New Year, New You – Would you benefit from speaking to a therapist?

We all say it:

This year will be different.

This is the year I get fit.

This is the year I look after me.

But what if the thought of making new resolutions or thinking about starting another year is just too much to handle? It feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Is having to fight to stay above the water is too hard?

I know there are lots of people out there who find starting a new year difficult. While everyone around you has that fake, perky optimism that the next year will be different, I know there will be some people out there who are more realistic. Nothing is going to change if you carry on doing the same things that you have always done.

Nothing is going to change unless you decide to live a different life. And you have the power to make that decision. The decision is always up to you.

I need to loose weight. In the first 6 months of last year, I did really well. I dropped 2 dress sizes but by September, the excitement about it had gone, and the bad eating habits crept back in. So this January, I am starting again with the Mediterranean diet but making little goals for myself along the way. I am trying to keep the excitement so I stick to it for longer. There is a dress I really want to get back into, so I have decided to try it on on the 1st of every month to track my progress. I will be challenging myself to make a new recipe every month and giving myself a treat day each month too to look forward to.

I am deciding to change how I do things in the hope of getting better results. Not just different results, but better ones.

It is very easy for me to sit here and type, saying do this and do that. I know that sometimes a little bit of extra help is needed to help you change the things you do not like about your life.

BetterHelp is an online therapy company, who can match you with an online therapist to talk to and give you the support you need. All the therapists have training in the field of mental health, and by being online, Better Help hope that they can break down the barriers to people who find accessing mental health help difficult.

Talking to someone about how you feel, and how you want to change your life can make you feel like you are supported in your goal. Having a support system around you can give you confidence, give you strength and give you accountability, meaning you are more likely to reach your goal.

You can do whatever you want to with your life, but the book starts and stops with your decision to change. If you want different results, try another way of doing things. You have the power. You always have the power.

Sarah x

Please note: This is a paid partnership article. These views are my own and they should not be taken instead of medical advice if your situation needs a professional. This article talks about general areas of life, not issues that need professional help.

New Year, New Resolutions

Ah it is January again! Time to make some plans for the upcoming year.

The theme of 2018 for me is going to be looking after myself more. I am going to make time to do the things I love the most, or things that I never quite have time for.

My first new year’s resolution is going to be to read more. There is nothing more inviting when life around you is stressful than to lose yourself in a good book. Immerse yourself in another world. Yet I always say: ‘I don’t have time to read a book.’ My favourite author at the moment is Agatha Christie, the Queen of crime herself. And, true to my word, I have already finished one of her early novels, which I started over Christmas. It was brilliant and I even found that reading a little before I went to bed made me fall asleep quicker. It gave me something else to think about instead of keeping myself up worrying about other things. I think I am on to a winner!

My second new year’s resolution is to make time to look after my wellbeing a bit more. I am not the average girly-girl, but I do enjoying having my nails done and I have a little smile to myself every time I catch a glimpse of the beautiful colours for weeks afterwards, so I am going to treat myself to more manicures this year. It might seem like a bit of an unnecessary expense but the gel varnish lasts for 4 weeks and I have something to show for it, rather than spending that much on alcohol or food or something that is consumed immediately. Besides, I always feel a bit more confident when I have nice nails!

I would also like to try having a massage, I mean, what could be more relaxing? Well, this could prove a little difficult as I have a bit of a phobia where this is concerned. I am not very keen on the thought of someone I don’t know touching me. You can see why a massage may not be as relaxing as first thought! Is this a normal fear? Anyone else understand me? So I was thinking of starting with something small, like Reflexology. I read online that it has all of the relaxing properties of a massage and stimulating certain pressure points on your feet connect to other parts of the body, meaning the whole body benefits. And there is meditation music and nice smelling oils involved. I can hear the whale calls already! I will let you know how that one goes.

And last but not least, my third new year’s resolution is to put more time, focus and energy into this blog. I can get very easily distracted by…well…anything and when I look up again it is already Monday and another week has passed me by *sigh* so I hereby vow to make this blog a priority!

I would love to hear what your new year’s resolutions are this year. What I love most about resolutions is how personal they are to everyone. Your resolution might sound silly or insignificant to someone else, but to you, it is the reason 2018 is going to stand out!

Sarah x

Picture credit: https://eu.fotolia.com/tag/%22happy%202018%22