Dr Mary Casey
Founder and CEO of the Casey Centre
www.caseycentre.com.au
1. Prioritise your happiness and health
It’s important to decide for your health and happiness as number one. As simple as it sounds, if you don’t have these, you are not in a position to contribute to others or yourself. Everything stems from here.
2. Spend more time with the right people.
Rather than resolving to spend more time with everyone – which can be exhausting – spend time with people who are naturally positive and uplifting, and who are going in the direction you want to go in. You’ll find these people have an energising effect on you.
3. Deal with toxic relationships
You can identify toxic relationships by the way they make you feel; people who are controlling, overly emotional, or in blame put everyone else in a negative state. Stand your ground, set your boundaries and make it clear to them what behaviour you won’t accept – even with family. You may need to disengage altogether from particularly toxic people. Your health will thank you for it.
4. Reassess your happiness at work
This is must for those in a negative work culture that’s leaving them feeling overworked, uncertain of their future, anxious or stressed. It’s important to know that you can address the issue at your current place of work. If you can’t, it may be time to look for a healthier work environment.
5. Review your daily routine
It takes courage to admit there are decisions we ourselves make that deflate us emotionally – from accepting a job with a long work commute, to running around too much, to not giving ourselves enough ‘down’ time every day, to spending too much and putting ourselves in financial stress. By resolving to develop a strategy to solve them, you can be in an entirely different place by the end of the year – and you’ll be glad for it.
6. Don’t let negative emotions control you
Negative emotions, however small, can overwhelm anything positive. Resolve to develop awareness of when you’re feeling upset or frustrated before it spoils your day. Examine your part in this. What can you do personally to make yourself feel better? Each time you begin to feel down, take a walk or go out in the sun, because nature and movement nurture positive emotions.
7. The gift of giving
You can find deep fulfilment and connection in philanthropic or charitable work, so try getting involved in a community group, nursing home or the like, and volunteer some of your time.
