20 Tips for 2020, Your Best Year Yet.

Edited June 2020.

I started writing this at the start of the year and then pressed pause. 

It never got published as Covid-19 was becoming more prominent and then suddenly the world went into lock-down.  These tips seemed a bit trivial or meaningless when we our daily routines and lives were being restricted.  

After a while I realised that these tips were still possible and now that we are officially half way through the year,  you can turn 2020 around to be your BEST YEAR yet.

When a new year comes around we get excited about this fresh new start. A chance to get it right, do better or make things happen. 

Whether your intentions and goals for 2020 are big or small it is your daily habits and mindset practices that actually can make the difference to the bigger picture.

Below are my 20 tips for a fabulous 2020, your best year yet.

These tips don’t require huge mountains to be moved, but invite a few additions or tweaks to what you may already do. 

Choose at least 3 that you feel you can easily slot into your daily routines and see what happens.

 I hope this list will inspire you just to create some more positive energy and changes in your life.

20 Tips for a 2020

• Start a gratitude list 

Gratitude is the best way to raise our energy and mood and strengthen our mental health.   Being thankful & grateful for whatever we have in life, even the fork we use to eat our food, can have a huge effect on our psychology, emotions and energy. It creates a positive mindset in our life, which raises our energy and mood.  When we are at these higher vibrational levels we then start attracting more positive and joyful experiences, people and or events in our life. 

• Don’t buy crap you don’t need.

Ask yourself – do I really need this?  Invest in things that have purpose and necessity in your life. 

• Clear out your spare room or under your bed

When we clear clutter we have clean open spaces that allow us to think and function better. Clutter blocks the flow of energy or Chi in the house or in a room.  Storing things under a bed might be a great out of the way space, but when you sleep on your bed every night, your energy is not able to freely move in or out of the room and can get caught up under the bed.  Clearing spaces allows the energy to flow freely in the house.  See if you notice a difference in your own energy if you clear out from under your bed. 

• Turn your phone off one hour before going to bed and leave in another room.

Simply, your phones, ipad or laptops all create stimulation and brain activity which isn’t conducive to getting your mind to relax before going to bed. Plus studies have shown that little blue or green light they emit can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle.

• Meditate every day for at least 5 minutes

Want to calm the farm in your head? Try focusing on your breathing for 5 mins and do this daily. You’ll see the results.

• Explore your creative side.  What are your passions? 

Everyone has a creative side. It doesn’t have to be painting or drawing. It might be learning circus tricks or writing that murder mystery novel you have composed in your head.  When you follow your creativity and passions, you are following the path of your heart.

• Try something new, try something you’ve been wanting to do and never have.

What are you waiting for? An invitation? Get out there and start. There’s no time like the present. 

• Have an alcohol-free week, month or longer.

Give your liver a rest. Go alcohol-free. Your skin, energy and liver will thank you for it.

• Have a coffee-free week & drink more water.

Water is so important for hydration and key functions of the body. Caffeine is actually very dehydrating. It depletes your body of moisture and therefore can be ageing.  

•  Do a detox 

Talk to a naturopath or a nutritionist to support you on a detox. A 1-week detox is a great way to reset and refresh your body. 

• Have a night in with friends and board play games.

Catching up with friends doesn’t have to be about going our and getting boozy. Being social is important for the min

•  Get out of your head, stop self-sabotaging your thoughts.

How many times do we talk ourselves out of something? Don’t doubt yourself or give yourself a reason why it won’t work before you have even tried.  Listen to the thoughts, acknowledge that you have them and then be discerning.  Are they real or just your fear coming forward?  

• Start listening to a podcast or audio book.

Less screen time or TV time. Educate and entertain with a podcast or audio book. They are great if you do long drives or to listen to when you are going for walks, cleaning around the house, gardening or simply relaxing for awhile.

• Make time to call friends you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Community and connection is so important for mental health.  Who haven’t you spoken to in a while?

• Volunteer and give back to your community.

There are plenty of amazing volunteer programs.  Community gardens and land care, looking after animals, working in an op-shop.  Volunteering creates skills, commitment, purpose and connection.  

• Walk around barefoot in the sand or grass

Wearing shoes insulates us from our connection to the ground. The earth, sand or grass acts as an earthing or grounding mechanism that takes negative, old or stuck energy from our body and recharges us in return.

• Try a new natural therapy – Go to a sound healing or meditation class.  

Go to a sound healing or a meditation class.  Are there any therapies you haven’t tried before but have heard of or are curious about?  There are so many amazing therapies available for whatever you feel you need.  

• Take yourself to the movies and dinner – SOLO

YES! SOLO!! Have you ever tried it? Grabbing a quick bite to eat in your lunch break doesn’t count.  It can be very daunting and completely out of your comfort zone, particularly if you are a social butterfly.  A solo date with yourself is actually empowering, liberating & teaches you a HUGE life skill in confidence! 

• Review your finances – 

 Money and finances are one of the biggest causes of stress today.  Do you have healthy spending habits or are you up to the neck in debt and struggling?  Reviewing your finances can seem scary or a chore but be brave and take a look around at your bank accounts, retirement funds and savings.  Where are you spending mindlessly? Cancel any subscriptions that are wasting your money. Create a budget, review your insurances and pay off your debts ASAP.   Seek sound financial advice where you can.

• Be a tourist in your own backyard. 

For many of us, our international and even interstate holidays have been put on hold this year. That doesn’t mean we can’t be a tourist in our own local area.  Depending on restrictions and where you live many places and tourist businesses are open.  #wanderoutyonder & #holidayherethisyear are two VERY inspiring hashtags you can search through Instagram or Facebook or any other social media platform, give you inspiration.  Play tourist in your local area or go to those places that get left out because we are planning our global or national travels.  You’ll definitely gain a new appreciation for where you live.