New Year 2017 – Small Changes that Make a BIG Difference

- by Caroline Hastings-Brown -

As we knock on the door of another new year, 2017, and all its promises and potential, it is tempting to make large, sweeping claims to yourself about the massive changes you will make in your lifestyle in order to perform better and feel better. But, there is the famous saying that ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’, and this is true of many things in life, including self-development, self-improvement and the creation of new and better habits.

The Mistake NOT to Make

But this approach is not necessarily the right one. When you expect yourself to ‘suddenly’ behave in a way that is very different to the way you currently do, it can backfire on you. You will be likely to give up on the ‘resolution’ and revert to your ‘old ways’ quite quickly, and this can lead to a feeling of failure and lack of confidence.

What Should We Do?

So, a new year is all about wonderful possibilities and looking forward to the future. So, what can you do to improve your daily life and habits, that is easy to incorporate, fun to do and will promote a feeling of success and well-being? And success breeds success, so small wins every day accumulate into great big wins over time – mission accomplished!

Marvellous Meditation Benefits

You would have to be born under a rock not to have heard about all the wonderful physical and spiritual benefits of meditation. Regular meditation has been scientifically proven to increase happiness, health, positive emotions and life satisfaction. Meditation boosts the immune function and decreases pain and inflammation. It also boosts your social life and relationships by increasing connection, empathy, compassion, helpfulness and resilience during hard times, and decreasing loneliness. Your brain is boosted and you enjoy an increase in memory, focus and attention. Add to this an increase in wisdom and perspective and the ability to beat the blues by decreasing anxiety, stress and depression, and you can understand why meditation is one of the best gifts you could give yourself in 2017, and for life.

But How Do I Do It?

So, with all these major benefits, how do you start getting into meditation? I remember trying so hard to ‘clear’ my mind and finding that it just seemed to get more and more crowded the more I tried to ‘clear’ it, and thinking I could NEVER do this meditation thing. But, then I find an easier answer, which is to start out with guided meditations and hypnosis. You can go on to YouTube and search for meditations and hypnosis and hundreds of excellent ones are available for you to choose from, depending on the duration of time you have available and your preferences, which you will develop as you go along.

You Know I Don’t Have Time…..

And as for the ‘I don’t have time to sit around breathing heavily’ excuse, think of this! How much time do you spend on Facebook and social media, watching TV or idly surfing? Add that up and give half an hour of it to a practice that will enrich your life in so many ways!

Love Yourself, And Others
                           
And, apart from ‘ohming’ out and being zen, remember to look after yourself, to love yourself and treat yourself well. This includes getting some fresh air and exercise into your day, being kind to a stranger, making sure your food is healthy and treating yourself to high quality skincare items. And to create a new habit that is kind to your skin, and kind to your pocket, make sure you regularly visit www.cosme-de.com, so you can make sure you have the skin care products you love, that you have always wanted to try, and that make you happy. Oh, and follow this blog for happiness boosting tips, reviews, tricks and great deals on makeup and skin care! Happy 2017 everyone!