emmakitchen Happy New Year’s Eve! I cannot believe how quickly this year went by. It seems like just a few weeks ago we were soaking up the sun and worrying about starting school again. Now, it’s a few days past Christmas and the world is getting ready to usher in 2021. Though time passing by that quickly makes me anxious, I’m kind of excited to get a fresh start in the new year.
I don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been challenging, and I’m sure we’re all very much ready to move on. Even though life won’t really change once the clock strikes 12:00am on January 1st, the beginning of a new year feels like a blank canvas. A canvas that’s hopefully painted better than 2020 was! So, in the spirit of new beginnings, I’m taking a step back from the usual direction of this blog and sharing with you 5 Mindful Messages for 2021.
inspiration for 5 mindful messages for 2021
Though the circumstances of this year have been less than ideal, all of the free time that I’d usually spend in school or with friends has allowed for a lot of reflection. During my aforementioned post-Christmas slump, I’ve done a lot of thinking about the way I want to live my life and how I can truly maximize the time I am given. Kind of like an “okay, what do I really want to experience each day?” type of thing. The concepts that I took from that deliberate period of soul-searching were my inspiration for this post.
And, please know that this is not me trying to preach at you! These messages stem from things that I’ve recognized I want to work on. I’m not acting like I’ve got this ~all figured out~; I don’t even practice these qualities in my everyday life. However, I would like to, and that’s the reason behind this post: to collect my thoughts and resolutions for the new year, as well as share a few insights. These 5 Mindful Messages are meant to help me just as much as they (hopefully) do you!
With that, let’s get into these 5 Mindful Messages for 2021. I hope these messages resonate with you in some way and that you enjoy this post!
5 mindful messages for 2021
1. find balance in your thoughts.
Something that we practice often in my family is keeping every thought in balance. I don’t mean that as an empty platitude, either. It’s an achievable quality that will change your outlook on almost every situation you encounter. All you have to do is find an equilibrium between the amount of positive and negative thoughts you have.
I know, maybe easier said than done, but let me explain. For every worry or negative thought you’re having, you also have to consciously imagine the positive version of that situation. For example, if you’re anxious about a job interview, and thinking, ‘oh my god I’m going to do terrible, what if they hate me and then I never get a job‘, challenge that! If you’re going to think in extremes, you need to see both sides.
Counter it with ‘but, maybe I’ll say all the right things, impress them, and get the job.’ Consider it a favor to yourself, even if you’re deep in a pity party and have to do it grudgingly. Maintaining balance in this way has really helped me through a lot of tough times, and I think it could you, too.
2. nourish your body.
In 2020, I developed a focus on dieting and nutrition for the first time in my life. I actually loved the process and the results I got, but noticed a trend in my sugar-loving self: since I was counting calories, I would often prioritize high-calorie treats over actual nutritious foods.
So this one may read more like a resolution than a piece of advice, but in 2021 I’m vowing to eat mindfully, fuel my body with whole foods, and limit my intake of processed items. Just because it fits within a calorie goal doesn’t mean it’s healthy! To truly seize the day, you need nourishing meals that will give you energy. For me, that will mean meeting my calorie goal with grain bowls, not daily desserts. 😉
And honestly, I’m ready. There are tons of recipes that I can’t wait to try, like that Honey Whipped Ricotta Toast on the left. My parents also got me Lindsay Maitland Hunt’s cookbook Healthyish for Christmas, which I’m really excited about. The Prosciutto and Cucumber Tartine and Perfect Pear and Pistachio Bowl especially stand out! It’s really motivating me in this particular goal, and I cannot recommend Healthyish enough for delicious, wholesome recipes. Check it out here.
3. find better entertainment.
This message is something that I plan to prioritize in the New Year. There have been many days, especially in quarantine, where I’ve just wasted hours scrolling through social media. Then, when I’m lying in bed that night, I realize that I’ve taken absolutely nothing from the hours I was awake. It was an empty feeling of, “what did I do all day?” Nothing ventured, nothing gained. So far removed from the way (I believe) humans were originally meant to live.
