New Year brings plenty of zeal, zest, and motivation to live your life consciously rather than drifting along passively. Living consciously means turning off autopilot and making mindful choices to avoid a “life lived of chance.” It requires deep work to take control of your life rather than settling for what is.
Even though living consciously in the new year is structured around a routine that involves new year resolutions, intentions, and aims; this routine can be followed all throughout the year to turn hopeful statements into concrete life practices for a better future.
Scroll down to find 8 tips that can help you live your life consciously in the new year:
The 8 Tips:
Define Your Core Values
Your core values are the fundamental principles that govern your life and should reflect your beliefs. When you define your core values, you get a clear direction that aids in simplifying decision-making.
To do this, you must be ready to put in some work because you’ll be doing some self-discovering and identifying what’s most important to you. Although you can easily opt for core values that are in “trend,” it is essential for living consciously that you define a set of values that resonates with what is important to you.
Select three to five core values and write them down in order of importance. Once you have defined your core values, it is time to put them to the test through decision-making.
Set an Intention for the Year
Every New Year brings new resolutions but more often than not, we end up either forgetting about them or discarding them altogether. Intention, as opposed to the resolution, creates a blueprint for living your life consciously.
To make an intention, start by reflecting on the past few years and then write down what you feel makes you want to be a better person. Now, it is time to visualize where you want to stand in life and then take what you want from the list above and turn it into an intentional goal.
In the end, don’t forget to turn these intentional goals into a mantra that will help you stay on course. Whether you want to be more disciplined with your finances or you want to invest in self-care, repeat your mantra daily and achieve your intentional goals.
Hone Your Curiosity
Have you ever wondered how many scientific discoveries took place only because the scientist was curious enough to take that one step forward that others normally wouldn’t?
You may not be a scientist but honing or sharpening your curiosity is an essential element for consciously living. Your curiosity is your greatest strength, and it can open doors you wouldn’t have even dreamed of knocking on.
This new year, maybe you can try something new. You may also want to say goodbye to the life of a frog living in a well and maybe hop out and realize that your present reality doesn’t have to be your only reality.
Practice Single-tasking
If you are practicing mindful mornings, you probably go out for a walk while listening to your favorite podcast or taking calls without realizing that this too is multi-tasking. Next time, maybe try walking to take in the wonderful sights of nature only and not to respond to calls.
You would be surprised to know how much you would be able to unlock if you just focused on the task at hand. When you are engaged in a task and there are no or minimal distractions around you, you would notice that you were more productive and got the work done in an efficient manner. Live consciously by practicing single-tasking to enhance your cognitive performance and boost your productivity.
Create a Slow Living Morning Routine
In this world of fast food and fast clothing, be a proponent of slow living for a healthy present and future. Creating a slow-living morning routine is all about creating a setup that works for you and not against you.
A slow living morning routine, from breathing in the new day to practicing gratitude, is your first step toward living consciously in the new year. Sleeping early to wake up naturally the next morning helps you set your mood for the day. Drink water before you chug that cup of coffee and write in your journal before composing a work email.
Set Check-in Points (it’s inevitable to fall off, these check-ins will get you back on track)
When you are new to a habit or goal, some days you are looking forward to adding another day to your streak of maintaining that particular habit or goal, and on others, it just feels impossible to maintain that streak.
This is where check-ins come in. From emotional check-ins to financial ones, taking note of your behavior and habits can tell you a lot about yourself. Notice what makes you happy and what causes stress, what motivates you, and what demotivates you. Take notes of your check-ins and tap into the power of your strengths to get back on track.
Be Present
Taking from your mindfulness practice above, practice mindful pause. Be conscious of what is around you and then focus on one step at a time.
Give some time to exercise and engage your mind and body in deep breathing. Take control of your life rather than letting the fast-moving world take control of you. Be mindful of your surroundings; be present.
All in All
Living consciously may need your conscious action and effort but it leads to a present and future that promises a life well-lived. Make sure that you practice self-awareness and make decisions that align with your core values. Take on a growth mindset to turn this new year into a success!