NEW YEAR, NEW ME: 10 TIPS TO START YOUR 2021
2020 has been a big year. We’ve had bushfires, floods, a global pandemic, several lockdowns and a recession — but we’ve also had some pretty good stuff happen, too.
The New Year is a great time to make a list of resolutions (and attempt to stick to them!). Let’s take a look at our top tips to make 2021 your best year yet.
Dream Big!
2020 was a difficult year to plan goals. With lockdowns and a complete lack of certainty, we all did our best to get through.
Many of us want to get back on track with our personal and professional goals in 2021. Whether you want to run a marathon, get healthier, get a promotion, or work on your mental health — it’s best to create small, realistic steps to achieve your biggest goals. Writing them down and making them visible is a great way to stay accountable.
To do this, we love the Earths Greetings Daily Planner. This beautiful, native-inspired planner is made from 100% post-consumer waste. Pop your personal and professional goals into your planner — start every week with clarity, purpose, and a belief in yourself!
Eat Your Greens
Make sure you get plenty of fruit and vegetables — ideally organic, or home-grown fruit and veg. Veggies have plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially green, leafy veggies like spinach, kale, arugula, bok choy and cabbage.
Did you know that it’s quite simple to grow these greens? The Little Veggie Patch Co have an amazing range of veggie and herb seedlings that you can plant in your very own garden. Which ones will you grow?
You could even try growing fruits, such as…
If you’re looking for a quick and simple daily nutrient boost, we recommend Nuzest Good Green Vitality! With over 75 servings of fruits, veggies, greens and berries, this a very sneaky (but efficient) way to get your daily dose of goodness into your diet.
Move Your Body
Get active and try something different this year! If you’re tired of your same old exercise routine, spice things up with strength training, yoga, hiking, swimming, or a team sport. Exercise should be enjoyable and rewarding!
Setting small goals can be really helpful to reach your desired fitness level. If you want to run a marathon, you’ll need to increase the amount of time that you run for and increase the distance every week. With strength training, increase the amount that you lift incrementally (don’t overdo it!).
Or, maybe you want to play outside with your kids, nieces/nephews or grandkids more! Be the one to prioritise movement, play and activity in the every day to set a good example. Whether it’s going to the playground, taking the dog for a walk, or playing chasey in the backyard — something is better than nothing!
There are so many ways to get moving — how will you become more active in 2021?
Practice Mindfulness & Gratitude
Feeling a bit low? There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.
We believe that mindfulness and gratitude work together, hand in hand. Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. Sitting down and being present with your own thoughts — even just for a few minutes — can be a powerful way to start your day. When we calmly observe our thoughts, actions and bodily sensations through an objective lens, we can become in tune to the present moment.
Gratitude can be expressed in a few different ways.
- Notice the good things in your life, look for them, and appreciate them.
- Savor, absorb, and really pay attention to those good things.
- Express your gratitude to yourself and others.
- Write down five different things you’re grateful for every morning. It could be a nice cup of coffee, a promotion at work, or the support of a friend or family member!
- When you’re feeling low, take a look through your gratitude journal and remind yourself of how much you have to be grateful for.
Reduce Your Plastic Waste
We all know that plastic pollution is a big problem. In 2020, we spent more time at home — and naturally, we produced more waste!
At the beginning of 2021, take some time to assess different areas of your house — What kinds of plastic are you throwing out? Are there reusable/bamboo/compostable alternatives to these products?
Start Composting!
In the kitchen, your goal for 2021 might be to start composting your food scraps. The Urban Composter System is the quickest and easiest way to compost. Never used a composting system before? Here is a complete beginner’s guide to composting!
In your bathroom, your goal for 2021 might be to swap out your plastic bottled shampoo/conditioner for zero waste bars. There are so many reasons to purchase your hair care products in solid bar form. They massively cut down on the number of plastic bottles you dispose of, they’re great for travel, and they’re incredibly concentrated – meaning each bar can last up to 4 times longer! All shampoo and conditioner bars from Flora & Fauna are packaged in minimal, biodegradable materials; therefore no unnecessary plastics going to landfill.
For more inspiration and eco swaps, check out Zero Waste Kitchen and Zero Waste Bathroom.
