“But through it all, when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way” – Frank Sinatra

Posted by zenandtheartofbreakingthings on January 3, 2014 · 2 Comments 

So it’s a new year and you may want to improve your life in a number of different ways. Some people call them resolutions but I like to think of them as more of a lifestyle guide. So for the people out there that want a change  but cant figure out what to do exactly, I’ve listed out a few potential categories and idea’s (or links) to help you choose how to improve your lifestyle this year and make it the best year yet.

WEALTH AND SAVINGS

As they say, Money makes the world go round  so our first category is ‘wealth’ and the idea of saving money in this new year.

This can be achieved in a number of different ways but one saving scheme I came across recently online seems like a very easy and yet accountable method to saving money. Basically, 1st week, you save €1, 2nd week you save €2, and on and on until you hit the 52nd week, where you put €52 into your savings and low and behold you’ve saved €1,378.

HEALTH/ FITNESS

So after ‘wealth’, the next  area is the ‘health’ category. Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds with all the overindulgence during Christmas, maybe your looking to bulk up from the ‘scrawny guy’ of the group.

Whatever your end goal for working out is, you have to be willing to put in the work and time to achieve these goals. There’s a reason why the gyms are jam packed in January and dead in February. Some motivation and advice, set this as your alarm clock in the morning.

I’m not very well versed in the area of Fitness and Exercise, and as such, I’m going to link you onto resources from more knowledgeable people than me.

First up is scoobysworkshop. I came across this site last year while searching for beginner workout plans. While it does seem orientated to the body builder/ bulking up side of exercise, the workout plans in the category menu on the side will help from everything from cardio, to nutrition. It is perfect for Beginners ( like me) or for those who don’t have the time to get to the gym and want to workout at home.

Next up is Kinobody, a sister site toKinowear, a style blog I’ve been following for years. This is definitely more advanced than the previous site although he does lay out the plans and explains the concepts and reasoning behind it quite well.

Another good place to check out for information regarding nutrition or supplements is http://www.forum.bodybuilding.com. Be sure to use the search bar before posting any questions there as the question has probably been asked and answered a thousand times over!

SPIRITUALITY/ MEDITATION

So that’s health and wealth covered. Next up is Spirituality.

I am not a religious man. I’m a man who believes in science and facts. I have no problem with a person having faith, be it in a higher power or the idea of destiny but it is not my outlook. Despite this,I have always been fascinated with eastern spirituality and the idea of meditation to calm your mind.
One of my goals this year is to start to meditating, trying to calm my mind (which always goes a mile a minute, especially when I’m trying to sleep.)

Handily for me (and you readers) , The Art of Manliness has a primer for those looking into meditation. They have also suggested http://www.calm.com as a place for some guided meditations.

Starting out, try get yourself into a routine.
Go somewhere you wont be disturbed, away from the noises of televisions and mobile phones. Sit down comfortably on the floor ,cross legged if you wish, and close your eyes.
Begin taking deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through your mouth
Maintain this in a steady rhythm for a set amount of time.
Try to push all stressful thoughts out of your mind and replace them with positive affirmations.

For those who find this a bit time consuming or tough, why not start off small like a personal favourite website of mine, http://thequietplaceproject.com/thequietplace. Just follow the instructions, it’ll only take a few minutes and is a nice change of pace for those who are constantly plugged into technology.

So that ends the first part of this post, covering health wealth and spirituality. Part Two will be up in a few days and will look at utilizing your mind, setting goals, travel, volunteering and creating (or breaking) powerful habits

 

Filed under Health, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Philosophy · Tagged with Life Goals, meditation, new years resolutions, new you, save money wealth, workout men