Have you heard about neophilia?
Welcome 2018!
I hope you had time to reflect on the past year and you are ready to start this new year refreshed and renew.
Every year I observe the limitation of new year resolutions taken in January and forgotten in February. These overlooked resolutions usually lead to self-critics, culpability and self-blame all year long. Then come December thinking we will do better the following year!
A research done by Scranton’s University shows that only 8% of people realize their new year resolutions. Does that mean you have to give up having plans and goals to improve or maintain your health? Certainly not.
The main roadblock to achieve your resolutions is the resistance to change your habits. This is particularly important to recognize early as research shows that neophile are healthier than neophobes, particularly regarding weight management and immune resistance. What is a neophile? “A person who loves or is enthusiastic towards what is new or novel”.
January is the perfect time for change and new experiences and to swap undesirable routine for better health.
It is not easy to change your habits because they are profoundly anchored in your body and in your mind. Habits all come from a learning process based on reward. This process, kept in your most primitive nervous system, is based on the sequence: Trigger – Behavior – Reward. You see an inviting cupcake, you eat it and you feel (instantly) good. As the sequence is anchored into your brain, the same behavior is looked for to obtain the same reward: feeling good.
Trying to break down and change this process is not easy. Habits are controlled by the frontal cortex, a brain zone sensitive to stress, fatigue…
The idea is not to suppress the behavior but to feel and physically reject the bad habit by acting from curiosity, by staying open to novelty. The curiosity of knowing and understand, not only intellectually, but physically is mindfulness. Mindfulness has been shown to be more efficient that other therapies to stop addiction such as smoking.
This January, I encourage you to make some room for curiosity and novelty. To be mindful. To stop and ask: ‘Is it what I really want to keep doing? Why?’ Notice your drivers, be curious, let go. Leave behind the process Trigger – Behavior – Reward and start the process Trigger – Curiosity – Let go.
The first step is to ask yourself what you need to improve into your life to feel optimally well.
– Be cheerful and grateful all year long
– Sleep like a baby
– Fast (more about it during the year)
– Use the therapeutic value of foods and herbs,
– Cook and serve a healthy plate everyday,
– Make my brain work,
– Share what I love,
– Listen to my gut more often,
– Mindfully move my body with yoga
– Mindfully still my mind with meditation
What's yours? Share Here
I’m looking forward to a year of sharing, laughing and… neophilia.
You can start now with the 7 days Clear & Cleanse Challenge.
Yours in health and wellness,
Valerie
PS: Enjoy this new FAST CLEAR & CLEANSE 7 day Challenge where it’s all about cleansing Monday to Friday to feel Energized by Sunday. This challenge is designed for you if you struggle with the idea of dieting or long term program but still want to feel at your best to start the year.