Prioritise Self-Care
Feeling burnt out, stressed or overwhelmed? In 2020, we’ve had to surrender to things that are completely out of our control.
There’s one aspect of your life that you can control: how you practice self-care. Proper self-care is integral to leading a happy, balanced life. Self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness – especially during periods of stress.
Prioritising a self-care routine is really important — because, ironically — we forget to relax properly. Here at Flora & Fauna, we stock a huge range of products to help you to de-stress after a big day.
We love the idea of creating a spa environment at home, and to do this, we use Retreatment Botanics. These products are used at Gaia Retreat's Spa in Byron Bay. Everything you need to recreate the spa treatment right in your own home is found in the Retreatment Botanics Glowing Skin Self-Care Ritual Set. In this set, you’ll find: the Instant Glow Face Masque (75ml), a Handcrafted Ceramic Masque Bowl, a Facial Masque Brush, and a 100% Organic Cotton Muslin Face Cloth.
For more ethical self-care routine ideas, check out this blog: How to Have an Ethical Self-Care Routine.
Try Veganism!
January is Veganuary! If you’ve considered making the switch to a plant-based diet, now is the perfect time to give it a go. Veganuary is a 31-day vegan challenge; the broader goal is to facilitate the end of cruel animal farming, to protect our planet, and to collectively improve our health. By signing the Veganuary pledge, you can gain access to delicious recipes, easy meal plans, helpful tips, and ongoing support. Sign up for Veganuary here!
Here at F&F, we have a brand range of Vegan Food & Health items to help you on your journey — we’ve got plenty of vegan snacks and pantry/baking items, supplements, and protein powders.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of veganism, check out this blog: Three Reasons to Go Vegan.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Raise a glass of water to 2021, then drink it… Then drink a few more!
Proper consumption of water is essential for all bodily functions and maintaining body temperature. An adequate intake of water for men is approximately 13 cups (3 litres) a day. For women, an adequate intake is around 9 cups (2.2 litres).
If you’ve found yourself swapping water for coffee (or wine) throughout 2020, then 2021 is the perfect time to reverse this habit. Take some time to identify why you’re not drinking enough water. Maybe… you only prefer drinking ice-cold water, or you need some cucumber, lemon or mint to enjoy water — or, you don’t have a robust water bottle to take with you wherever you go.
Here at F&F, we have a huge range of stainless steel, copper, glass and insulated bottles for you to choose from. This BBBYO Stainless Steel Water Bottle 500ml keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours!
Get Your Beauty Sleep
We all need more sleep. Getting enough quality sleep will help protect your mental health, physical health, and quality of life. If stress and anxiety are preventing you from getting to sleep, we recommend trying an evening routine for ultimate relaxation.
You might want to try a relaxing bath with the Physic Garden Bath Soak. This naturopathically formulated bath soak contains Rose, Passionflower and Geranium. Settle into a warm, delicious bath and feel stress of the day dissolve away.
After a bath, settle in with a steamy cup of tea. For a relaxing caffeine-free option, try the Love Tea - Sleep Tea. With a calming blend of lavender, passionflower and valerian, this tea aids in relaxation and improves the quality of your sleep.
We all know that scent is very powerful, and that’s where essential oils come in. Create a calm space before bed (and overnight) with the Eco. Aroma Bliss Mist Diffuser and the Eco. Essential Oil Trio - Deep Sleep. Simply pop a few drops of lavender, sleep and dream drops into your diffuser and let yourself fall into a deep sleep.
Take Up a New Hobby
Last, but not least — take up a new hobby in 2021! Hobbies give you an opportunity to destress yourself while remaining mentally productive. Hobbies must be enjoyable but challenging.
The world is full of wonderful, exciting things that we can try out, fail at, and get better at. Whether it’s mastering a musical instrument, growing a garden, or learning how to bake — don’t be scared of being bad at something. Learning, growing and adapting in the face of adversity is so rewarding — it makes us more interesting people, and we become better equipped to deal with problems.
Taking up a new hobby is also a great way to become integrated into your community. It might be some sort of club or volunteering opportunity that you can get involved with. It’s a massive bonus if your hobby helps other people in need.
How will you start off your 2021?
