without having any recipe book infront of me and I’m used to the time constraints of modern living; a healthy, quick meal? easy! No cash? no problem!

Making small positive steps in the right direction is all you need to do. Get your mind over the hurdle of thinking you can’t acheive. Working little changes into your life will reap big results one day.

Sound a bit more realistic? I thought so!

If you think you could benefit with changing a few areas of yourself and your life, follow me. I can’t do the work for you but a little motivation and a few tips along the way never hurt anyone!

Hope to see you again soon,

 

Chrissy x

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