By Juliet Kaska
Believe it or not, 2022 is beginning to come to a close. If your year was anything like mine, it’s flown by in seemingly a heartbeat. Though it may have felt like a whirlwind, or perhaps because it was one, it’s important to take time to recap what we’ve learned this past year and recalibrate our minds and bodies.
Our list of “Next year I’ll do this…” is often long, but the time we allot to it is short. Before you know it, it’s February, and life feels even busier than before, and nothing new has gotten done or even started.
This year, I’d like to challenge you (and myself) to set up your intentions and actions before the Ball drops so that you can slide into 2023 with less stress and more peace than ever before. Let’s take a look at some self-care tips for the new year.
Take your time with each of these exercises before you create your 2023 goals & intentions list:
- Self-compassion: Let’s face it: the last 12 months have been… a lot. Our stress levels have collectively been higher than normal, which affects how well we cope with, well, just about everything. It’s important to have compassion for the weight we’ve been shouldering and acknowledge the effort we’ve put forth within the storm. Take time to acknowledge how you got through the last year.
- Forgive yourself: We all make mistakes. Sometimes I feel like I make them every day! It’s part of the human experience, and none of us are immune. It’s important to forgive ourselves and remember that we’re all doing the best we can. Not only that, but the journey also never stops. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Mistakes are just our road signs guiding us to who we’d like to be. Take time to take stock of your mistakes, forgive yourself (also an act of self-compassion), and then identify who you would like to be or what you would like to do.
- Gratitude: Yep, this old chestnut. Being grateful for what we’ve got and all the lessons learned this past year is essential to our mental health. Doing so brings us greater, and more consistent feelings of happiness, and who doesn’t want that? Further, taking stock of what we’ve got often provides an important perspective shift away from the negative, or lack. Take time to jot down a list 100 things you are grateful for. I.e. I am thankful for the roof over my head. I am thankful for this clean fresh water I am drinking. I am thankful for my friend Elena.
- Honesty: Now that we’ve given ourselves compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude, it’s time to take an honest look at where we did and didn’t take care of ourselves this past year. Did we make time to meditate as we said we would, or did we spend that same time scrolling on social media? Did we make food choices to fuel our body or tax it? Rather than berating yourself for these “areas of growth,” try to recognize them for what they are, and assess what you might be able to do to adjust things moving forward. Take time to review our commitments for 2022 and then be honest with what you did and did not do to fulfill them. (Remember to forgive yourself as you do this).
- Think (way) ahead: Make January less hectic by actioning some of your realistic goals now. Want to meditate every morning of 2023? Start now, so that the habit is already in place by the new year. Sign up for that Pilates membership now. Even if it only begins in the new year, by thinking ahead, you’ll set yourself up to follow through. Once you’ve got your list of “action-ables,” take the time to put those plans in place. One hour can do a lot to set up a whole year of success.
While these self-care tips take more time, others are easier and more achievable, such as:
- Limiting your social media usage.
- Practicing meditation.
- Increasing your Vitamin D intake.
- Sleeping more–more specifically, getting better sleep.
- Getting out more and getting some fresh air.
- Prioritizing your mental health.
The New Year is coming along quickly. By taking the time to do these self-care exercises, I hope you have a fabulous 2023, full of intention, peace and success. You are worth the investment of making it a great one. Also, give yourself a treat. Start the new year by gifting yourself some new orthotic shoes, such as our orthopedic shoes for women, performance shoes, orthotic boots, etc. Happy (early) New Year!
About the Author:
Juliet Kaska is one of the country’s leading celebrity trainers and health + wellness experts. In 2005, she opened Emerson Hall Fitness (EHF) in West Hollywood, CA, which quickly became the most sought-after boutique gym in the Los Angeles area. She then launched her brand JK Zen Fitness, with partnership locations throughout LA, and in 2010 opened the JK Fitness Pilates Studio. Juliet recently partnered with Vionic to create the Move for You program, a three-part series of 7 minute videos that get you moving with power and comfort. In addition to her celebrity clientele, Juliet is known for creating Hollywood’s favorite workout programs: The Bombshell Bride, Picture Perfect, The Red Carpet Workout, The Executive’s Workout and her most popular, Pilates Burn, a high-intensity workout combining Pilates reformer equipment, traditional strength training techniques and the flow of yoga. Juliet has consulted for and appeared on numerous programs such as Good Morning America, Dr. Phil and Entertainment Tonight. Numerous publications including Vogue, Shape, Los Angeles Magazine, People, Oxygen, Fitness Magazine, Glamour and Health Magazine have also featured her as a fitness expert. Juliet is trained and certified in multiple disciplines, making her workout programs both diverse and innovative. She is certified as a Second Generation Master Pilates Teacher and has received dual certification as a personal trainer from the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. In addition, yoga guru Dharma Mittra trained her as a yoga teacher. Juliet brings a vibrant voice and unique perspective to the Vionic Innovation Lab.