Tips to Manifest Your Best Year Yet

Is having a great 2022 in your control? Did you struggle to thrive during the pandemic?

Our live Sassy Mama Expert Chat was all about achieving your best year yet!

If you missed the webinar on 11 February 2022, here is the link to watch a replay.

Our Frolic for Life Coaches shared their top 3 tips in their coaching speciality to kick-start your action plan for an incredible year ahead.

Stress Management Tips from Rebecca Jackson

1. Learn to say NO

Begin by noticing how you feel about the situation and listen to your gut feeling. Ask for more time and information, so you can make an informed decision.  Be honest and direct, give just one reason and stand your ground. Try saying something simple like ‘I’m at capacity thank you!‘

2. Write down your commitments

The process of getting something on paper helps you recognise and manage the things that are causing you stress – we juggle a lot as parents and sometimes it helps to go through this process. Write stuff down and get it out of your head.

Some pointers:

• Identify your commitments, what have you got going on?
• Write them all down, which ones are non-negotiable?
• What is most important and more importantly, that you enjoy?
• What can you let go of?  What commitments bring stress?
• Try rating them on a scale if it helps, and review your schedule as often as you can.

3. Implement a healthy morning and night routine

Start the day peacefully, try something simple like sitting in the sun with your morning coffee, a morning meditation or a yoga session.  In the evening, avoid any devices for a few hours before bed and turn your bedroom into a sacred relaxing, sleeping zone.

Health & Wellness Tips from Selina Wirz

1. Stay hydrated

Did you know that around 60% of our body is made of water? So it’s super important to keep yourself hydrated.  It takes more than water to hydrate your body – so reach out for food, fruit and vegetables that contain more water.

2. Eat foods rich in fibre

By this, I am mean oats, quinoa, chia seeds, nuts, peas, beans, lentils. Some easy ways to increase fibre intake:

• Switch any refined grain products you eat to whole-grain versions, for example, switch from white bread to whole-wheat bread.
• Choose fruits, veggies, and nuts as snacks instead of highly processed snacks.

3. Connect and listen to your body 

Don’t take care of your body by numbers. You don’t need to walk a certain number of steps if your body is begging you for rest. Whether you know it or not your body is speaking to you. The easiest way to get in touch with your body is through conscious breathing. It simply involves staying conscious of your in-breath and out-breath. Or go for a walk once a day and feel the sun on your skin. You can also start a food journal – write down after every meal (or foods) that make you feel bloated, sluggish or energised.

Fitness Tips from Iwa Hensarling

1. Create a realistic schedule and stick to it 

You don’t have to go to the gym for hours each week! You can create moments of fitness in your day and build it into your routine: walk faster, take the stairs rather than the escalator, do 20 sit-ups before bed or when you wake up in the morning. Create manageable fitness moments and habits to stick by.

2. Choose a fitness regime you enjoy

It should never be s chore to exercise. Some people prefer to exercise as a group, some people enjoy jogging, yoga, high-intensity fitness. Try out different types of exercise and see what sticks. There are many choices out there, do trial classes and see what you enjoy.

3. Enrol a fitness buddy 

It’s all about accountability! Having someone to kick your butt and vice versa makes all the difference. Remember that a family member can be fitness buddies too.

Relationship Tips from Iwa Hensarling

1. Intimacy through communication

Don’t take your partner for granted or give each other excuses to communicate your needs to one another. Find time to do this on a regular basis. Be open, share your thoughts, make time for each other – make-out! Make time for all the most important relationships in your life – even if it’s just for half an hour at the end of the day. The key is to be PRESENT – so no distractions, no devices, make eye contact, express and listen.

2. Declarations for date nights or spontaneous surprises

We tend to forget about our partners when we have family and children that always take priority. So sometimes we need to make time to make it happen. Sound simple? Date Nights and Spontaneous Surprises need to be a shared responsibility – you each take it in turns to organise a dinner, an activity, or a trip to the movies – it’s about PARTNERSHIP!