If you see yourself in that habit, keep reading. Downtime is so important, especially in these stressful times. But if you’re going to relax, I implore you to consume media with some kind of substance. I’m not going to tell you that the only way to be successful is to spend every waking moment reading encyclopedias. You can keep Keeping Up with the Kardashians! However, temper your mindless phone time with more meaningful entertainment.
For example, I’ve been watching a lot of cooking shows lately instead of going on my phone, just so I can learn something. I also think I’ve seen Fight Club like 6 times in the last month (just because I never get bored of it!). These changes are nothing major, just something slightly more ‘human’ than social media. Where I’d usually spend a spare hour on Instagram, I’m now watching a classic film or reading a book I bought years ago and forgot about. I’ve even learned how to play solitaire, and have been stacking cards non-stop!
Limiting my entertainment intake to more positive sources has given importance to my days, inspired me to reach my goals, and helped me become more well-rounded. Try it out, and I think you’d see these benefits, too. Not sure where to start? My family and I have been working through Empire’s Top 100 Modern Movies list. I loved Lost in Translation!
4. forever focus on the bigger picture.
This goes hand-in-hand with the message before, but in this day and age, it’s so easy to forget what we’re truly working for. Millions of things are thrown at us each day: advertisements, societal expectations, influencers telling us what we ‘should’ do. Falling into this rhythm is promoted, and so many people live one-note lives.
But as we go into 2021, I’ve been thinking, and I realized that a lot of things I want in the moment⏤ ‘instant comforts,’ like sleeping in late or spending hours on my phone⏤ don’t connect with what I want in the long term. What I really want is to live a rich, full life not marred by social media or laziness, because that stuff isn’t real! So to be my best self, I’ve learned that I need to constantly stay grounded in the bigger picture and not be tempted by the ‘easier’ way of living. And really, it’s not hard once you discover how rewarding it is! 🙂
Focusing on maximizing my time in this way has allowed me to find peace in my anxieties, specifically about growing up, because though my time is limited, at least I’m making the most of it. Would I rather look back on a life spent making memories with family, or one seen through the screen of a phone? Asking myself questions like these helps me remember the ‘big picture’ of the lifestyle I’m truly trying to have. Do the same, and you’ll never go back.
5. don’t borrow trouble.
This last message is a favorite saying of my mom’s. She’s passed it down to me from my grandma, and it’s been making me feel better since I was very young. Don’t borrow trouble serves as a reminder to stay present and challenge negative thinking. Let me explain.
Simply don’t worry about something until you have to. That may be hard in practice, but it always comforted me to remember that being scared of something does NOT equal it happening. Choose to cross that bridge when you come to it, and live in the moment that you’re experiencing present-time. Chances are, the worrying outcome you’re dreading won’t happen, and you’ll be grateful that you didn’t waste your day being unhappy. On the other hand, if it does, at least you didn’t spend any extra time in a negative mind frame.
Not borrowing trouble is a win-win way to live, and it’s encouraged me to stay positive for years. So, from my family to yours, I hope this helps. ☻
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As we enter the new year, I wish you all a wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration and a great next 12 months! 2020 was crazy, but we have to stay grateful for what we do have and not forget the good things that have come out of this year. For example, dogs trained to root out poachers have helped save 45 rhinos in South Africa! It’s not all bad, and hopefully, 2021 will bring some better times. Articles like this are really great to break up the constant stream of bad news on the TV.
If you’ve gotten this far, please leave a comment describing one of your favorite memories from 2020 under this post! I’d love to read some of the positive moments that have come from this year, and I think we all could use a little happiness.
I hope these 5 Mindful Messages for 2021 help some of you, and that you all are happy and healthy in the New Year. See you in 2021!
Happy New’s Years Eve and I seriously hope you love this post,
