A New Year: A Wholistic Fresh Start

Reevaluate our relationships!

A 70-year-long study done by social scientists at Harvard University concluded that our relationships with others affect our happiness in life. This study found that the happiest people are not the richest or the healthiest but those surrounded by people who love and support them. Therefore, we need to invest more in our relationship with those who love and support us at the start of this year and reevaluate our relationships that are not bringing us joy.

Action Plan

• As you schedule your dentist visits and your manicure appointments, schedule contacting your loved ones. If a weekly meeting with family members or a monthly gathering with friends is impossible, schedule virtual meetings, call them, and text them regularly.
• Take care of your marriage; reignite romance, and if you have marital issues, let this be the year to work on them instead of sweeping them down the rug like always.
• Tell those you love how much you love them and appreciate having them in your life.
• Eliminate any toxic relationships, avoid negative people, and Kon Mari your life and rid it of anyone who doesn’t bring you joy.
• Stand up for yourself, stand by your human values, and don’t have them undermined by anyone.

Reset of the soul

Losing weight, exercising more, eating healthily, taking supplements, sleeping better, and caring for our mental health are necessary steps to care for the body we are blessed with. God granted us our bodies to serve as vessels for our existence in this world and to facilitate our mission of worshiping Him and fulfilling our duties as servants of God and as humans who will build societies and serve humanity. Therefore, caring for this unique vessel is among our duties. So, please write down these goals on the planner and do whatever it takes to carry on with the plans beyond the Spring.

But what about the other component of our being? The Soul! What do we do to nurture it and to take care of it?

We might not know what the spirit is. But we know it needs to be nurtured and taken care of.

Action plan

• In the same pretty planner lets us dedicate a part to the soul and the non-material part of our existence.
• Since the spirit has a connection to the divine, we can only care for it with a similar connection to God.
• As we rush to renew our gym membership, let’s continue our connection to God by reading His Word more.
• As we eliminate unhealthy foods and habits from our diet, let’s stop all toxic thoughts and sinful behaviors. If you cut down on sugar, cut down on gossiping as well. If you quit smoking, quit a sin you still do, like lying.
• Next to hydrate more and buy that cool motivational water bottle, plan to buy a pretty rosary.
• That self-help book your friend gave you for your birthday probably had a chapter on gratitude and its benefits. There is no argument; add this to your daily schedule by consciously and mindfully thanking God and being grateful for all the blessings and even for the hardships in your life. Gratitude heals and nourishes the soul.
• Improving mental well-being is an extremely high priority to be healthy and well-functioning; if you didn’t put it on your planner as a goal for this year, you probably should add it even if you feel OK. Spirituality is a human need; our connection to something bigger than us is part of our nature. Therefore, we are not complete without feeding this spiritual hunger. One of the best spiritual practices that nourish the mind and the soul and provide immediate happiness is making others happy by helping them in any way we can. Take that pretty pen and add volunteering and giving to charity. This will take care of your mental and spiritual health.

Wishing you an excellent year filled with achieved goals.