Each year we are inundated with messaging on social media and across platforms that we should focus on “new year, new me”. Usually these messages are brought to us by fitness influencers, diet supplement companies, and beauty product peddlers. The end goal? “I am not good enough and should change something about my appearance”.
When we buck the norms and shift away from body-centric new years’ resolutions we’re contributing to our individual and collective liberation. How inspiring is it when you see a friend post about their goals online and they’re directly linked to their emotional wellness?
We know that empowerment can only come from within. Let’s talk about some goals that nourish and encourage us as we step into the new year.
Deep Self Care: Nourishing Resolutions
REST – It’s often tempting to stay up an extra hour or two to get that “me time”, especially if you have a demanding job or a family that relies on you. Committing to getting a solid amount of sleep is a great resolution that can create an incredible amount of healing in your life (seriously, our bodies rely on quality sleep to improve our mental and physical health!).
CREATIVITY – Exploring and practicing a creative hobby is a beautiful practice that deserves a place on your resolution list. Whether you pick up a new hobby like crochet or painting or revive an old one like drawing or reading fiction, creative outlets are sources of joy in our lives.
MENTAL HEALTH – Journaling, meditation, and mindfulness are all helpful ideas to create a focus on mental health and wellness in the year ahead. If you need some guidance for your journal journey, I’ve created a beautiful 52-card deck filled with affirmations and accompanying journal prompts called The Worthy Deck. I’d love if it helped you reach your mental health goals!
PLEASURE – Embrace joy-seeking through activities that feel good. Sure, pleasure can be sexual and sensual and you should embrace those things too. But the things that create space for joy in our lives are the simple pleasures like enjoying cooking nourishing foods, dancing in your living room for no reason other than it feels right, or going for a walk with no aim but to experience what you find.
Radical Self Acceptance: Resolutions to Embrace Who You Are
AFFIRMATIONS – Practicing affirmations can help reprogram our minds through something called neuroplasticity. Our brains are resilient and can be shaped by both external experiences and internal efforts. Writing effective affirmations and using them regularly can help create an ecosystem in your brain that is perfect for growth and stability.
RELEASING PERFECTIONISM – Set realistic expectations and practice laughing when you aren’t good at the first go. Embrace being a beginner! The only way we get good at something is by first being bad at it. Embrace the pursuit of a skill and give yourself grace when you fall down.
BODY GRATITUDE – The body positive movement has created a great conversation surrounding our bodies but still puts the focus on how we look. Consider body neutrality: our bodies are good because of how they work. They breathe in air, they repair themselves while we sleep, they carry us through our lives. Practice gratefulness for what your body allows you to experience and offer it thanks for the things it does rather than how it looks in jeans (which is great but that’s not the point here. 😉 )
DIVERSIFY – Take a look at your social media feeds…do you see the same type of person over and over? A great thing to challenge ourselves to do is to broaden our horizons by curating a diverse social media feed full of different perspectives. Find creators who represent different races, genders, perspectives, and sizes. Appreciate the beauty in our differences and you might find your mind asking more questions rather than passing more judgments.
Community Care: Extending Our Resolutions
VOLUNTEER – Finding time to share resources with your direct community is always a worthy cause. Resolve to dedicate one weekend day a month to nourishing your community. Consider volunteering with an organization like Children’s Mercy making happy kits for kids, working with ScrapsKC, or check out Harvester’s to offer time nourishing Kansas City’s worthy community causes.
CONNECT – Make intentional efforts to deeply connect with friends and family and look for opportunities to infuse those connections with memories. Connections are vital for our own well being but the beautiful thing about them is they offer support and care for all parties involved.
REST AND SUPPORT – Join or create spaces that offer respite and support for members of your community. Your presence is valuable, vital, and beautiful to offer in spaces like reading groups, running groups, or friends who host dinner clubs together. Rest and joy as a collective is essential to our liberation.
Celebrating You – the Whole You
You are amazing.
The things you do, the causes you champion, the love you share for others…you’re a wonderful human. Creating resolutions that focus on deep self care, radical self-acceptance, and community care will offer deeply nourishing energies that welcome 2025 with compassion and a delicious slice of togetherness that leaves us feeling warm and cared for.
Happy 2025, babe.
