There was once a time when the year 2020 sounded incredibly futuristic. We’d never reach it—but if we did, there’s no way we’d look at our daily lives the same way in 2020 as we did back then. Surely, everything would be different. Right?
Yet we’re just a few days into this visionary year and all I can seem to do is make puns about sight. I guess not much has changed at all. ;) While my wordplay is obviously hilarious, I happen to think my 20/20 pun is completely appropriate for the year ahead of us. Let’s make 2020 a year of seeing things clearly. And, while we’re at it, let’s throw some hindsight in there too.
“Hindsight” is defined by Merriam-Webster as the “perception of the nature of an event after it has happened.” This is the perfect time to sort things out and get clear on what’s been working and what could use some tweaking. We self-healthers tend to do this by default. However, being intentional about how you reflect on things can be super useful in getting yourself where you want to be in the future.
When it comes to your health, what do you need to work on to start seeing more clearly in 2020?
Nutrition
Have you been floundering around trying to find the perfect diet? Do you go grocery shopping and still end up with the same old processed garbage in your cart?
A fantastic resource for getting clear on your food choices is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is! by Stephanie Selene Anderson. This guide to healthy food shopping has all the basics for learning how to be a smart shopper and healthy eater—including which foods your diet should be centered around, why they’re essential, and where to find them.
Whether you’re the highlighter type or the earmarked-page type, spending just one afternoon with this resource is all you’ll need to start building on your self-health nutrition education. Bonus: it’s compact enough to fit in your shopping bag so you won’t have to rely on your memory as you maneuver through the aisles of your local market.
Exercise
Have you been going to all the fad exercise classes but nothing keeps your interest? Do you fear you’re so far removed from physical health that there’s no point in even getting started?
The only thing you need to understand about exercise is that we humans are meant to move. Period. So if traditional exercise classes just aren’t your thing, don’t sweat it. I mean, yes, you need to sweat, but try some nontraditional methods for moving that body. Have a dance party in your living room every afternoon at 5:30 PM. Make an ongoing hiking date with your best friend for a few days each week. Jump rope in your garage each morning. Find what you like and keep doing that. (Side note: It’s not too late to get started today. Try going up and down the steps in your house ten times.)
Stress Relief
Do you have a hard time shutting your brain off at night? Do you move through your day full of worry and feel like you’re tied up in knots?
You gotta work that shit out, my friend. Of course, some amount of stress is helpful, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about the kind of stress that takes control of your life. The kind of stress that keeps you from getting rejuvenating sleep or being present in your relationships. Unless you get clear on exactly how stressed out you are, things could get ugly—and fast.
Exercise can be a wonderful stress reliever, but it won’t help you in the middle of the night when you’re running through your task list for tomorrow. What else are you willing to try? I started with guided meditation, but it only left our middle son feeling annoyed. Breathing exercises can have a huge impact on how relaxed you feel in any given moment. Since you breathe all day long anyway, why not be deliberate about it when you’re feeling stressed out? Yes?
Choose an area of your life that seems disjointed and mottled, health or otherwise. Use good ol’ hindsight to consider a time when it looked better and what happened to make it shift. Then take deliberate steps to move in the direction you want. Are you ready to make 2020 a year of seeing things clearly?
Images from iStock/Diy13 (main), fizkes (post).
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
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