Livvienitup

Personally, I don’t put a whole lot of emphasis on New Year’s Resolutions because I’m the type of girl who says, “You want to make changes? Let’s start right now.” I don’t like to wait. I started in December and cracked down once New Year’s Day hit. For the first month of year, my goal is to create healthy habits and get fit. When I woke up that morning, the air felt different and fresh. Good things and change are coming. I’m choosing to be optimistic and maybe manifest my dreams to come true. I wanted to kick off the new year strong and thrive in 2025. I’m leaving behind bad habits, negativity, and anything that made me sad in 2024. Healed wounds will not be reopened. It’s time to move on to a new chapter of prosperity.

I’m convinced every day that we don’t emphasize enough how good we can feel when we eat healthy food. I’ve noticed that my energy levels are up, and I sleep better as a result. I’m focusing on my diet and making sure that protein, fruits, veggies and healthy carbs are included. My parents are friends with a professional chef and health coach who made the recommendations of these foods which help promote a healthier side of living. Check out Adam Potash Approach for more. I switched my morning coffee to green tea with lemon which still has caffeine and perks me up for the day. For example, breakfast contains plain oatmeal sweetened by blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. I like to switch off between a tofu stir fry and zucchini noodles with ground turkey in red sauce. I also love an apple with peanut butter as a snack. I’m always experimenting and trying new things. My new rules for my diet are that certain things like coffee, pasta, pizza, dessert or any fast food is a special treat only and only during social times.

I’m making exercise a priority and even getting back into doing pilates on the weekends. I’m a cardio and a strength training girlie. I like to do classes with Apple Fitness and sometimes I’ll run freely on my own. Exercise is not only good for your physical health, but amazing for mental health with releasing endorphins. I’m always happier when I exercise regularly. Some people are naturally active and most people I know are, especially those who are former athletes. I used to horseback ride competitively for years. I quit over a year ago and got back in the saddle recently for a hack at my friend’s place. It was a blast despite me being a bit out of shape. I felt like a noodle, but it’s comforting to know that it felt like something I haven’t forgotten how to do. I also want to make getting outside a priority, and this is a great way to do that. Routine and planning ahead is everything, that way I can prioritise getting the activities done.

Focusing on self care has also been very beneficial for me. I’ve been spending time figuring out what makeup styles I like and putting outfits together for work. I’ve never been great at eyeliner but practicing has helped a lot. I like to spend the weekend recharging and resetting for the week with hair or face masks and sometimes a manicure. These simple actions with planning ahead give me more activities to look forward to with my week. It’s good practice and preparation for the next step in life whatever that may be. It’s also a great confidence booster. I’m also spending more time reading books, specifically ones that contain helpful tips for young women navigating life, the office, and more. This is not an easy time to navigate when you’ve recently graduated and are starting professionally. What styles do I like? How to budget and save? How do I start that career? I found these three books to be particularly helpful; How To Be Hepburn in a Kardashian World by Jordyn Cross, Everything Will Be Okay by Dana Perino, and The Financial Diet: A Total Beginners Guide to Getting Good with Money written by Chelsea Fagan and designed by Lauren Ver Hage. What can I say? I like to read little pink books that help us figure things out.

Making changes like these to my life has been very beneficial for me. I’ve learned that it is also about reframing the ideas in your mind. If you pay attention to how you feel during and after an activity, you’ll notice positive effects like confidence, happiness, self-assurance, and more energy. I work out because it is fun. Read more to calm my mind and learn something new. I focus on healthy foods because they make me feel strong and have more energy. People on TikTok have been saying that you have to act like the person you want to become. I think that’s true and if you treat yourself like that person, others will see it too. Here’s to a happy & healthy 2025 and may we thrive.