I’m not a fan of new year resolutions.
Mainly because they tend to become a wish list of things I never quite achieve, leaving me feeling disappointment in myself.
Perhaps you feel the same.
What if our new year resolutions were pleasurable rather than laborious?
In a typical busy life we tend to neglect our self care, almost feeling guilt when we choose enjoyable activities over necessary tasks; but self care is just as necessary in order to maintain our mental and physical health.
Take, for example, reading a fiction purely for pleasure.
Stanford researchers scanned the brains of people while reading a Jane Austen novel and found a dramatic increase in blood flow across the entire brain- a whole brain workout.
When immersed in a good book our brains are busy imagining the settings, sounds, smells and tastes described, activating the many areas of the brain that process these experiences in real life.
Reading fiction is also found to boost empathy and interpersonal skills as the parts of brain used to understand stories overlap with those we use to understand people.
Reading was also found to lower risk of depression and anxiety.
Reading takes our focus off our inward concerns, helps us relax and enter a meditative state when we are really absorbed.
Research also found that those who read for 30 minutes daily live on average two years longer than those who don’t.
A pleasurable activity that comes with so many benefits!
This year commit to activities that fill your cup: morning walks, spending time with friends, weekend breaks, hot soaks before bedtime, a new hobby.
Activities that provide pleasure fill our cup and sustain us as we navigate the demands of life.
Take time to smell the roses this year!
