Are you struggling to keep your New Year's resolutions? Small steps and self-nurture are the key!

There can be two key reasons behind this, the first being that we may have set unrealistic goals or ones that don't enrich your life; the second being that we simply don’t have the energy required to fulfil them.

We often say that the New Year is a fresh start, however, if you’re anything like me, you may not feel very refreshed after the Christmas break. It can be a stressful or demanding time with all the shopping, cooking, travelling and family politics, and so we don’t necessarily start the year raring to go! 

This means we potentially set ourselves up to fail our New Year resolutions, with the lack of energy to fulfil them. Or even worse, we over-ride our body's messages and end up with injuries or illness. Instead, in the depths of winter with the lack of sunlight, it can be more useful to focus on self-nurture to rebalance and re-energise so we can launch into great things in the Spring, which is nature’s new year. Personally I think 1st March should be New Year’s Day!

If you’re struggling with a bout of winter blues or sluggishness, having regular treatments such as reflexology and massage is one way of helping you get back on track. It can combat the effects of stress, improve your sleep, stimulate your digestion and increase your energy levels. However, in the same way that you don’t get fit from just one visit to the gym, one treatment will not be a miracle cure!

This is why I recommend a course of reflexology to get the best results. In general, monthly sessions are great for maintaining wellbeing; weekly or fortnightly sessions help to shift problems.

In terms of setting achievable life-enriching goals, I have personally found the Mindvalley 12 areas of your life really helpful. In assessing what areas are working well at the moment and what areas are lacking, it can help you find more balance (and hopefully happiness!) in your life. Just click on the link below for more detail:

Mindvalley - The 12 Areas of Your Life

It's unlikely that we'll ever be able to say that all areas are all perfect, life is always work in progress after all. However it can be really helpful to know which areas need attention and to set goals that help to improve your life. As with any change we want in life, there's no quick fix solution, and trying to overhaul everything is only setting ourselves up to fail. Instead, try making one small change consistently and see what a difference it makes!

In my assessment, it became very clear that my focus on work and motherhood last year meant my social life had all but disappeared and I was not nurturing myself enough. So my small changes are: to at least once a month have a (child-free) night out with friends, at least once a week take a walk somewhere green, and to have a treatment once a month. What’s yours?!