Image by @digital_errors

As we close off another year, it can be difficult to ignore the posts showing up on our feed about new year’s resolutions. The dialogue is often around goals to increase productivity or improve physical fitness and health, enhance our focus and performance, create more wealth, travel to new destinations etc. It can be exhausting and, in fact, highly counterproductive towards achieving our true desires and dreams.

This year, instead of focusing on acquiring abundance in the form of material possessions or a certain level of physical attractiveness, we invite you to release ego-driven ideals of what your new year should look like and go inward with these five easy ways that will guarantee increased happiness, abundance and inner peace in 2019.

 

1.Meditate

The idea of meditation can be extremely intimidating for many. As a society, the majority of us have subscribed to a never-stop, always-hustle attitude. In fact, we move so quickly that we never stop to talk about how this is not a sustainable existence. If we are constantly answering the demands we have placed on ourselves, as well as allow ourselves to give into constant distraction, we miss out on spending time with the most important person in our lives; ourselves.

Meditation gives us time to connect with ourselves on a deeper level, allowing us to listen to our body and our soul’s needs, wants and desires. We spend so much time working on our exterior that we never stop to hear what we actually want, believe or need. Meditating is the single best gift you can give yourself to increase your sense of peace and personal happiness in 2019. If you’re new to the practice, start with five minute sessions. A simple Google search can get you started on the right track.

 

2. Reduce Your Animal Consumption

The less we consume animals in our food, beauty products and clothing, the better we are able to connect with them on a higher level. A deeper connection and respect for animals (not just household pets) will automatically increase your ability to connect with your natural environment and view the gifts of nature from a new perspective. When we stop finding ways to conquer living beings for our personal use, we are able to see a line between our existence and the existence of non-human beings. In fact, if you stop eating animals such as cows and pigs, you are likely to find you connect deeper with your dog. Further to, consuming something that has been tortured to get on your plate means that you are actually consuming pain. When we eliminate or reduce instances of consuming unnecessary pain, you are guaranteed to find that your heart feels lighter and your ability to connect with nature increases.

Just like starting a meditation practice, the idea of reducing animal consumption can be intimidating. Don’t feel like you can eliminate animals from your diet? Reducing your consumption is an excellent way to put the concept of animals as food into perspective. When we eat less , we respect them more. The Meatless Mondays trend is a great start.

 

3. Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude daily is the number one way to increase your sense of abundance. You will find your life is full of everything you want and need when you stop and make a point of expressing gratitude. Focusing on what we want naturally produces a mindset of lack and scarcity, ensuring we continue to attract situations into our life that leave us wanting.

The less we speak of what we want and the more we appreciate what we have, each day will seem like a gift of the utmost abundance. Turning our daily tasks into instances to express gratitude is an excellent way to incorporate the practice seamlessly into your life. For example, instead of saying “I have to work out today”, say “I am grateful for the ability to condition my beautiful body that acts as a vessel for my existence”. Instead of saying “I have to go to work” say “I am grateful that I have a job that allows me to have a roof over my head and food in my fridge”. Instead of saying “I need to drink more water” say “I am grateful that I have water to drink”.

We are all much more abundant than we think. As we are living in a day where Instagram tells us what we should aspire to want, it is important to remember that often times, we have an abundance of what would deem anyone a very blessed person.

 

4. Put Down Your Phone

Our phones work to create a constant connection to a world of advertising, articles of non-necessary information that is shaped to look like news and celebrities who’s job it is to make us feel less than in order to buy things we do not need to be happy (beauty products, clothes, diet pills, cars, etc.) The scroll has become an automatic pass time. We are actively allowing our precious time on this earth to be wasted day by day, looking at pictures of people from high school, or people we don’t even know. It is no wonder we feel tired, drained, and a need to constantly be on the move.

So in 2019, put down your phone. Give your mind, your body, your eyes a much needed reprieve. Set your own standards of aspirational living and GO LIVE! Go outside, stop taking pictures of everything, embrace the day. Leave the phone at home.

If you want to monitor your phone time, here are some great apps that will help you track your phone usage.

 

5. Don’t Buy Anything 

Ok, buy things you NEED, like food. But stop buying things you don’t need, including new clothes, excessive personal care products and entertainment items. Take the start of the new year as an opportunity to clear out your closet of anything you don’t need anymore. Be ruthless. Let go of emotional attachments to old items and make a very conscientious effort to stop purchasing new items, because more often than not, you don’t need what you think you want. Do this any way you need to. Unsubscribe your email from your favourite companies that promote unmissable sales. Stop agreeing to go on shopping trips. Don’t go to the mall. Turn off commercials.

If you go through your household and rid it of everything you no longer need, use or want, you will find you immediately feel lighter. Further to, if you stop purchasing things you don’t need, won’t use or even really want, you will find your bank account is more abundant. We work so hard for our money, it is important to respect it. By making mindful purchasing decisions, we will automatically increase our financial security.