From the Editor: This New Year, We’re in Our Microhabits Era

I have been bursting with thoughts and ideas this New Year. That’s mostly a good thing, because it means I’m motivated, right? I’m excited for the year – yay!

But there comes a point when that “New Year” energy leaves you feeling stuck (at least it does for me), because there are so many things you want to do, change, and start that it’s like okay…but where do I actually start?

Decision paralysis sets in, or maybe you try do to all the things at once and then you burnout halfway through January. Motivation quickly fizzles into guilt.

I’m all for a New Year’s resolution, but this got me thinking as I was planning content for January on Blogilates.com. Instead of churning out all of your typical “new year, new me” content, I wanted to be more intentional. What do we really need as we embark on 2023?

After talking with the team about their thoughts on growth and change this New Year, it was clear that we were all on the same page. Cassey’s 30-Day Good Mood Challenge was the final piece to the puzzle, confirming that we’re looking for something different.

This year, we’re choosing slow, sustainable growth.

We’re in our ‘microhabits’ era.

And that is the theme for January here on Blogilates.com.

What’s a microhabit? Did I make that up?

One of our writers (hii Kennedy!) introduced me to this concept last fall – you can read her article about it here! Basically, a microhabit is just a bite-sized version of a habit. One example could be if you want to start meal prepping, the microhabit would be simply washing and cutting fruit every Sunday. Or maybe just making a grocery list every week.

It’s small, but it’s achievable.

And the magic lies in the small things.

The concept of small, attainable goals is nothing new. Neither is slow wellness. I think we just lose sight of these concepts with the hype of the New Year, when we actually need them the most.

We love a big picture moment, but one resolution doesn’t change us. It takes little habits that seem like NBD to build up to that noticeable change. And this is what makes change so HARD. Nobody posts transformation videos about waking up 5 minutes earlier. It doesn’t feel that cool to stretch for 10 minutes. Trying avocado toast for the first time doesn’t feel revolutionary, but IT IS.

Every time you fulfill a commitment to yourself, you want to find more ways to do just that. Every time you crush a tiny goal, your motivation increases. Your confidence grows.

The vision for January

Throughout January, you’ll find articles, recipes, and personal stories to help you discover and achieve bite-sized goals. Your job is to take what you need. Put some microhabits into action now, and keep some in your pocket for later (January isn’t the only time we’re allowed to make change, you know).

And on that note, there’s no pressure here to change AT ALL. Growth isn’t linear, and we want to normalize NOT constantly “working on ourselves.” But that’s another ramble for another time.

What’s your microhabit? I’ll go first.

I’m actually getting out of bed at my first alarm.

I usually snooze 3-4 times (ahhh I know), but my goal is to actually get my body out of bed on that first one. I know if I do that, other changes I’ve been nagging myself about for months will fall into place more naturally.

I’ll have a few more minutes to myself before my kids wake up, which is major for my mental health. I can use those 30 extra minutes to sit in silence, get some work done, stretch, or read. All things I need more of, but for now, I’m focusing on that very basic microhabit.