When we create our New Years resolutions, we often think of things to add to our routine. We want to cook more meals at home, become more active and develop a fun hobby or two. Yet we rarely think of letting go of negative elements that compromise our health and happiness. As the new year starts to sprout, try letting go of some of the following for a positive 2017:
1. Grudges
Getting angry at another person is unavoidable, but holding on to those negative feelings does nothing but stress you out further. Nicole McCance, a psychotherapist from Toronto, shared some tips about overcoming grudges with Canadian Living. She emphasized communication, both by expressing your anger with people you trust and by talking to the one you're mad at. She also acknowledged that the concept of forgive and forget is difficult for many people.
"If we're hurt, I don't think we ever forget because sometimes the hurt can change us," she explained.
Forgetting is hard, but it's the forgiveness that counts most.
2. Waiting for the right moment
No one likes to fail, but that fear keeps you from ever getting started on your goals. You begin to doubt your abilities, start settling for less than your best and constantly wait for that perfect moment when you're ready to move forward. Unfortunately, that moment doesn't exist. You'll always have a sense of feeling unprepared, and that's okay. In fact, what we learn in our moments of failure are often the best lessons.
That's not to say you should start a new project completely unprepared. If you want to travel to Spain, for example, you should probably buy a Spanish-to-English dictionary before touching down in Barcelona. Just don't put off buying your plane ticket year after year.
3. Negative body image
Writing for Chatelaine, Canadian author Monica Heisey detailed her determination to stop negative self talk about her body this year. Once, on vacation with several friends, she realized the constant criticism only fueled her insecurities more and more. When Heisey stopped judging her body, she began to feel more at ease in it.
No one is immune to negative body image, no matter his or her height, weight, gender or skin tone. But putting yourself down constantly only reinforces that belief. Pay attention to every time you start to think something negative about yourself and replace it with a positive thought instead.