New Year, New YOU

It’s 2020…a brand new decade! While I’m not particularly fond of making New Year’s Resolutions myself, I do love to explore new things, whether it’s a podcast, a book, or something else. A new year represents a fresh new start for your life. Are there things you want to do differently? Looking for sage advice to help in some area of your life? I’ve got five suggestions for things I’ve tried and found particularly useful. I hope they are helpful as YOU embark on this new year!

  1. Podcast:  NPR’s Life Kit. This is in regular rotation for me, as they cover the gamut of topics. Some of the recent episodes I’ve listened to were: “Dealing with Holidays at Work: Forced Cheer and Awkward Parties”, “How to Read More Books”, “How to Manage Emotions at Work”, “A Saner Mindset for Weight Loss,” and “How to Vote in an Election.” Seriously, I love the series, as they cover a wide range of topics in a very consumable format. Most of the episodes are less than 30 minutes long.  
  2. Yoga/YouTube: Yoga With Adriene. Adriene is the yoga queen of YouTube with over 5 million subscribers. Every year she curates a special month-long series in January, which contains a specific theme. She publishes a free 30-day yoga calendar that features a new video every day of the month. I love, love, love this series and look forward to it, as I feel like it’s a reset for me both mentally and physically. This will be the 3rd year I’ve chosen to participate. This year’s theme:  Home.  
  3. Book: Shine On: How To Grow Awesome Instead of Old. Claire Cook is the author of Must Love Dogs, and this book talks about how to rediscover yourself in middle age. As someone moving into my 40s, I loved her fresh take on rediscovering more about your passions and interests. She has loads of suggestions on different things to try, from stopping dying your hair, to trying new hobbies, etc. It’s really made me think about what areas of my life I want to rediscover. As a result, I’ve dived back into Duolingo to work on both my Spanish and French language skills.
  4. Podcast: The Science of Happiness. This podcast is produced by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. The most recent episode I listened to felt like it was made for me: “How To Be Less Hard on Yourself. ” In each episode, they feature a guest who has tried one of their happiness practices, and they discuss the resulting lessons learned. I don’t know about you, but most people I know are struggling to feel happy. Here’s your chance to work on improving it!  
  5. YouTube: BodyFit by Amy. I don’t remember how I discovered Amy’s channel, but I love her and she is my ultimate mom-bod inspiration! I love the variety of workouts she offers, from kettlebells to dumbbells, bodyweight exercises, TRX, post-natal workouts, etc. Since turning 40, I’ve focused on weight-bearing exercises so I don’t lose muscle mass or bone density. Her workouts deliver; I get a great workout, feel challenged, while being encouraged by her every step of the way.  

Happy New Year to a new YOU! Cheers to rediscovering yourself in whatever way makes you feel fulfilled!  Hoping 2020 is your best year yet.  

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