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PETALING JAYA: It’s the first day of 2021. First of all, congratulations. You deserve a pat on the back for making it out alive in 2020.
But you stare at your scale and let out a heavy sigh. Weren’t you supposed to drop that 10kg last year and what happened to that expensive gym pass?
Year after year, it is an endless cycle in which your resolutions do not go beyond February and your yoga pants are hidden in the corners of the closet.
The problem? They are not realistic New Years resolutions.
So instead of giving up sugar, dairy, and carbs, try setting your sights on these seven New Year’s resolutions that you can actually keep.
1. Learn a new yoga pose
No, you don’t have to become a yogi before the end of the year. Rather than pushing your body to the absolute maximum, your New Years resolution may be to simply learn a new yoga pose.
It also doesn’t necessarily have to be a tough and heartbreaking pose. Maybe the cow face pose or the cobra pose to begin with.
Plus, it’ll give your self-esteem a good boost when you find your flexibility increasing week by week.
2. Cook dinner once a week
Perhaps last year’s New Years resolution was to diligently bring packed lunches to work every day, and unfortunately that didn’t work out, not thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why not start with a plate once a week, maybe on Friday nights after a hard work week?
Of course, you don’t have to go all Julia Child and start with a difficult dish which can be quite demotivating if it doesn’t turn out right.
Start with a simple recipe that requires a minimum of ingredients. The added bonus is that by cooking in your own kitchen, you can control all the ingredients that go into your meals and into your body.
Who knows, you may even retreat into the kitchen after this to seek the comfort of roasting a chicken.
3. Commit to learning a new language
In this day and age, learning a new language is definitely a useful tool, whether you use it for travel or simply to impress your superior during a job interview.
Sure, the Covid-19 pandemic has made the prospect of travel pretty bleak, but do you know that there has been evidence that learning a new language can stretch your brain and even develop new neural pathways?
A study conducted by the University of York in Toronto found that learning a new language has a very powerful impact on the brain and can lead to delaying dementia.
Who knows, that ‘Bonjour, Monsieur’ might come in handy one day when travel bans are lifted.
4. Get your annual checkup
Before deciding to abstain from smoking and drinking alcohol, why not start 2021 with a health checkup?
Getting a routine health check-up each year not only serves as an early warning and preventive mechanism against illness, it also allows you to meet with your doctor to assess your current health and lifestyle habits.
5. Practice Meatless Mondays
He has said it before, “I will stop eating meat to save the animals” and in the second week of January, he finds himself chewing on a juicy steak.
Malaysian restaurants have been serving up some really delicious looking vegan treats, so why not give it a try in 2021?
6. Read a book every month
How many books did you read in 2020? If you have answered more than six, congratulations.
With social media a constant distraction, when was the last time you picked up a book, sat in a comfortable chair, and fell into a world made up of your imagination?
Try it, one book a month.
It doesn’t have to be a thousand-page novel. Start with something that you are passionate about, like Harry Potter.
Plus, there are innate benefits to reap. Reading fiction has been shown to increase empathy, strengthen memory, and improve overall cognitive function.
7. Keep a plant alive
Well, you may have killed a couple of plants in 2020, but don’t let your setbacks get you down.
Some plants need just the right amount of water to thrive, and others hardly need attention, so start with those plant species like chili peppers.
These little red devils require very little maintenance. The next time you find yourself chopping up some chili, don’t throw out the seeds.
Instead, collect them in a pot with soil, water them once a day, and remember to add fertilizers.
2020 was certainly a difficult year for everyone, so why not start 2021 with these easy and joyful resolutions?
After all, it will definitely put you in a good mood when your rotisserie chicken is a hit at the next family dinner.