3. 30-Second hug 

There are so many benefits to a simple and easy hug. Some people think it’s too simple but actually, it can create so much more intimacy than you can imagine! Think of those amazing Oxytocin Chemicals that gives you that feeling of love, affection, connection, intimacy and so much more. So the next time you hug your partner – embrace, squeeze, look into each other’s eyes for 30 seconds. Feel the love.

Fertility Tips from Rebecca Jackson

1. Reduce environmental toxins 

Environmental toxins can be hard to avoid, but there is much you can do to make a difference. Reduce your exposure to BPA found in plastics, metal drink cans and food containers. Eat organic if you can – the rule here is, if it doesn’t have a skin, perhaps buy organic. Check your cosmetics and fragrances and find brands you can trust. Ensure good ventilation and a clean home and work environment.

2. Nutrition

Eat a nutritionally rich whole-food diet, that focus on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, that are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. This can help balance environmental and physical toxins in the body, reduce inflammation, regulate hormones and improve overall health.  

3. Exercise moderately

Excessive exercise leads to physical stress and increased cortisol levels, that disrupt reproductive hormonal pathways and cause ovulation irregularities.  Moderate exercise is best, with more intense workout sessions minimised to just a few times a week. Try walking, swimming or yoga.

Parenting & Kids Tips from Andrea Liu

1. Family goal setting for 2022

A great way to connect the family and look forward to the possibilities and positivity to the year ahead. You don’t necessarily have to do it at the beginning of the year. You could do this monthly or quarterly. The aim here is to look for some fun things you can do as a family. Are there any home projects you can do together? Are there any charities we would like to support and contribute to as a family? This not only builds connection but also breeds collaboration and cooperation.

2. Individual parent time with each child

Special time with each child is important to foster a strong connection. Each child has their individual needs and wants. Spending 1-1 time is important for them to be seen and heard. So here’s also a great hack for chatting to your kid – take them out for a drive where you are both facing forward, eyes on the road – this makes for easier conversations.

3. Start a new family tradition this year

This can be a regular activity that you do as a whole family once a week or once a month…. like Friday Night Pizza, Family Disco Nights, Device-Free Sundays! Ask yourself – are there any cool family things you did last year with the kids that they still talk about? What made it fun? Could you reinstate it as a regular activity this year?

Life & Career Tips from Meera Bal

1. Identify your values and your purpose

Have your values changed, evolved and how much of your work supports your values. Sit down and write what’s important to you or get someone to help you through the process. It’s good to align whatever you do in life and career to your own guides values, principles and purpose.

2. Set a vision for your career this year

Identify 3 areas you want to expand yourself in your career. I want to take on the role of X by Y, and to do this I need to upskill myself in these 3 areas. You can make this achievable by giving yourself some mini tasks along the way with the ultimate goal at the top. Give yourself a realistic timeframe and check in from time to time to see how you are tracking, and where you need support.

3. Connect with a Coach or Mentor

Reach out for guidance, clarity and to keep yourself accountable. Identify who can support you to achieve your vision. A mentor, a coach, or a peer, to initiate a conversation so that you can put together a clear and achievable action plan.

Financial Wellness Tips from Michelle Howell

1. Plan

If we could plan for 75% of what’s going to happen to you financially, wouldn’t the other 25% be so much easier to handle? Plan for how you spend and how you save. Make a budget and allow for planned expenses as well as some fun stuff. Set up different pots and auto direct money to reduce your mental load.

2. Protect 

Make sure your family is financially protected if something unexpected arises. What if someone in your family develops health issues or can no longer work? Review your current insurance and have a fall-back plan.

3. Grow

Contribute regularly to an investment or retirement fund to grow your wealth and allow yourself financial freedom in the future.  For 2022, try to fight procrastination when it comes to money, create clear financial goals, and don’t be afraid to seek support and guidance to achieve this. Let’s take the stress and guilt out of money so that you can spend more time on yourself and your family.