New Year, New You? Try a Past Year Review for Real Change in 2023

New Year, New You? Try a Past Year Review for Real Change in 2023

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• Why Is Taking Action Hard?

• Scientists make breakthrough discovery: Why people get more colds in winter

• Forget New Year's Resolutions and Conduct a 'Past Year Review' Instead

Why Is Taking Action Hard?Scott H. Young

Lights, Camera, ... Why do we struggle with taking action? It's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point. Whether it's procrastinating on a project, neglecting the treadmill in the basement, or failing to pursue our goals and dreams, inaction can hold us back from achieving success and happiness. So what's the root cause of this struggle? It could be laziness, self-doubt, lack of motivation, or any number of other factors. However, the good news is that there are ways to overcome these obstacles and take action. By developing better habits, seeking support and guidance, and building self-confidence, we can overcome the barriers that hold us back and start making progress towards our goals.Action!

1. Set clear and specific goals

2. Break goals into smaller, more manageable tasks

3. Create a plan of action with deadlines

4. Eliminate distractions and create a conducive environment for productivity

5. Seek accountability and support from friends, family, or a coach or mentor

6. Use positive self-talk and visualization to overcome self-doubt and negative thoughts

7. Reward yourself for completing tasks and reaching goals

8. Reflect on past successes and learn from failures to build self-confidence and motivation.

Scientists make breakthrough discovery: Why people get more colds in winterAdriana Diaz

Lights, Camera, ...Scientists have discovered that cold air weakens the body's immune response, especially in the nose, which is an important part of the body's immune response and one of the first sites of contact for respiratory viruses. According to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, reducing the temperature inside the nose by just 9 °F (5 °C) kills nearly 50% of the billions of virus and bacteria-fighting cells in the nostrils. The research explains why cold and flu season occurs in the winter months when the cold wintry air can freeze out half of the body's natural line of immunity. Cold air weakens the body's immune response by removing nearly 42% of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are little mini versions of cells specifically designed to kill viruses. EVs act as decoys, so when a virus is inhaled, it sticks to the EVs instead of sticking to the cells, before being expelled into mucus. Cold air "essentially knocks out" the immunity advantages that the body naturally creates in a warm environment.Action!

• Keep your nose warm during the winter months by wearing a scarf or a face mask. (Turns out there may actually be a benefit to wearing a face mask outside even if you’re by yourself!)

Forget New Year’s Resolutions and Conduct a ‘Past Year Review’ InsteadTim Ferriss

Lights, Camera, ...Forget the traditional New Year's resolution approach of blindly setting goals without any real reflection. Instead, try a "past year review" to really analyze what brought you happiness and stress in the previous year. Just grab a notepad and jot down the people and activities that triggered peak positive and negative emotions. Then, schedule more of the positive stuff in the new year and put the negative stuff on a "not-to-do list" to avoid in the future. This way, you'll fill your days with the things that nourish you instead of letting negativity and obligation take over.Action!

1. Create a Positive and Negative column on a notepad.

2. Review your calendar from the past year, week by week, and jot down people or activities that triggered strong positive or negative emotions.

3. Determine the 20% of each column that had the biggest impact.

4. Schedule more of the positive influences in the new year and add them to your calendar.

5. Create a "NOT-TO-DO LIST" for the negative influences and place it somewhere visible in the new year.

6. Remember, it's not enough to just remove the negative. That leaves a void. Make sure to fill your calendar with positive activities ASAP (it’s not real until it’s in your calendar).

Check out this article for inspiration and lessons learned by conducting past year reviews.

TOOL TIP

ILovePDF: A free online tool that let's you compress, merge, split, and convert PDFs.

FUN FACT 

If you folded a piece of paper 42 times, it would be thick enough to reach the moon.

If you enjoyed today's newsletter, please share it with your friends and family!If this email was forwarded to you, consider subscribing to receive them in future!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.