New Years Resolutions
Who made one? I know I did. But how long will it last? With work, homelife, family and farming…
According to statistics, 73% of Australians have made a New Years Resolution. Women are more likely than men to set these goals, and Gen Z more likely than the Baby Boomers. The most popular resolutions are to do with diet, exercise, money and lifestyle. The statistics also tell us that January 12th is the date you are most likely to break your resolution, but most last around three months. Either way, we all start out with the best of intentions.
Did you know…
The Babylonians made the first New Year’s resolutions about 4,000 years ago. Not on the 1st of January, like we do today, but in mid-March, when the crops for the season were planted. During Akitu, a 12-day religious festival, Babylonians made promises to the Gods in return for good favour in the year. It is form this ancient practice that today’s resolutions are believed to have evolved.
Keen to follow the footsteps of the ancient Babylonians, and kick some goals this year? If you look online, there are numerous lists of inspiring resolutions. It could be to improve your health, save money, read more books or prioritise selfcare. Take a look at some popular topics for New Years Resolutions we have here in our library collection…
28 Days to Gut Health – Clemence Cleave
And introduction to a happier and healthier gut, this book starts with everything you need to know. From the science behind your digestive system, the foods you should be eating (and how much), lifestyle choices that matter, and how to begin your own journey toward a thriving microbiome. To help make the transition easier, 28 Days to Gut Health features twenty-eight full days of recipes, from breakfast to dinner, and a shopping list for every week. Healthier decisions don’t have to be difficult. With snacks, drinks, and basics like triple but butter and kimchi included, everything is already covered to help you get all the nutrients you need to help make your gut happy.
You Take Care – Laura Henshaw
This is the book we wish we’d been given when we hit our twenties. It’s not about perfection; it’s a realistic guide to finding lover for yourself in your day-to-day, inspired by the incredible experts we’ve met and the lessons they’ve taught us. When you hit your twenties and thirties, there’s no blueprint for taking care of yourself while balancing all the things life throws at you. How do we become body confident in a world that focuses on our flaws? What’s the secret to forging connections at work and at home while maintaining healthy boundaries? And how do we avoid falling prey to the anxieties and shame triggers that prevent us from experiencing joy? Add to that worrying about money and the bigger picture of our lives and it really can feel like too much. No two journeys are the same, and there will always be bumps along the way. But this uplifting and friendly guide is like having a best friend in your pocket, cheering you on through it all.
The Barefoot Investor – Scott Pape
This is the only money guide you’ll ever need. That’s a bold claim, given there are already thousands of finance books on the shelves. So what makes this one different? Well, you won’t be overwhelmed with a bunch of ‘tips’…or a strict budget (that you won’t follow). You’ll get a step-by-step formula: Open this account, then do this; call this person, and say this; invest money here, and not there. All with a glass of wine in your hand. This book will show you how to create an entire financial plan that is so simple you can sketch it on the back of a serviette…and you’ll be able to manage your money in 10 minutes a week. Sound to good to be true? It’s not. This book is full of stories from everyday Aussies – single people, young families, empty nesters, retirees – who have applied the simple steps in this book and achieved amazing, life-changing results. And you’re next.
Sleep: Harness the power of sleep for optimal health and wellbeing – Petra Hawker
Take control of your sleep with more than 40 proven strategies, based on a 360-degree approach to achieving excellent sleep. Find targeted meditation, movement, and breathing exercises. Discover how light, colour and sound could hold the key to healthy sleep. And get to the root of the underlying causes of chronic sleep problems. Reset your sleep patterns to suit your lifestyle and draw on practical techniques to overcome common sleep disruptors, including stress, jet lag, and shift work. Let the dream of better sleep become a life-changing reality.
I made my resolution simple this year:
Go for a daily walk with our dogs.
– Michelle