Throw away your gym bag! Toss that protein powder! Bury your yoga pants in the laundry pile! Just kidding, but instead of telling ourselves again this year that we will go to the gym more and drink more water, we are focusing on mental health resolutions going into 2020. Mental health is an aspect of wellness that has been looked over for many years, but no more! At IBT, we’ve had the pleasure of putting together a few simple and achievable resolutions, as well as gathered insight from wellness advocate, Tanja Subotic on how we can keep ourselves in check mentally this year!
Take time to b r e a t h e
We don’t often think of our breathing, because, you know, we just kind of doing it. But strategizing your breathing can achieve so many wonderful effects. From calming you down to pumping up your adrenaline to completely restarting your nervous system, there are are so many ways that the way you breathe can affect your body. While not for the faint of lungs (or septums), we personally love the ego eradicator technique, but there are so many different options out there. Go out and research an effective breathing exercise that’ll work for you for the next time you’re stressed or meditating or at yoga.
Tanja reminds us to “always go back to breath. Our breath governs our existence and most of the time we are constricting our breath. Breathing is a form of receiving and releasing, which is critical in these challenging moments. The same way we inhale to receive and exhale to release, do the same for these moments of challenge. Release them from your energy centers. Exhale.”
Image via @mindbodygreen
“It’s not that deep”
Something heard not infrequently around the IBT office, is now becoming our mantra for 2020. When problems or stress arrive, we are going to have to remind ourselves, that it isn’t that deep. You will get that big project done in time for the deadline. You will figure out that problem you’ve been struggling with. And even if you don’t? It’s not that deep. Everything will be okay regardless. Chant it with us now: It’s not that deep!
Health from the inside, out
You may be the healthiest eater in the world, but if you cannot eat a cookie without a full-on guilt trip, then perhaps you ought to reevaluate your relationship with food. By maintaining positive thoughts about what you eat, how you move and how you look, you’re going to feel so much better. One “cheat” will not have any impact on your overall health. A single choice will not define your health and wellness, your habits and lifestyles do. So, get into the habit of loving yourself whether you’re eating kale or pizza. We are on a strict no-remorse diet!
Image via @kristinjohns
On the other hand, health from the inside out can go beyond food! Tanja suggests to “rise up to your self truths. Remove everyone and everything from your mind’s data and focus on your repeated thought cycles, emotional storages and triggers and follow that cord back to its original experiences. A great way to self discovery is through writing and vocal expression. When in an emotional state that is challenging you try to write out the first feelings that come to you freely or express them vocally. Often you will find that that moment was a trigger not the initiator. When the focal point is found move into that, feel it and release. We are all divine human beings living a divine experience in this life’s journey, every moment counts as a blessing to the flourishing of your true, authentic self.”
Think, then speak
Okay, this may feel like more of a common life rule than a mental health resolution, but hang with us here. We all know we should think before we speak, but do we actually follow that rule? Think of all the times you’ve ever said something that you regretted saying. If you had thought about it for even 30 more seconds beforehand, how likely would you have been to say it? We’re going to go out on a limb here and say highly less likely. Your words are a direct reflection of your mindset, so make sure that you are going in with a good mindset before you speak and you will notice a dramatic decrease in foot-in-mouth syndrome.
Sacred Time/Space
Tanja reminds us to create a beautiful space or time that you have for yourself. “This can be anywhere. Even for 10 minutes per day and then work your way up to more time to yourself. Space in your life is critical to self actualizing. In this space and time we can recollect ourselves and compose. Quiet the mind and soul and allow yourself your self love and compassion. Sometimes adding in rituals such as mediation, movement, music, writing, candles, essences, and sage are all wonderful add-ons to your time.”
Rest Fully
Okay okay, I realize that we are all multitasking, like all the time. Even when we are relaxing, we are still checking emails and mentally listing all the things that we need to do once relaxation time is done. We are all guilty of it and if you say other, your mental health resolution needs to be practicing honesty (kidding). But in 2020, no more! When it’s grind time, it’s grind time. But once we kick off our heels and take time to put our ever-expanding to-do list to the side, we are committing. You cannot work on end. You need rest. You are not a robot (but if you are, kudos to sneaking past captcha). The only way you are wasting time is by adulterating your downtime with work.
Well, we’re off to practice our breathing, but we hope that these mental health resolutions will work out just as well for you as they did for us (we are manifesting the success right now). If you are feeling super inspired to boost your wellness in this new decade, make sure to check out this article on six new workout classes to try, or even read up on some healthy snacks to pick up on your next Costco run!