Did you set New Year’s Resolutions? How’s it going?

If you’re sticking to it, that’s great! Keep up the good work.

If you’ve lost momentum, that’s okay. Take the pressure off.

If you didn’t set New Year’s Resolutions, we’re with you.
And here’s why.

At All Ages Osteopathy, we believe that to maintain health, we must live in tune with the rhythms of nature. Our energetic frequencies are greatly affected by the available light and the current temperatures. It’s still winter! Here in Jackson Hole, the sun doesn’t rise until nearly 8am and sets just after 5pm so although a lot of media we consume revolves around setting and achieving goals, it’s still the time of year to integrate experiences from 2022 and to prioritize rest in anticipation of spring. While all other living plants and animals enter some form of hibernation during this time of year, society has sought to normalize activity levels being consistent throughout the year with unrealistic expectations such as New Year’s Resolutions.

Therefore, it’s not too surprising to learn that the first recorded New Year’s Resolutions were by the Babylonians 4,000 years ago on the Spring Equinox (mid-March) when crops were planted. Since we strive to live with the seasons, that means we at All Ages Osteopathy will set New Year’s Resolutions on March 20th too, when the sun sits directly over the Earth’s equator as it heads north. 

Here’s how we’re preparing for the Spring Equinox:

AAO

Health care maintenance – make sure all patients are up to date on all cancer screenings recommended to them based on age and lifestyle.

Dr. Charlie

Lots of reflection on 2022 – Typically this looks like journaling or just thinking, which requires quiet time without distractions. Then she asks herself where she will want to focus her energy in 2023 that is aligned with both home and business life. 

RN Kate

Revamping her relationship with alcohol as she enters her peri menopausal years and feels the shift into her 40s. Especially pushing through the dinner drink craving.

We would love to hear your intentions and goals for 2023 so that we can support you!

If you’re looking for an educational read to set yourself up for success come March, we suggest James Clear’s Atomic Habits. A theme of his research is that individuals don’t rise the level of their goals…they fall to the level of their systems. We all so badly want better results – whatever that means to you – but our habits need to change to achieve our desired results.

Clear writes about the influence of ‘identity’ on habits as well as 4 rules of creating a new habit. He says, “start by focusing on who you want to become; not what you want to achieve. Determine one habit that casts a small vote for becoming that type of person.” For example, if someone wants to break their addiction to caffeine, that person might truly desire to become someone free from needing a daily drug to function normally. One habit that casts a small vote is choosing an afternoon walk instead of an afternoon coffee.

Here is the cliff notes version of his 4 rules of creating a new habit:

1. Make it obvious: put the cues to the new habit right in front of you. 

   For example, if you are making the switch from regular coffee to decaffeinated coffee, leave the decaf coffee on the counter so it’s front of mind.

2. Make it attractive: make sure you’re excited about the habit you’re trying to form! 

   That could mean making your new decaf coffee bar more aesthetically pleasing with a brightly colored ceramic French press and mug.

3. Make it easy: while creating a new habit, narrow it down to something that only takes you two minutes to interact with on a daily basis. Ask yourself, what can I achieve on my worst days when I only have two minutes? 

   For the person eliminating caffeine from their diet, one option is to invest in an electric tea kettle which speeds up the time it takes to boil water for the French press, making you less likely to rely on the old, reliable Keurig.

4. Make it satisfying: Clear says, “broadly speaking, there’s an immediate outcome and an ultimate outcome. The immediate outcome of a lot of bad habits is pretty favorable. Like the immediate outcome of eating a donut is great – it’s sweet, it’s sugary, it’s tasty, it’s enjoyable. It’s only if you keep eating donuts for a year that you get to an unfavorable outcome. The cost of your bad habits is in the future. With your good habits, the cost of your good habits is in the present.” Find ways to make good habits more rewarding in the present moment so you’re more likely to return to them. 

   For example, after switching from regular coffee to decaf, focus on feeling no jitters or less anxious after having a cup. At bedtime, be grateful it’s easier to fall asleep!

“If the winners and the losers have the same goal, then the goal cannot be the thing that distinguishes the two.”

We hope this helps you with planning ahead for March resolutions or intentions whether they’re health related or not. For more, check out the website https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits.

Questions? Always reach out to us!