1. Find Balance in Routine

Patterns of exercise, eating, sleep, meditation and other self-care routines and rituals are easily disrupted by the holidays. Routine in life helps us to stay grounded and balanced. Often it's only when our good habits slip for a while that we realise how much they helped us to feel well and balanced. Restore your natural balance and ease with a gentle return to routines. Sleep rhythms influence the healthy functioning of the body so rising and going bed at the same time everyday is important, aim to be in bed before midnight every night. Eating habits damaged by the excesses of the holidays will need slow and steady return to normal. Detox is the new year buzz word as usual, see below for some advice on how to approach a detox. Exercise routines may be disrupted, return to these slowly but surely.

2. Ease Into It

Go easy on yourself. We are still in the midst of Winter. Ease back into routine. Drastic change, in your diet or lifestyle is difficult to sustain and often causes you to bounce back to square one. We have a natural resistance to change and we must honour this and work with it. Dr. Stone, founder of Polarity Therapy is often quoted as saying:

'Nature's way is gentle growth.'

As human beings, the same applies to ourselves, which gives us a compassionate perspective on our growth. Change may be subtle and transformative all at once, so give yourself time. Small steps and improvements add up and have the most far-reaching benefits. If you are considering a new year detox, it is not recommended that you detox immediately after a period of indulgence, contrary to what is portrayed in the media at the start of every new year. The effects will be less drastic if you build up to a detox. Eat light and healthy for at least a week before you being a detox, seek medical advice if you have any ongoing conditions or concerns. And remember, there is no substitute for a healthy, balanced diet year-round.

3. Lighten Up

Daylight is reduced in Winter time which makes it even more important to expose yourself to as much of it as possible. Natural daylight is connected to the production of serotonin in the brain, which generally calms you down and improves your mood. This is especially relevant to those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but we all feel the effects of lack of natural light to some degree. Get as much daylight as you can. Even on a cloudy day, light is everywhere, so make the most of it during Winter. A 10 minute walk will lift your mood, boost serotonin levels, bring fresh air to your lungs, improve circulation and encourage the body back into movement and fluidity.

4. Make Resolutions Mindfully

New years resolutions are made and broken every year. Often, they are unrealistic and breaking them feels frustrating and disappointing. You may be someone who has never made a new year's resolution. Make this year the year for meaningful and joyful change in your life. Change means letting go, to welcome in the new, we need to make space and let go of something. Look at your life, ask yourself the difficult questions, consider where are you now, where you want to be, what has to go, what you need more of, and definitely want less of. And make your intentions mindfully. Not as a 'to do' list but a record of your deepest hopes and dreams. This year, I am celebrating the festival of Imbolc (which welcomes in the Springtime at the end of January, start of February) and I intend to have my goals for 2009 ready to offer up. Create your own ritual to commit to your goals for the year and welcome in the Spring.

And finally, aim high. Dreaming is free and life is short, so go for it!

5. Give Thanks

I love this quote by Meister Eckhart:

'If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, it will be enough.'

Give thanks. The more you focus on the good in your life, the more it expands. It also helps you prioritise and focus, who or what are you really grateful for and why? Which parts of your life are really feeding you? Give thanks for the holiday celebrations and the people you spent time with, your health and wellness, the abundance and plenty you enjoyed, for the gift of another year to enjoy and celebrate being you. This may be the year to start a gratitude journal, where you write 5 things you're grateful for before sleep every night. I've been doing this for a few years and its made a big difference to how I view my life, as well as teaching me a lot about myself and what I'm grateful for. Inevitably, its the simple things, time spent with a friend, food on the table, a warm bed, that's 3 already, just 2 to more to go...Give thanks and cultivate a deeply felt sense of gratitude every day.

Enjoy! and have a happy, healthful and fun new year.