So January’s going well so far? Back to reality; the glut of food has run out, the tins are full of empty wrappers, cold, early mornings have returned and pyjama-welly combinations are no longer acceptable. Everything’s grey and sad-looking, and you’d said something daft about not drinking, going for early morning runs, and fasting on Tuesdays; never using a plastic item ever again, growing all your own food and adopting baby turtles. It’s a new year, you’ve resolved to be your best self and single-handedly save the world... Just hold it right there. New Year’s resolutions are founded on the best intentions - there's a clean, fresh year, a nice handy starting line.. but doing everything all in one go, going cold-turkey, and not respecting your own limitations and natural instincts have proven time and time again to be excellent barriers to getting good habits to stick. So here’s just a small start. A gentle, practical beginner’s guide to living well, to gently encourage the beginnings (or rekindling) of some good habits. Pick and choose the elements you want to focus on right now, or try all of them if you feel they’re really achievable - but be honest with yourself. Habits will form if you can keep them up easily; without feeling like you've failed, faltered or overwhelmed yourself. Start with things that feel simple and easy; you'll be more likely to carry on, and then ta-dah, it's a hard habit to break. Look after your body Gently! If you aren’t yet a runner, don’t start running at 6am in winter. It’s unlikely to last, or be very enjoyable, and there’s risk of frostbite (although if it works, good on you!). Many of us would like to be fitter, and resolutions are a great motivation to start a new regime - but we need motivation to carry on. Make a mood board, if you like, so that you have a visual for the end goal.. and we’ll work on how to build up and sustain the regime you want to get there. And in the meantime, start slowly and gently. Just stretch, every morning. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it can make to the way your body feels and the extra energy it can give you; the stress it can work out from a bad night’s sleep.. So start with one simple stretch, every morning - the tadasana - see here for a step-by-step. You can add to and adapt it; if you're into yoga or pilates already, or if you just feel the urge, you can let it naturally lead into any other stretches you feel like. But for a no-pressure new habit, just ask yourself to stretch that one stretch, every day. Slow down and breathe Learning mindfulness and meditation are excellent ways to reinforce good habits - becoming more aware of yourself and what you do with your time helps to drive routine and good choices. But if you're just starting out, or you need to dial things back to basics for a while, try just taking a moment every day to breathe mindfully; it'll help with stressful moments, overwhelming thoughts, anxiety, physical tension and will calm and clear your mind: Sit or stand still, just for a moment. Focus on a point in front of you or close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. Hold it for a second or two, then exhale slowly. Take a moment to notice the feeling of your breath and your body expanding and then relaxing - carry on breathing slowly and calmly and focusing on the sensation - not forcing it, just being aware. If you notice you're losing focus, take a deeper breath again and feel yourself relax as you exhale. If you like, you can count as you breathe in and out; carry on like this for a few minutes, just being aware of your breath, until you feel more relaxed, and a little more still. It only takes a moment, each day. Eating well There’s so much varying advice on healthy eating, sustainable eating and at the end of the day, your choices are your choices - as long as they are based on some solid research. One thing we know for sure, though, is that it’s beneficial to your body and the planet to eat seasonally - it was always the way, when we could only grow what would naturally grow at each time of year, and our bodies were therefore naturally receptive to those foods at that time of year. So this is the simple, easy tip to start your efforts in goods healthy sustainable eating: this month, eat lots and lots of seasonal veg, and you can’t go far wrong. January brings these beauties: SWEDE Mash it, have it with haggis (or veggie haggis, possibly tastier) for Burns Night this weekend, then remember to add it to soup, potato-topped veggie pie, or have heaps of it with sausages (meaty or veggie). LEEKS Again, great in soup instead of an onion. Fry gently and add to pie fillings, steamed kale and greens (also still in season); fry in rounds and add pastry for a veggie tarte tatin.. PARSNIPS Roasted with honey and thyme.. Excellent as sweet spicy soup with chilli flakes and a few other veg thrown in for goodness. SQUASH Keep forever, in their own magical suits of armour. And again.. SOUP!! Roasted, with honey, nutmeg, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, pumpkin seeds, crumbled with feta, garlic, sage leaves, stuffed with quinoa and herbs.. whatever takes your fancy, squash are worth experimenting with and hard to ruin. No waste/plastic-free living There are so many easy ways to reduce your plastic consumption; we're bombarded with it now it's taken off in the media. You might be doing some already, and you might be feeling the pressure to go as plastic-free as possible - but if you're starting out, or struggling to keep up with all of your goals, try and pick just 3 or 4 small efforts to tackle and really make stick. These are some of the simplest ways to start. Prepare yourself by having the right tools around you; think about your day the night before: if you think you might drop into a supermarket on the way home from work, keep a stash of reusable bags and containers in your car - pack a reusable cup and bottle* in your bag before bed, and get the first round in at the pub so that you can ask for no straw (and take advantage of the savings of dry January!)/(and then you can relax for the evening!) *We'll cover reusables soon; don't rush out and buy one now for the sake of having one - not all of them are necessarily a win on reducing waste/carbon footprints... Green learning - getting to know nature This weekend a wonderful nationwide event happens, that’s totally free and that you can do from the comfort and warmth of your own home. The Big Garden Birdwatch is a nationwide survey run by the RSPB that's been going for 40 years this year! It relies on the great British public to help track our native garden birds. You spend just an hour, this weekend (26-28 Jan) watching your garden, or a space outside your home; identify the birds you see, and report back. You can sign up online, have a cuppa and a moment of mindfulness while you birdwatch, and along the way you might learn about some of our beautiful native birds - there's even an ID page here. You no longer need to be a child to take part; neither do you need to be an avid twitcher - just give it an hour; you might find some peace. Now it's looking like a calm, healthy, satisfying weekend ahead? Just start simple. Easy habits, things that will stick (past the weekend). Stretch. Breathe. Prepare and do your little bit against plastic; don't stress. Eat well. Watch some birds, and slow down. That's it, for now. See how each day goes and don't give up. Start small.
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