In the spirit of January, Näring Collective brings you our New Year's Resolutions for 2017 including some tips about how to actually stick to them.

Unfortunately, it’s common for the majority of us to commit to some sort of resolution for the first few weeks of January. Our level of commitment to the cause, however, usually dwindles off to the point where we are back to our old habits before we know it.  We want 2017 to be better.  So see our 3 tips on how to actually stick to a New Year's Resolution.

1. Choose something that’s important to you

When resolving to do something, you should be choosing something you genuinely care about – instead of something that you think you should care about.  I know this seems like common sense but a lot of the time we try and create changes in our lives based on general notions about happiness or wellness when really, these general notions are not something we can relate to.  This first step is important because it is your dedication to the resolution that will determine its success, not the idea itself. It’s not likely you will remain committed to something if it is not accompanied by an internal motivation.  Keep in mind that along your journey to achieving your goal, it is normal and good for it to change.  Don’t feel like you have failed if this does happen.  Change means you’ve been working and therefore counts as progress.  So just keep on swimming!

2. Pen and paper

The next important step would be to document your progress and your plan physically. Yes – with pen on paper.  Keeping online content is great however there is something very natural and human about writing things out.  This helps solidify whatever you’ve written. It also gives you something to physically check off or cross out when it’s complete.  We are born creators and despite what you may think about your handiness, humans like to make things with their hands.  So take the time to write out a plan, draw a prototype, jot down daily to-do lists. Let these pieces keep you physically and mentally accountable to your goal in addition to your Google Calendar and iPhone Alarm.

3. Get out of your head.  

We all know the power that negative thoughts can have over us.  Planning down to the second and over-thinking something could result in fear and anxiety that will ultimately be debilitating.  There will always be many opinions around you that may affect your course of action.  And there is a lot of information out there that can be helpful to a certain extent.  Just remember, your life and experiences will never be the same as another AND usually some awesome stuff comes from taking risks – as long as you aren’t in too much physical danger. So get out of your head, and try it!

Now that you’re super ready and motivated to get going on your resolutions, take a peek at ours below.

Cass’ Resolutions

1. Stay away from dairy.  I don’t eat dairy because it gives me acne and it affects my autoimmune condition. This has been hard over the holidays with all the yummy Italian treats, but I am vowing to get back on track with this elimination.

2. Decrease my food waste.  The sustainable of our food production and eating practices is an issue that I will always hold dear to my heart.  I personally vow to do my part in reducing my contribution to the landfill.

3. Make my own hummus.  This stems on trying to eat in a more sustainable way.  The waste I create alone from the packaging of hummus containers – I eat a ton of hummus – is pretty upsetting. I vow to reduce that and reduce the amount of additives I’m eating by making my own.

Jess’ Resolutions

1. Drink more water. My water intake makes a big difference in my skin and overall health. When I drink more water my eczema doesn’t flare up as much and I just feel more hydrated in general.

2. Eat at home more and eat out less. Our lifestyles are very on-the-go which somewhat justifies buying a tea, coffee, and salad here and there.  But the prices on something fresh and simple like a salad are way too high and it’s always hard to know what’s in the food and dressings.

3. Stick to a food journal. I will be sharing more about this in later posts but I have random allergy flare-ups that go as far as anaphylaxis. Keeping a journal for my food and physical activity will help me keep track of patterns which would help me spot the cause of flare-ups. Certain foods also cause more inflammation for my eczema compared to others so a journal will help me keep track of that.

Thanks for following along. Don’t forget to follow us on instagram @naringcollective. And stay tuned for the solutions to our resolutions that will be coming out in the following weeks!