Start being kinder to yourself in 2022 with these essential steps

We always think of January as the time of year when we kickstart those New Year’s Resolutions. This is the time for dusting off those cobwebs, saying goodbye to all those bad habits, and not making any of the same mistakes that we made the previous year. This is all well and good but think carefully about how many resolutions you have actually managed to keep in previous years. Think about the way that you framed these resolutions, whether they were in your mind as positive choices or as strict instructions bordering on punishment. Given how difficult the last couple of years have been, it is high time that we all started being a little kinder to ourselves.

Now, this is not exactly the easiest time of year to start a kinder, gentler mindset. The seasonal goodwill has worn off in the face of exhaustion, a massive workload, and awful colds. We are also willing to be that you are also feeling the financial sting of holiday season and facing rising energy bills is not exactly the cheeriest way to start the new year. But we all need to be taking better care of ourselves right now. Here are a few suggestions for ways that you can be kinder to yourself in 2022.

Try to Stop Rushing

It never feels like there are enough hours in the day, does it? We are rattling between home and work, or the bedroom and work if you are still working at home, and we are trying to keep on top of all our payments and other commitments. If you have children, then you are doing your very best just to stay awake in those short hours between their bedtime and yours. However, rushing around is one of the best ways to burn yourself out. If you spend all your time fretting about how you have not got enough time to do everything on your to do list, then you won’t get anything done at all.

Now, it’s very easy to say, “stop rushing” and it is quite another thing to actually do so. One of the best ways to reduce this level of stress in your life is by bringing a little order to it. Map out your day and look at how much free time you actually have to achieve your goals. Once you know how many hours in the day you are working with, you can start to organise your tasks and divide them neatly instead of trying to rush through them all at once.

Find an Exercise Plan that Works for You

When it comes to the things that we tend to beat ourselves up about the most, exercise has to be one of the most common. Everyone tends to put some variation on “getting into better shape” on their New Year’s Resolution list, but the truth is that unless you have a plan and a goal, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. There is nothing more dispiriting than feeling like you are not getting anywhere with your fitness journey, looking at the scales or feeling out of breath and out of shape. This is where a lot of people tend to give up because they feel like they have failed. The problem is that we tend to set these unrealistic or poorly defined targets when what we need to do is to take things one step at a time.

Think carefully about what you would like to achieve from your fitness journey. Do you want to lose a certain amount of weight? Would you like to be able to run for a certain length of time? Think about where you would like to be in a few months’ time. Look at how much time you have to devote to your new fitness regimen on a daily basis. If you are unsure about the best way forward, think about getting in touch with a personal trainer who will be able to guide you to a fitness plan that works for you.

If you feel like you would benefit from having someone on this journey with you, why not recruit a friend for those morning runs? We could all use a little support when it comes to fitness, after all. You should also consider using a fitness app to keep track of your progress. This way, even if you are not seeing the results you would like to day-to-day, you will have a record of how much time you are putting in and the steps you are making. If you stick with it, you will see results, and that kind of positivity is what can help you to keep going.

Don’t Ignore the Little Aches, Pains and Problems

We all have a lot on our plates at the moment, and when we are stressed, we all tend to ignore the health issues that are actually quite important. Those headaches, that persistent nausea, that muscle pain that keeps you up at night. And we do not need to tell you that the way these things go is that they do not go away, and the longer they go on, the more they disrupt our lives. If you want to start being kinder to yourself, one of the best things that you can do is to start listening to what your body is telling you.

If you are feeling like working from home for the last couple of years is still doing some real damage to your spine and posture, then why not book an appointment with a physio for a massage? If you have been ignoring that toothache for the last few months because you do not feel like you have the time to go to the dentist, then we are here to tell you that you need to get that checked.

If you are looking for some natural remedies that can help you with a range of issues, then you should look at the different ways in which CBD oil may be able to help you. CBD oil is an alternative treatment that could help you with pain, stress, and other ailments. Available in oils, balms, or tots, you can find full spectrum CBD oil in the UK at The Good Level. Their website has plenty of information to help you learn more about how CBD may be able to help you and their plants are all grown in the UK.

Take Time for Yourself

Finally, a quick note on the subject of mental health. We know that we have all heard a lot about mental health over the last couple of years and it has been truly heartening to see just how more educated we all are on this issue. But there is a big difference between being able to help other people through their mental health problems and addressing your own. Being kind to yourself is all about accepting that you are just as deserving of help with these issues as anyone else, and that you are entitled to take those steps that help you to feel better in yourself. That means making sure that you have some time in the day that is just yours. It could be as simple as stepping out for a walk, it just needs to be yours.