Make 2024 your year of transformation - Beyond self care and CBD

Written by Ruby Deevoy Ruby Deevoy is an award-nominated health, science and wellbeing journalist who contributes to publications such as New Scientist, The Telegraph, The Times, Stylist, Natural Health and many more. She is the UK's first and only ever mainstream CBD columnist (Top Sante magazine) and CBD consultant for international CBD and cannabis brands and clinics. @RDeevoy

Hearts and bellies are often just about as full as they can be on Christmas Day, so if you’re feeling a little deflated (or bloated) in the aftermath you may need to do a little self-work to find a post-holiday glow too. But what better dive to dive into new, healthy habits for the mind, body and soul, than on the brink of another journey around the Sun?

Although keeping your physical form fit and eating well is key to being your best self, this year why not take the chance to dive a little deeper with your wellness practices to take your healing and evolution to the next level? Well beyond self-care and CBD…

Write a love letter…to yourself!

‘Self-love’ and ‘self-care’ are terms that get thrown around a lot in the wellness space, but truly learning to love yourself takes more than putting on a face mask or taking an extra 10 minutes for lunch. Creating a space of transformation where you require no external validation, where you can authentically sit in your magnificence and fall in love with the entire world because you’re so deeply in love with yourself takes a lot of hard work, tears and life-long contract-breaking. But boy is it worth it.

As you leave 2023 behind, take the opportunity to continue you on your journey from a deep appreciation of how you show up in the world, by writing yourself a love letter.

Most of us have been trained to be modest and to not think too highly of ourselves, and while it’s not great to be egotistical, there’s nothing wrong with recognising and loving all the things about yourself that are special and do bring a certain magic into the lives of those around you. So put it on record - dig deep into moments where the true you shone through in service to others, when you stepped up to a seemingly impossible task, when you held yourself up when no one else did, how you’ve become a human being that little you would be so, so proud of.

Laugh, cry, rage, heal as you go…this is your first step towards freedom in 2024!

Look for Glimmers

When the weather is dark and gloomy, money is tight and the festive cheer is ebbing away, it can be hard to see the bright side. But it is always there if you know where to look! And re-wiring your mind to find ‘glimmers’ instead of ‘triggers’ can go a very long way in boosting your mental health in a pretty profound way. 

Quite the opposite of triggers (something which might send you spiralling into distress), glimmers are moments which inspire joy and security within you. These don’t have to be anything exceptional - in fact, it’s better if they’re not because most of life is made up of mundane moments!

When we’re wired to see the negative (which is more common than not), the fleeting beauty in life is easily missed. So take this as your sign to start being conscious and present to the little things that flood your body with warmth and make your heart smile, even if just for a split second. 

Perhaps that’s the way the sun hits the trees, the smell of coffee in your cup, a subtle action of kindness from a stranger, the feeling of a loved one’s hand in yours. This is where real magic hides in plain sight. 

The more you make a conscious commitment to seeing the glimmers, the more naturally abundant they will appear. 

Learn to set boundaries

Ah, boundaries. Essential for everyone to maintain healthy relationships, work/life balance, financial stability and so much more! But also one of the first elements of ourselves that break down in response to childhood trauma. Most of us are missing them, or aren’t quite sure where they lie, so learning what your boundaries are and how to set them is a fantastic New Year’s Resolution to make! You’ll be amazed at how much doing this can positively impact your life.

The first thing to know is that it’s OK if you have no idea what your boundaries are. This is your chance to figure that out. Make a list of what you need to feel safe - you might want to include physical boundaries (such as not feeling comfortable hugging people you don’t know well, or saying no to sex when you’re not 100% into it). It could include setting boundaries up to protect and demand respect for your personal beliefs or creative processes. Or perhaps boundaries on how much time you spend working, how much you’re willing to give emotionally without draining yourself, or how much money you spend (or lend).

Once you’ve figured out which boundaries are important to you, decide how you can lovingly enforce them, for example voicing your needs to a partner, creating a firm work schedule for yourself, or even practising saying ‘no’ in the mirror, so you’re ready to do that with confidence when the time comes.

If boundaries are new to you, or it’s an area you struggle in, be kind to yourself and be patient. These are big changes, with profound impacts, and often we need to undo life-long habits to achieve our goals. Start small, and as you become more grounded in your self-worth, it will get easier.

These aren’t your average wellness goals to bring you into a new year, these are practices with the potential to spark deep transformation to carry with you through life. So, go easy and go lovingly. As you work through your processes, it’s important to take care of yourself in other ways too, and this is where the face masks, extra 10 minutes at lunch, daily CBD drops and rose oil in your diffuser come into their own. By themselves, they won’t work miracles, but the self-work without self care can only go so far too. Support yourself inside and out, as you deserve to be supported.