18 Ways to Have the Best Year Ever – Part 5

New year’s resolutions, goals and dreams for the new year, ordering my life, things and possessions, new start in the new year, keeping my new year’s resolutions…we go through the same routines every New Year – have you made any progress and been successful with your ideas, dreams and goals each year? Some years, yes, and some years not so much .
Read this Part 5 of the list to make your life more alive, more connected, more organized and more true to your goals. Here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 if you missed them also!

13. Keep your skin youthful with antiaging antioxidants. “Free radicals damage the skin and collagen, speeding wrinkling,” says Dr. Haas. “They also contribute to the hardening of your blood vessels, increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke.” Antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, vitamin A with beta-carotene, and minerals such as selenium and zinc help protect you from free radicals and keep your tissues young and vital longer, too.

Beat Stress, Boost Energy

14. Reach for the stars. First, create a list of your stress triggers—people, places or events. Next, make up index cards with a red star. Place the cards where you’ll see them when you are stressed. As you go through your day, breathe deeply and evenly whenever you see your prompts. “Soon you won’t need reminding,” says Mike George, author of Learn to Relax: A Practical Guide to Easing Tension and Conquering Stress. “Relaxed breathing will be natural, even during times of stress,” he adds.

15. Give yourself a time-out. “When people get tired they usually don’t stop to rest,” says Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., author of Relax & Renew. “They drink coffee, they have a doughnut. They amp it up.” Instead, set an egg timer for five to 15 minutes. Lie down on your back, put a few pillows under your knees or elevate your feet on a couch. Cover your eyes with a facecloth and take long, slow breaths. When the timer goes off, gently get up. Then you can go about your day feeling refreshed and energized.

Read part 6 of this 8 part series!