Good morning! We are two weeks into the new year and I am wondering how you are doing? I don’t make New Years resolutions, as I mentioned here but I know that many do and so I am curious are you sticking to your goals?
Last week the weather was rainy, cold and grey for 5 days and I basically acted like a bear in hibernation. I went to yoga on Monday and the rest of the week I slept in, worked the rest of the day in my pajamas, walked my dogs in the cul de sac and that was the extent of my activities. I ate salads and drank hot chocolate because that is all the food that we had in the house and frankly I couldn’t even muster the energy to make anything, in fact for the first time in about 10 months I did not even bake anything.
So my question to you is this, how do you stay motivated in the Winter, not just to exercise but to get up, get moving and to conquer the day?
Here are 5 things I am doing this week to stay motivated.
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1. Make a plan.
On Sunday’s I make a list of things I want to accomplish during the week to include, exercise, a meal plan and a few indoor activities. Most times I accomplish it all but as I mentioned last week was a struggle. Oh well. This week I made another plan and so far so good, even with the cold and the rain.
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2. Start a new activity.
I went to the library and got a stack of book, some cookbooks and some reading for leisure. I loaded up my Kindle Unlimited with a few of my new favorite authors. And I dumped a new puzzle on my table to give me a little distraction from the grey days. I personally find puzzles relaxing, do you? You could learn to knit or even to do needlepoint or cross-stitch.
3. Learn a new skill.
I signed up for a few online classes this week and you can too. There are a ton of resources to learn a new language or to brush up on one that you already know. If you are interested in learning something new you can check out EdX, or Coursera to get a start. You can also take exercise classes, cooking classes and many more things online in the comfort of your home. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
4. Enjoy the things winter has to offer.
If you can’t beat them then join them. Make a fire, light your favorite candles, go out and make a snowman, go skiing, or snowshoeing! If we had any snow I would be out every day snowshoeing, it is my favorite winter activity. At the end of each day, get a cup of tea, a book and run yourself a warm bath, add your favorite bath salts or bubble and relax and rejuvenate so that you are ready to start the next day!
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| Cinnamon Rolls |
5. Reward Yourself
You don’t need to run out and buy a bunch of stuff on shop online, but you can reward yourself with a cup of hot chocolate, homemade cinnamon rolls on the weekend or your favorite dessert. You could also book a massage or a day at the spa
What are you doing to stick to your resolutions if you made them? What is your best advice to stay on track and motivated? Please share the tips and tricks that work for you.
Have a great day!
NOTE: This post contains affiliate like.
The Little Things…Winter
Just Curious…How Do You Stay Cozy in the Winter?
Just Curious…What is on Your Winter Bucket List
Raspberry Almond Struesel Coffeecake
Seasonal Affective Disorder is for real. After several days of cold and wind that kept me inside, we have calm, blue skies today and I am full of energy.
I think it's good to make plans with someone else–I have been doing Pilates with two neighbors, and they really help motivate me. Plus I enjoy their company.
I actually like the winter, so I don't have a problem staying motivated during this time of year.
My days have the same routine year round, so I don't have to worry about staying motivated! It's how I make money. I know you like to read. If you want free books (I'm now having them loaded on my Kindle) you could start doing book reviews. Publishers and authors love the coverage it gives them. Just a thought.
Brenda
You have some great ideas here! I love winter so much that I haven't reached the stage of longing for spring yet but I too began writing down some goals for the week on Sundays as a way not to feel as if nothing was really getting accomplished.
One thing I did last week that really lifted my spirits was to go downtown for a good haircut. That did wonders for my spirits!
Those cinnamon rolls look wonderful! My mother used to make cinnamon rolls every so often when she made rolls for Sunday dinner. Your picture immediately took me back to the way they tasted.