When you hear the word resolutions, you typically think of New Years resolutions. The promises we make ourselves about what changes we plan on making for the New Year. We try to better ourselves, to make more time for our physical and mental well- being. It has become a bit of a joke since most resolutions are half-truths. They are things we say to ourselves without the full intention of actually seeing them to fruition. We may occasionally have good intentions when we make those promises or commitments, but miserably fail in our follow through to accomplish them. New Years resolutions mimic summer resolutions. You often hear people in the Springtime saying how they are going to take their wellness to a different level. They make big plans for weigh loss and exercise regimens. They figure out how to slow down and make time for their physical and psychological well-being. They plan long beach walks, plan on taking time for slowing down, reading more books, biking, hiking etc. As we picture ourselves squeezing into our bathing suits, the image can certainly be helpful in encouraging an exercise regimen! While this seems to work initially, typically as time goes by it loses its forceful magic drive, and the resolutions are sadly forgotten about. Summer seems to pass us by so quickly, and we often fail to integrate the promising wellness techniques we had planned and were originally so excited about.
What resolutions have you personally made for this season? What can you implement now on a realistic level to help steady and center yourself? Choosing realistic goals will help ensure you complete them not just momentarily for today, but for going forward. It is important to foresee and design a wellness routine and regimen that serves you best. That said, it needs to be manageable in terms of your schedule, your family, your workload etc. All these things need to be factored in to enable you to set yourself up for success.
At AcuZen Wellness Center we encourage our patients to work within their parameters and help them on their wellness journey. I often treat patients who may be stuck at a place in their lives. They may feel like they need to make changes but are having a hard time implementing them. This can act as a double edged sword by increasing their anxiety, which further delays any progress in a forward direction. Sometimes we resign ourselves to failure from the get-go before even trying. There are incredible Acupuncture points that help relieve stress and anxiety. Additionally, there are incredible Acupuncture points that aid in motivation! Yes, that really is a thing. I have patients who come in specifically requesting ‘motivation points,’ after reaping the benefits. Because of the mind: body connection, getting stuck emotionally can inhibit you physically as well. You may feel stuck by not making changes in your life, and you may feel stuck physically as in a sluggish mode unable to move forward. The customized Acupuncture point selection can help you advance both emotionally and physically. I often see patients come in very frustrated at their current situation where they describe feeling like they are stagnating. They are at a loss as to how to break free. It is an incredible feeling to witness the changes in a short period of time when the individual makes progress in leaps and bounds after having almost given up. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the relief, the smiles, and hearing the stories of my patients’ accomplishments after a complete turnaround.
It is good to recognize that you may need an outside push like Acupuncture, towards helping motivate you to implement changes in your day to day. Being cognizant and accepting that you need a little support goes a long way to helping commence the necessary changes. Additionally, there are some tips you can try to implement into your daily/weekly routine that can help you when you are feeling frustrated. Begin with acknowledging if you are a morning or evening person. Try to schedule exercise at a time of day that will be more natural for you. You do not want to feel like you are forcing it. As those of you who follow AcuZen on Instagram know, I am that annoying morning person who wakes up ready to go. I choose to incorporate a daily exercise routine early in the morning. I love starting my day off right. It allows me to check any clear any of my own stress. It enables me to come into the office fully focused on my patients and their needs. If you are more of an evening or night person, consider planning some exercise time in the evening. Scheduling it into your day in a realistic time, which works for you, helps ensure it will indeed happen. Incorporate music into your exercise. Incorporate music in your car ride to and from work. Incorporate music while you are cooking dinner. Dancing around the kitchen works wonders for bringing joy to you and your family members. When you are having a stressful moment at home or at work, allow yourself a few minutes to take a breather. It can be a simple walk around the block. It can be taking some deep breaths and picturing your happy place like the beach. Whatever image works to allow you to escape for a few minutes can be helpful.
There is never any shame in asking for help when you need it. Acupuncture is an incredible tool to help motivate you, to help you find your center, and realize your goals. The end of summer is looming closer. It is time to take steps towards incorporating wellness now. There is still time to see those summer resolutions come to fruition. We are happy to guide you through it and make it that much easier.