(Chinese) New Year, New You?

(Chinese) New Year, New You?

(Photo by Andrew Haimerl on Unsplash)

Article by: Jane Sandwood, Freelance Writer

Let’s face it: not many people get to keep their resolutions past January. The good news, though, is that we get another chance to make positive changes in our lives and finally improve our health, start saving more money or maybe even pick up a new musical instrument as of course, the Chinese New Year does not happen until February 16th. But this is where the good news ends. The whole concept of New Year’s resolutions, whether we list them down in January or February, is flawed to begin with, so there’s a big chance that we’ll be back to our old ways by March. Here’s why:

We rely too much on motivation

The thing with motivation is that it comes and goes, so it’s not a good foundation to build our resolutions on. This is why people quit a week into January. Making a list of resolutions in December is exciting because everyone’s doing it. Everybody’s looking forward to making some big changes along with the coming of the new year. Once January rolls in, however, the excitement wears off just in time for them to actually start doing the work so a lot of people end up just quitting.

We try to do too much too soon

According to a study published by the American Psychological Association, willpower is a limited resource. The more temptations we have to resist—as what occurs when we have too many resolutions to keep—the faster our willpower drains. When this happens, we inevitably go back to what’s comfortable, which is our state before we started with our resolutions.

The good news is that the same study points out that you can easily improve your ability to resist temptation just by living a happier life. This means you should strive to minimize your exposure to things and situations that stress you out. If it can’t be helped, however, relaxing activities like spa treatments and massages at your local wellness center should help you recharge much more quickly.

Chi Yu Holistic Massage

Also, try to make your resolutions as easy to stick to as possible to further lessen the amount of willpower they drain. Take eating healthier, for instance. Instead of eating just salads, why not go for a diet that incorporates delicious meals into the menu? You’re already doing something good for your body. Why not enjoy yourself along the way?

The secret to success

It all boils down to how good you are at managing your limited willpower. As long as you reduce the number of things that can drain it, minimize stress either through relaxing activities or the complete avoidance of stressful situations, and make your resolutions as easy to commit to as possible, you can make lasting positive changes in your life not only during the two New Years but throughout the rest of each year as well.

LatestinBeauty.com – Year of the Water Dragon Treatments

LatestinBeauty.com – Year of the Water Dragon Treatments

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With the Chinese New Year celebrations over, it’s time to get serious: 2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon, a year that is destined for many of us to kick annoying bad habits, have a stronger sense of empathy towards others and encourage us to co-operate with natural energies, rather than fighting them.

Get to harnessing this energy and make it a year to remember with the Chi Yu Wellness Centre in London, which has created a range of treatments to do just that. From an Oriental Aromatherapy Massage, using essential oils to balance the five elements, to the Blueberry Bliss Firming Body Treatment, which builds on the water element of the dragon sign to hydrate the body. If you fancy getting your chi on, find out more about the centre’s treatments – and how they can help to make this your best year yet – by visiting the Chi-Yu website here.

(Link to online article)