5 years ago, if anyone would have asked me what I would be putting into my body in 2023 there was no way I would have answered ‘predominantly raw fruits and vegetables’. My answer would largely resemble something along the lines of ‘cakes and anything that tastes good’. In 5 years, a lot has changed but change hasn’t happened overnight. It’s been a slow and steady slink to a healthier lifestyle, and if I was still choosing incorrectly for my body, my body would make certain that was no longer the case!

The thing is that things change over time and it’s not the time that does the changing but it’s our conscious decision to change. A lot of us make very drastic resolutions when there’s a new year ahead of us but what often happens is that we cannot sustain the same gusto and momentum as we did when we made those resolutions and we give up – either because the task we set out for ourselves is too big and overwhelming to achieve or because that thing is still working for us in a way. In any event, when we fail to reach our goal we downward spiral into negative thinking patterns about ourselves that can devastate our self-image and any future attempts at success. 

So how can we get to where we want to go? Incremental changes! James Clear has an entire book dedicated to habit building. ‘Atomic Habits’, details exactly how to go about forming new habits (a worthwhile read)! What I found is that pretty simple, small incremental changes over time that are easy to achieve and enjoyable make for great success. We often don’t achieve what we want to because we make it really difficult for ourselves, we put pressure on ourselves to get it done but we forget to have fun with it, and we forget to make it play. 

Here are some tips for getting to your 2023 goals and resolutions:

• Get into the mindset of seeing your goal as something to play with. Lighten up around it!
• If it’s a big thing you’re wanting to achieve like cutting out sugar from your diet, try cutting it out incrementally over a period of time and not all at once!
• Acknowledge your progress and find small ways to celebrate them.
• Remember why you are doing what you are doing.
• Smile! You’re handling a lot!