Are you one of those people who makes resolutions every year but they only last like 5 minutes?
Up until now I would say I'm one of those people who only held on to their resolutions for two months of the new year. But this year I decided to make a change.
2015 was a mixed bag, full of joyous and tough moments. I finally started finding steady footing in university and doing as well as I had always hoped I would, I was actually surrounded by friends who loved and cared for me and found a job that was the perfect fit.
However along with these amazing moments, there was also some really tough times. I found that my anxiety and stress that had always plague me was getting worse and that it was actually stopping me from participating in my life. I couldn't go shopping, go to parties or even perform (something that I have been doing since I was little) without feeling anxious, overwhelmed and getting hand tremors. It was also at this time that I started getting very sick and quite literally what it was just sick. I was run down, constantly nauseous and in pain. Having to miss classes, cancel plans and even have a terrible birthday because of how sick I was. No doctor could really tell me what it was. 'It's Stress driven' (which it has been at one point and now it was every day) 'It's just a virus' but I was in a constant state of unwellness for months. Finally I am starting to feel better thanks to an great specialist and amazing dietician who realised it's the way my body is reacting to food and environments that it making me so sick. Now after 12 weeks on the FODMAPs diet. I am finally feeling better and feeling like myself again.
Okay enough backstory, Let's get back to resolution.
I have vowed that this year that I will live a more positive, stress free, mindful and happy life.
I know this is kind like a catch all resolution but to me it seemed like the right thing to do, throw away the past and everything that has happened and enter 2016 with a brand new out look on life.
I think the best thing about a resolution like this is that I am tailoring it to how I feel and what drives me.
So here is my list of the changes I am making to my life in order to complete my resolution.
1. Redecorate my room to create a calm and inspiring environment.
Now this something that I started doing before New Years, straight after Christmas actually as felt like I actually wanted to enter the new year with most of my room done. I gave my room a giant spring clean, rearranged it and planned out what I wanted to change. I have yet to purchase my new set of drawers or put up my photo wall but I wanted to show you what I have done already.
I wanted by room to my safe haven, a place where I could sleep, watch tv and study while feeling as though everything around me was empowering me.
So I added in the 'Be Inspired' banner above my bed as well as printed out inspirational quotes and pictures that I found out etsy, chicfetti.com or off my instagram. I have scattered these pictures around my room so that I can look at them at any time and feel inspired.
Another goal under thing is to maintain a clean room, something I struggle with A LOT.
2. A summer reading list.
The moment I finished uni for the year I got a heap of books for the summer. I am already halfway through the pile I have and have requested about 16 more. The first half of my list of books was complied of inspirational autobio's like Shonda Rhimes' 'Year of Yes', Hillary Clinton's 'Hard Choices', books of musical theatre greats, history books, diet books on FODMAPs and a few fiction books like Zoe Sugg's 'Girl Online' thrown in.
The second half which I have yet to receive it more about self development, Mindfulness, Yoga, The art of tidying, that sort of thing. I think between all of these books I'm going to feel inspired, reflective, positive and find ways to improve my life for this year.
3. Get back into Yoga and Pilates
I tried yoga once and never went back. I didn't find it relaxing, I couldn't get out of my mind and stop think while I did the poses and was suppose to breathe slowly. But I realise all the benefits that yoga can bring in the way it helps stress and anxiety and I'm willing to give it ago again to better myself. Pilates however I did really enjoy I was just never consistent with it, I would go for 3 weeks and then wouldn't be able to make it for a week and just stop going. But I love pilates, it quite dance based and fits with my background perfect. These two things also link to one of the branch off my resolution about living a happy life which is is to tone up and loose weight. Since going on FODMAPs I have been slowly loosing weight and I can see the different, now I just want to tone and be happy in my skin. So its off to the gym I shall go.
4. Essential Oils.
I have been doing a lot of research into the benefits of essential oils on your your physical and mental health and have decided that it would be a great option to try and relieve my anxiety when a episode hits. I'm excited to give this a go and see what effect it has on me
5. Drinking Tea.
Okay I'm not the biggest hot drink person, beside the occasional soy caramel hot chocolate but I do like ice tea, so again after a lot of research about the benefits of tea, in particular stress relieving and sleepy tea. Ive decide that this is another route that i want to try. I have no idea if I'm actually going to like drinking tea or if Im going to hate the hot stuff and need to work out how make iced teas but its worth a shot right?
6. Asking for Help.
I hate asking for help, I hate asking for things pronto. If my order comes out wrong in a restaurant I won't send it back, if I need to return something I'll beg and plead with a friend or my mum to go and talk to the person for me. But this year I am asking for help. After numerous talks with mum and my wonderful doctor I realised that my anxiety can't just be cured over night by some pills and that not only to deal with my anxiety to but to get over it I needed help. So I have taken it, I have the names, I have the number all I need to do it call. I'm still scarred out of my mind about talking to someone but I know this is something I HAVE to do. Anxiety is not just something should have to deal with every day, it something that you can work on getting over.
7. Planning and staying organised.
Last year I discovered the world of planning and feel in loved. I knew this was exactly what I needed to stay on track, maintain my life and achieve my goals. I saw a difference as well, i wasn't scrambling at the last minute to finish a assignment because I had timelines exactly when i was going to do everything for it, I could clearly see where I had appointments or reading and also found it a workplace for inspiration. This year I am planning on using the Plum Paper Planner, which is going to allow me to spilt my day up into three sections. I am also moving into more stickers and world of easy. I am very excited!
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| I customised my planner with my initial and name, as well as in my favourite colour Tiffany Blue |
So thats it, this feels slightly rambley and VERY long but I wanted you guys to know what I am facing this year and how excited I am to move into the next chapter of my life with you all along for the ride.
So tell me what are your New Year resolutions? How are you planning on sticking to them?
I would love to hear them
If you have any questions about anything I talked about here, like FODMAPs, anxiety, chronic nausea, even room decor or the books I'm reading. Drop me a line, I would love to talk to you.
Love Louise xo
I don't know what my path is yet. I'm still walking on it.
Olivia Newton-John
Links to Plum Paper Planner and Chicfetti
http://plum-paper.myshopify.com
http://chicfetti.com
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