Just one more night and another whole year will have gone by. Wow… Time flies when you’re having fun! For me, the new year brings with it new opportunities and renewed energy! Below are five of my own tips just for you to help start the year off right. Will you join me?

Photo: Anne Timmer

Write it down
Take a half an hour for yourself and reflect on everything that has happened on a personal level over the past year. Jot down all the things you accomplished, the things you are proud of and things that could be improved. The new year offers a perfect opportunity to take these things on. Make a list of five personal goals you would like to take on in the new year. These might include anything from taking the initiative more often, being more generous or more patient to being kind to yourself. Write these down in brief, on paper, using key words and put them up on your mirror. That way you’ll be reminded of your resolutions every day. You can do it ;-)!

Keep an open mind
What I’ve learned over the past year is that when you maintain an open mind (being open to new things by thinking in terms of boundless possibility), you can achieve much more and will feel more positive about life in general. Try it. Spend one day thinking in terms of possibility rather than constraints. We live in a world in which so much is possible. You just need to believe in yourself.

Detox your body and soul
I see the beginning of a new year as the perfect opportunity for deep cleaning. Not only do I clean and organize my house from top to bottom, I also take the time to cleanse my body. Usually I’ll do this by doing a detox for a week that includes healthy juices, homemade soups and healthy snacks in between. In this way, I put my body first for an entire week. The result? After a week, my energy levels are through the roof. What a great way to start the new year! For the more advanced detox-ers among us, I recommend the ‘Cleanse a la Rens’. Is this detox a bit too much for you? We will be posting about an easy peasy detox very soon, so stay tuned!

Rediscover an old hobby
When I was little, I had a ton of hobbies. I built tents and forts, made crafts, baked cookies and danced and sang. What occurs to me now is that I free up so little time now for my hobbies – with the exception of cooking, of course. Recently, my boyfriend said, “I don’t see you dance at home as often anymore.” It’s these kinds of things that are precisely what makes life so enjoyable and so much fun. This year I am going to rediscover more of these things. Dancing and singing in the kitchen (three birds with one stone!), why not? Go back in time and try to remember what you did for fun as a child. Choose one of your old hobbies and free up a little time once a week or once a month to devote to it.

Find a new active challenge
Speaking of thinking in terms of possibility and rediscovering old hobbies, my fifth and final tip is to find a new challenge in the realm of being active. Have you been thinking of taking dance lessons again or do you dream of running a half marathon? Just go for it! My goal: go jogging in nature more often!

It’s really important not to be too hard on yourself. Balance, is key for me in maintaining a happy & healthy lifestyle. Believe in your own ability, have patience and remember that you are the only one that can affect change. Ready? Set… Go!