Starting 2016 with a splash. Tales of surviving the New Year’s dive.

 

First of all, happy New Year to all you happiness frontiers out there. Hope you've had a wonderful New Year's Eve and a smashing beginning of 2016. How did you spend the first day of 2016? Do you have a tradition how to spend the first blank page of your 365 page book? This leap year gives us an extra page to write wonderful new adventures. Most of us spend New Year’s Day recuperating from the night before, barely making it out of bed. Some visit family members, others make New Year’s resolutions mostly containing the resolution never to drink again. Then there are a few traditions that are a bit out of the ordinary.
 

We Dutchies have a little crazy tradition on New Year’s Day. On January 1st at precisely 12 PM we jump into the North Sea. Obviously not everyone does this. Only the ones who are brave enough and a tad insane dare to face the freezing cold. This may sound absurd. Why would anyone in their right mind get into their swimsuit and dive voluntary into freezing water? The benefit out ways the cold downside to this event and it is actually a great way to start the New Year. The dive into the North Sea started in 1965 when only seven people dared to participate. Today tens of thousands of people venture into the sea. Running at full speed and taking a dive into the sea gives  a fulfilling and proud feeling that will last all day long. It is both refreshing and adrenaline pumping. All those endorphins jumping through your body making sure you receive a wonderful happiness boost to start the year. It feels like a new beginning while washing away any remnant of bad memories.

If this isn't reason enough for you to join the other crazy Dutchies, for only three euros entrance fee you also get a lovely goodie bag filled with a orange beanie, a can pea soup, and a  ribbon. One euro out of every three is donated to a good cause. There is no better way to start the year. Just remember to bring warm socks for your frozen feet to wear afterwards. Maybe next year your can start writing your 365 page book with a splash as well and join us with a dive into the North Sea.

With love, Ana

How to get into the runners mindset

How come New Year’s resolutions seem to be so much less appealing on New Year’s morning when you wake up and the only word you can stutter is; detox? That morning on January 1st is not the ideal foundation for the healthy eating plans and not for that long procrastinated run either. I realized that when I was stumbling around Berlin the morning after, wasting my time looking for healthy food while all the stores were closed and the only thing I could find were bratwursts. If I wasn't a vegetarian I would have definitely bought one, people were chewing on them like it was their mission to slaughter them for the second time. I there and then decided that I would never start my New Year’s resolutions on January 1st anymore. My advice would be to start a bit later or at the beginning of December instead, so you can guilty free chew on those cinnamon rolls on Christmas day.

Even for a gym junky like me a daily shot of endorphins can lose its glory sometimes. So, how to write a motivational piece about New Year’s resolution workouts without the standard ‘Ten tips how to lose ten pounds in ten days’ list? First of all, you have decided to hop back on that trainings wagon and that's half the battle. Congratulations! I am proud of you. The key ingredient to success is to set a goal and get into the right mindset to achieve it. To keep myself going, I always sign up for a half marathon in the second week of January. Although I am not a rookie when it comes to endurance training, the 21k/13miles running distance is not something I am a big fan of. Going out in the cold week in week out to train a certain amount of kilometers can often feel like torture to me.

Last year I have read some articles about the law of attraction that explained that thoughts and feelings become things. In short, you will become what you think. While reading I became really enthusiastic. I figured it could help me improve my running times without putting more effort into it, just as long as I was thinking, I am a runner! This is what I do. A week or two before a half marathon I get into the mindset of a professional runner. In my mind I start to live like a runner, adjust my diet, eat, breath and sleep like a runner. I keep telling myself I run faster every day. In my mind I imagine I am running that competition effortlessly and having that proud feeling when I cross the finish line. On the day of the competition, even when my knees and legs start to hurt towards the finish line, giving up never crosses my mind. Believe it or not, my mind exercise resulted in faster running times. 

You don't have to be perfect. Reaching your goals starts with getting into the right mindset and believing in yourself. As Henry Ford said;" Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you are right." Get in front of the mirror and imagine yourself being a 20 pounds less you, who lifts weights at the gym as if they are light weighted Birkin bags or a six-pack of Heineken. Become that runner, that bodybuilder or that amazing swimmer in your mind. Now that the right mindset is established I wouldn't want to hold my workout tips from the ones who were actually excited about the ‘10 tips how to lose weight’ lists. I will share my training experiences with you on a monthly basis and will post that list soon.

Be happy,
˜Ilona˜

Happy to-do list

I guess it's that time of the year again when everybody is busy making their New Year’s resolutions. Not me! I make a happy to-do list. The difference between those two, is that nothing on my list is a must do. It is a want to do instead.  I choose things that excite me and by doing so I look forward to subsequently crossing them off. That's the reason I completed about 90% of last year’s to-do list. I even got to cross three things off my bucket list. Then again you can say 2014 was a pretty awesome year.

Most New Year’s resolutions are all about self improvement through change. Changes are difficult for some people, because people tend to be creatures of habit, whether the habit is good or bad. It's comfortable like an old pair of sneakers. You know they're worn out and that they squeak every time you walk. However they are comfortable in their own way, even though you know a new pair is better for your posture, it's still a hassle to break a new pair in. So you try and make promises to yourself, but your heart isn't in it. In the meantime you feel the need to prove to all others that you can stick to your new found lifestyle. The pressure is on. End result? You don't stick to your plan and you are left with a horrible feeling of failure. Sound familiar?

This doesn't happen with a happy to-do list. There is no pressure or judgment if you don't do something, because it's only a list of all the exciting things you want. Heck you can add or remove things from your list at any time. It's all about the fun and the positive feelings behind it.  Your attitude towards things is not necessarily about improving yourself, but about enriching your life. When your list remains unfinished no harm is done, you can always try again later. It just means it wasn't something you really wanted after all and when you look back at everything you did check off your list, you will be filled with pride and a warm happy feeling.

So if you want to stick to your old smelly sneakers. By all means, go ahead. No judgment here. Make a list filled with things that bring a smile to your face. My list sure does.

There's no need to improve yourself if you don't really want to. You are awesome just the way you are. Are you ready to have a great year filled with things worth doing? Leave your happy to-do list in the comment. We would love to hear what fun things you're planning to do.

With love, Ana