Mindful Ways to Start the Year Stronger
The end of the year is often a time for reflection and celebration, but it can also bring increased stress and overwhelm. Amid the busy season, it’s easy to forget the importance of mindfulness in maintaining balance and focus. In fact, practicing mindfulness now can lay the foundation for a stronger, more intentional year ahead—both for you and your business. While we know the benefits, it’s easy to overlook them in the rush of year-end tasks. Start setting the intention for mindfulness this December to carry it through the entire year. What steps can you take to help yourself, your team, and your members find more joy and peace in the process?
Here are three practical ways you and your team can incorporate mindfulness and mind-body connection into your daily routine, helping you finish the year on a high note and set the stage for an even stronger start to the next.
Infuse Mindful Moments into Your Days
Research shows how mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety. We are aware of the facts, but our busy schedules sometimes cause us to neglect our routines. Mindfulness practices at this time of year are more important than ever, whether you’re already doing them or not. You could choose a 5-minute breathing exercise, do some chair yoga stretches at your desk, take a 15-minute walk, or power through a fit-fix circuit. Let’s use this chance to model ideal behavior for our staff and customers, as leaders should. Peer support improves commitment and consistency.
Pay it forward by encouraging your trainers and instructors to bring a mindfulness technique into everything they do. You could suggest starting or ending class with a short, two-minute mindfulness moment to remind members about the value of being present.
Manage Commitments and Expectations
There is a tendency for many of us to try and cram way too much in before the holidays. The end of year pressure can make us set our expectations far out of proportion. Rather than help, this can only compound the stress of the end of the year. In the end, we may even end up being less productive than we had hoped for. What absolutely must be done before the holidays? How can you delegate, ask for help, or share responsibilities with others so that we can all keep our sanity? When we manage our commitments and expectations, we have more energy for family and me time.
Respect Family Time and Me Time
In our fast-paced lives, quality time with loved ones and ourselves is precious. Remember to respect your boundaries and those of your employees. And don’t forget to take care of yourself. If you have a busy holidays season visiting with family, be sure to find time (at least one vacation day) for yourself to recharge. When you rest well over the holidays, you will be able to come back stronger to start 2025.
Be Mindful of the Trends
Staying ahead of the curve on emerging trends in health and fitness can help you strategically shape your business for a successful year ahead. The Health & Fitness Trends Report 2024 highlighted the growing importance of mental health and mindfulness, with two of the Top 10 trends focusing on Mental Health and Stress Management Programs, and Mind Body Programs. And there’s even more to come! Get ready for our highly anticipated 2025 Health & Fitness Trends Report, coming in the January issue of the canfitpro Magazine. This report will reveal even more exciting insights into the rising demand for mental health and mindfulness practices—key opportunities to elevate your business and make a lasting impact. Don’t miss out on this game-changing information!
