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January 1 seems like such an arbitrary date to start a new year, and it is. The way it became the beginning of our calendar is simply a “byproduct of a political and religious history that few know much more about.”
Meaningless, the first day of the year can also inspire feelings of immense pressure. This “new year, new self” mentality can create a feeling that sinks if you don’t start making these resolutions. Right Now, or swear X or do more than Y, you have already prepared for a failure.
Of course, self-improvement is fantastic. Last week I even wrote about how to establish and maintain our resolutions. But relaxing and doing things at your own pace is also pretty fantastic. We have all of 2018 to work on these resolutions and goals, and if you haven’t sent me yours yet, please do so! – So today, let’s relax and get ready for next year. Here are some ideas.
Take some time to meditate.
This will take a few minutes and you will appreciate that you have done so for the rest of the day.
1. Find a comfortable place to sit and an alert and relaxed posture.
2. Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Loosen the body from the head to the toes and take a few deeper breaths.
3. Look at the sensations of the whole body: heat, coolness and any discomfort.
4. Choose a sensation (e.g., the sensation coming in and out of your breath) and focus your attention on it.
5. When your mind goes out, turn your attention back to breathing. Repeat and horse.
6. When you are ready (after a minute, 10 or 30 minutes), open your eyes.
For more information, read our meditation guide.
Stand in front of the TV and do not get up.
If this is the last day of your vacation, spend them recovering on the couch while enjoying your favorite TV, movies, and snacks.
This Watching list is a good place to start: the 100 best Netflix movies. Or maybe you want to revisit the best TV of 2017? These are the most memorable episodes of the year. You could also spend the day watching the second season of “The Crown.”
Start your new fitness routine.
Getting to the gym, in my opinion, is the best way to indulge.
But since we all take a day off today, let’s make it quick and easy – here are some high-intensity interval training routines if you have 10 minutes, seven minutes, or four minutes.
Once you’re done, you can go straight back to the couch and continue watching “The Crown”.
Do a little cleaning.
Listen to me! The feeling that the house has just been fixed, especially as a solution to the absurd boredom, is sometimes transcendent. You have a sense of accomplishment, a tangible test of your efforts, a little exercise, and best of all, a less messy home.
If this is your alley, maybe give the fridge the deep cleaning it deserves after heavy use for the last month. Or maybe you’re like me and haven’t finished cleaning up your last party yet? Here’s everything you need to know. And if you want to grow big, here’s how to clean all the rooms in your house.