New Year, New You!
By Karen Greenough
A New Year, A New You! ………..although there’s nothing wrong with the old you!.
We often look back and reflect at this time of year. Some things may have gone well others may not. You may have put on weight, missed out on a promotion or split up from a partner. Although it is natural to think about what went wrong, try not to dwell but also consider what went well! focus on the positives and consider what changes you can make in the future.
Plan for the year ahead
Now is a good time to update your calendar with important dates, birthdays, holidays etc and if you are working make your annual leave requests nice and early. Don’t forget to make a note of insurance renewals and when your MOT & tax is due – You can set a reminder for these on Gov.UK
When renewing car insurance Martin Lewis the Money Savings expert recommends that you get your quote between 20 and 26 days before your insurance is due. Follow this link to find some really good advice about keeping your premiums as low as possible.
Are you paying for subscriptions you no longer use? Magazines, gym membership, streaming services? Go through your Direct debits and Standing Orders and cancel any you no longer use or alternatively, use them!
Dry January – Veganuary – Some people like to do one of these, some don’t. If you are considering making improvements to your lifestyle then starting the year with a detox may work for you but equally it may feel a bit much and you could just end up bingeing on the 1st February.
If you are looking to make healthy changes to your lifestyle, start small with manageable goals. Rather than cutting out “bad” foods and drinks, think about adding in more of the healthy options, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, seed and pulses and aim to drink more water. Go for a 5 or 10 minute walk each day, aim for 7-9 hours sleep a night. Don’t expect to notice a change overnight. Slowly you will start to feel the benefits.
A couple of suggestions to get you started: You could try out the C25Kapp (couch to 5km) or head over to your local parkrun. However if you hate running this isn’t going to work for you! Find something you enjoy, swimming, walking, ice skating, ballroom dancing, badminton? really anything that gets you moving. The best exercise for you is always the one you enjoy!
Getting fit is not just about exercise, pay attention to your diet, sleep and water intake. Quit smoking and cut down on alcohol. Get advice from a medical professional if you have any concerns, You may even be able to have gym membership on prescription!
Our Community Connectors or Social Prescribers here at PAVO may be able to direct you to organisations or groups to get you moving.
Getting Fit! It’s at the top of so many people’s resolutions, “this year I’m going to get fitter!” But what does that actually mean? Do you have ambitions to run a marathon or climb a mountain? Woah there!! These challenges require a certain level of fitness and while they may be achievable for some, if you struggle to go upstairs without getting out of breath you will need to set your goals to something more manageable. It’s not that you can never achieve them, just that you need to start at the beginning.
Firstly think about what you actually want to achieve and why, for example to fit into a certain outfit by a particular date or to run around after your new grandchild.
Secondly, to stay motivated, set short term goals that are realistic. This will spur you on to achieve the next goal and don’t forget to celebrate every achievement.
Take care of your mental wellbeing
As well as staying physically fit it is important to look after your mental health. Take a look at the 5 steps to wellbeing and consider what action you can take to put some of these steps in place
If you are struggling with your mental health, reach out and speak to someone and let them know how you are feeling. A trusted friend or family member or your GP perhaps. There are also organisations across Powys who can help you these include:
If you are living in Powys, you can also self refer for Silvercloud, an online CBT program where you can get support for mild-to-moderate anxiety, depression, stress, sleep difficulties and more. Click here to learn more about Silvercloud.
And Finally!!
Next Christmas! ( Stay with me on this!) If you found Christmas a stretch last year it might be a good idea to start planning financially for the next one. Head over to money helper for some guidance on budgeting, saving or staying debt free.