It is that time of the year again, most of us finally have time to think of the year ahead and set daring goals for ourselves. It is time to think about our lives and what we wish to change for the future. The time off from our daily routines like working long days in a job that doesn't fulfil us but pays the bills is the reason we take this time to reflect. Unfortunately, this is done only in December for few of us, but in reality it should consist of a daily habit.
Instead of following fad diets and quickly lifestyle changes I want you to focus on learning to live a better life overall. You hear people say knowledge is power, but I say ‘applied knowledge is power’.
Here is your ultimate guide to learning a better life and help achieve your goals in 2016:
DIET
Number one on the list, diet is what perhaps 99% of us want to change for the new year. With so many diet books, gurus, Instagramers and websites out there, the message can become confusing and hard to get. Learning a bit more about what actually happens to you when you eat, perhaps is the key to know more about your unique physiology and what works only for you.
When training clients, the first thing I do is to eliminate foods commonly known to affect our gut. Dairy, soya and gluten, are the first three things out of the diet.
Another successful strategy is to make sure clients eat 3 meals a day, it sounds silly by most people go on the whole day with only two or even one meal a day! And they wonder why they’re so stressed at work? Top that with the 6 or 7 coffees a day and the pressure of a highly stressful job, the only defence mechanism your body have is to shut down the immune system, slow down the metabolism and release a lot of stress hormones. These hormones are translated into bad mood, anger, lack of focus, bickering and gossiping to name a few bad results that come from a poor diet and from not feeding your body properly.
This year try to go and do a blood lab work to see if your body is developing any intolerance or allergy to a particular food. You truly are what you eat, and the correlation to how you behave and the food you eat is constantly being proven by science. There is a number of really good books such as Clean Gut by Alejandro Junger or Gut by Giulia Ender that explain this better if you want to learn more.
Vitamin infusions are another thing I have been doing for the last two years and I recommend if you’re not too sure about supplementation or the right dosage you’re meant to have for vitamin and minerals. I used to spend a lot of my money buying supplements and sometimes I would forget to take them, having an administrated session of intravenous supplementation is the next level when it comes to supplements.
Another new thing to do this year is a colonic irrigation. You would be surprise about the amount of crap that stays in your large intestine that can only be removed by doing a colonic. You will see your mood improve instantly and your energy levels sky rocket few minutes after the treatment. It will also give you a different prospect about what to put inside your body. I always go to the Energy Clinic in Harley Street for blood tests, infusions Colonic irrigation.
MONEY
Start saving. If you save 10% of an average £40k salary a year, in 5 years you will have £20k. You can do a lot of things with £20k; buy the mortgage from a property or to start your own business. Most people live their lives drifting without long term goals, living life for the weekends, once you’re in this whole it’s hard to get out of it. Don’t be a drifter, drifters allow the world to write the stories of their lives.
People that complain and that are never fulfilled often are the ones who have the urge to go out on the weekend and waste their wages. ‘I need to have fun!’ I hear that every so often, or ‘my friends wanted to see me’ these are the two stories you keep telling yourself to convince that what you’re doing is right or to justify when you’re sulking because you don’t have money left for the rest of the month.
Saving 10% of your salary and investing the money you’d be spending going out on your health are two of the best advices you can apply for the next year.
RELATIONSHIPS
Spend more time learning about yourself before you trying to find your soulmate. This digital generation is slowly losing touch with reality. If you’re a guy, going old school and chivalry will differentiate yourself from the rest, If you’re a girl, being independent is awesome, so is allowing the man to take care of you sometimes.
Online dating is rising like never before, although is a perfect tool for busy professionals, I see many people using these apps for the wrong reasons, guys looking for quick one night stands, and girls on the lookout for a free dinner.
I recently read this awesome article at Greatist by Ellen McCarthy, a journalist from the Washington Post, who interviewed over 200 happy couples, something to consider reading if you’re trying to find your great one.
BODY
Don’t strive for perfection, but seek progress instead. Balance is key to a fulfilling life. Letting yourself go to the point that you cannot stare at yourself in the mirror isn’t going to make you happy. In the other hand, becoming an clean eating extremist can make you look obnoxious and egotistic. Life is about connecting with friends, having a good time and that includes eating ‘dirty’ sometimes. If you can’t have a burger or a pizza with a friend scared that it will wipe out your six pack the next day you may have a sociopath behaviour that needs to be addressed, if you look too much in the mirror in the gym and take too many selfies of your body are all sings of a sociopath dysfunction.
MIND
Learn to meditate. I can’t tell you how powerful it is to start the day with 10 minutes of mindfulness meditation. I highly recommend you to download the fantastic app Headpsace, it is your gym membership for the mind like Andy Puddicombe the creator of Headspace says.
Regulating your sleeping pattern is another one on the list for a better 2016. This is old news but sleeping can massively affect not only your physical state but your productivity at work. There are so many benefits that I could write an entire post about sleeping, but your aim for the next year is to control your sleeping pattern as in, wake up at the same time everyday and go to sleep at the same at the same time every night. This will help your body to function at a better level alone.
SOUL
I heard once that ‘from those whom much is given, much is expected’. The most unhappy people I came across in life are the ones who lack generosity, compassion and gratitude. The more you give, the more you receive. The value of contribution you have in your community is what matters the most. The best way to fulfil a sense of void in life is by helping with what you can to others. Joining a charity, doing volunteering work, donating blood or helping others by sharing your expertise is grandiose. It will fill your heart with compassion. Being generous is not necessarily giving your money away, but is about contributing for a better world.
I hope this 2016 to be your best year yet. Have a prosperous one.