In this first post of 2021, Olivia + Laura share some of their resolutions for the new year and what they will be doing to actually maintain them.
Welcome to 2021 O+L readers! We hope these first seven days have treated you well and, there is no better way to set the tone for this new year than with resolutions. We recognize that people don't make resolutions anymore or fail to reach them; however, this is because the goals are unattainable or the person making them lacks motivation. We are here to change that, and even though we are already a week into 2021 doesn't mean it is too late to start working towards our goals.
So, without further ado, here are our practical 2021 resolutions and some tips to ensure that we achieve them by 2022. Feel free to use them as yours as well : )
MOVE YOUR BODY
This has to be one of the most cliche resolutions because we hear people saying that they want to "lose weight" and "be healthy" every year-- but what exactly does that mean? That ambiguousness is why people hardly ever achieve their goals.
In 2021, we are rethinking this recurring trope and taking control of our bodies. We are taking a minimum of 20 minutes a day to move our bodies. These twenty minutes will be used to complete a pilates routine or go for a brisk walk; the activity does not matter. What counts is that we get our heart racing, which causes our brain to release endorphins (the happy chemical!). This chemical, along with others, counters stress and increases happiness. So, not only are we promoting our mental health, but we are also improving our physical health. That sounds like a win-win to us.
If you are looking for a way to get started, try Blogailates 21 Day Tone. This program requires you to stay active for 21 minutes or less a day and tones all the muscles in your body, strengthening you for the year ahead. We, Olivia and Laura, have accepted her challenge, will you?
RECOGNIZE YOUR WORTH
Let's be honest. Everyone wants to be in a relationship; why wouldn't we? We are constantly bombarded with images of love on the internet, on TV, or even among our friends and, we aspire for that same type of love. But the issue arises when being single is associated with being sad, or when a relationship is exaggeratedly longed for.
However, forget that BS line that goes, "when you stop looking, someone will find you". There is nothing wrong with wanting to be in a relationship, but do not base your happiness on it. Do not think that when you suddenly give up, someone will fall into your arms. If you want love, or have your eye on someone, then go for it, BUT if that doesn't work out, recognize that you are whole with or without them. You do not need a partner to complete you; you are already complete without them. A partner is merely that extra sparkle in your life, but you, my dear, are the whole galaxy of shining stars.
DO WHAT SCARES YOU
2020 scared us all, so, on that same trend, we are doing the things that scare us in 2021. If last year taught us anything, it was that nothing is certain and, we should not take anything for granted. There are so many things that we want to do that scare us but, we push it to another day.
For Olivia, that thing is driving to places she's never been. For Laura, it is speaking up for herself.
Tomorrow is not certain, and we don't ever want to regret not doing what we always wanted to because we ran out of time. So, get in that car and get on the highway, speak your mind, quit your job, or change your major. Start small even. Send that text or join sports teams.
Just don't ever fail to follow through and wonder what if.
PRACTICE MANIFESTATION
Manifesting has become very popular in recent years and based on personal experience, we believe it works quite well. We’ve seen a lot of different ways to manifest, especially on Tik Tok, however there is no right or wrong method of manifestation. Here are some manifestation techniques we have found:
3 6 9 Manifestation Method: Initiate your manifestation three times in the morning, amplify it six times in the afternoon, and complete it nine times in the evening. This can be done in writing or verbally.
Vision Boards: Start the year by creating a vision board for 2021 based on your goals and dreams. Spoiler: We will walk you through how to make one next week!
Practice Gratitude: We can easily get caught up in the ideas of what we are lacking instead of being grateful for what we already have. The universe is unlikely to provide us with our goals/dreams if we are unable to appreciate the ones we already have.
It is important to note that each method might work differently for everyone. Remember that manifesting starts with having a clear and specific goal!
REDUCE SCREEN TIME
Since we started Zoom University, our screen time has increase A LOT. Although reducing our screen time on our computers is almost impossible due to school and/or work, we can attempt to stay off our phones a little more. Some ways to implement this resolution this year is to stay off our phones before bed and first thing in the morning, as well as read more books in our free time. It may be difficult at first, but setting smaller goals (such as reducing screen time by an hour), will help the bigger goals become more attainable.
DO ONE THING AT A TIME
We have learnt in 2020 that it is best to accomplish one thing at a time and we are bringing that with us into 2021. Focusing on one thing at a time, or single-tasking, means you’ll get more done.
To follow this resolution, we suggest making a to do list. Making a to do list and checking tasks off throughout the day gives people a sense of accomplishment and provides structure to one’s day. You might prefer to buy yourself a planner to organize your days and tasks or a to do list notepad (for those who can’t commit to a planner like Laura lol). Remember that the quickest way to do many things is to do ONE thing at a time.
Thank you for reading this week's blog post, we hope our practical new year's resolutions inspired you to make a list of your own. Although 2020 was a rough year, we are ready to make 2021 our b*tch!
We cannot wait to share all the new content we have planned for this year, stay tuned for that!
Xoxo,
