2020 has well and truly arrived, can you believe it? Time flies – and not just when you’re having fun. The start of the new year is supposed to be a wonderful time, full of excitement at the prospect of what’s to come. Unfortunately, for many of us, the extra work and added expense of the holiday season can make New Year’s a stressful time.
Plus, no one likes hearing that dreaded phrase: ‘what’s your New Year’s resolution?’
So this year, why not forget the resolutions and tell your family and friends you are just following some tips on how to manage stress that you read online.
Forget The Resolutions
In the US New Year’s resolutions have become rooted in our culture. Every morning news show bright and early on January 1st begins their newscast with the same New Year’s resolution small talk. And every gym in America fills to the brim the first week of the year as people start their ‘new year, new you’ routines.
Of course, the gyms quickly empty out, and the newscasters forget they ever even made a resolution. Everything eventually goes back to the status quo, because after all, New Year’s is just a day like any other.
This year, why not skip the New Year’s resolution festivities. It will save you a lot of stress, time and money. You won’t have to pretend you enjoy going to the gym or cutting out sugar, instead, you can just live your life to the fullest as you normally would.
Rekindle An Old Hobby
Instead of making some grand resolution to be a better person in the New Year, why not make a simpler resolution. To better manage your stress.
One great way to do this is by rekindling an old hobby. Starting a new hobby can be a stressful new addition to your life, but rekindling an old hobby can bring you a lot of joy and sweet, sweet nostalgia, with a lot fewer headaches.
You used to love to go climbing, well maybe it’s time to sign up for classes again. But, instead of putting pressure on yourself to make it to the climbing gym every day, just go when you feel like it. After all, hobbies are supposed to be fun, not chores we force upon ourselves.
Take A Spa Day
If the stress of the New Year has really gotten to you, it’s time for a spa day. Massages, treatments, soaks, spas are relaxation at its peak.
Also, during January you can find great deals at local spas and resorts because so many people are back on the work grind. In fact, January is the least common vacation month, according to a new survey from Gift Card Granny, with only 2.4% of people electing to take their vacation during the month.
This means natural spas, like Soap Lake Natural Spa, which are usually more expensive because of their natural healing and stress-relieving qualities, are far more affordable during January.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
You ate too much pie at Thanksgiving and too many cookies during Christmas, and you definitely drank far too much champagne on New Year’s eve. You’ve gained weight. It’s stressing you out.
Why not try some relaxation techniques that can help heal your body and your mind. Yoga, tai-chi, meditation, there are so many options in 2020. Self-care is easier than ever.
Practicing relaxation techniques is a great stress reliever. However, it’s important not to put pressure on yourself to go X amount of times per week. Instead, think of these techniques as your relief, your medication from a stressful modern life. Do them because you want to, not because you have to.
See The Chiropractor
Finally, if you are really bent out of shape by New Year’s stress it can pay to find some quality chiropractic care.
The reality is stress can have a physical effect on our bodies. Stress causes muscles to tighten which can pull our neck and shoulders out of alignment. Even worse, stress is known to raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Chiropractic care is known to help relieve stress brought on by muscle and joint pain. However many people don’t know there are studies that have proven chiropractic sessions can even reduce blood pressure.
So, this new year, instead of focusing on your New Year’s resolution, maybe just try and follow these simple tips to reduce your stress. Or don’t, it’s up to you. Don’t stress it.
*collaborative post