“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

With restrictive lockdowns enforced over the holiday period in Europe & the USA, many of us ponder over what was there to celebrate about 2020.

An odd year at best, it brought us to a sort of standstill; affecting holiday traditions and a number of what we consider existential freedoms. However, for some people, it was an awakening and an appreciation for the smaller things in life.

Connecting with our deeper side: Gratitude

Gratitude, a concept which has been present in many beliefs and religions for centuries, has seen a re(gained) interest from many people over the past year. Philosophers and thinkers have delved on the importance of giving thanks (Fox et al., 2015; McCullough et al., 2002). “Cicero and Seneca thought of gratitude as a key virtue foundational to any successful civilization” (source). Modern positive psychology has expanded on the importance of the concept. Key aspects related to gratitude include: enhanced well-being, deeper relationships, improved optimism, increased happiness, stronger self-control, better physical and mental health, an overall better life, stronger athleticism, and Stronger Neurologically-Based Morality (source). When looking at hobby site Pinterest, the term went up 60% in searches as compared to 2019, illustrating people’s interest in seeking for something deeper in these difficult times. 

If gratitude as a key concept is not a concept yet familiar to you, we encourage you to become more acquainted with it. As a team, we will be waiving the practice of gratitude into our challenges this year. Until then, and to get you started, let us look at how to plan for the year ahead. 

How to plan for the year ahead?

Starting 12th February 2021, we are celebrating the year of the ox. The ox is characterized by its patient nature and its desire to make progress. Oxes can achieve their goals through consistent effort. They are not much influenced by others or the environment; rather, they do things according to their ideals and capabilities.

So follow your heart, the great motivator, and call on your friends to help you stay consistent. 

Here are our top tips:

Follow your heart. The heart is what gets your mojo going. If you are a morning person, morning should be your “me time”; If you are more of an “Night” owl and evenings are your groove, then make that your “me time”. The rhythm of your internal clock is the key to unlocking the natural firepower which will get you to show-up, starting your work out and staying consistent

Connect with a group. To many people, virtual training is too much after a whole day behind the screen. Group communication should be established through a mode of communication which fits that particular group. Using an App such as ours is one option that allows for easy in-app group messaging, which allows you to keep track of each other and keep the motivation going

Join a challenge. The competitive beast in us is not to be sniffed at. We have established 30-day bespoke challenges to create some fun ways to help your group achieve its toning, fat burning, cardio, team spirit and other squad or private goals through consistency over a 30 day period. This approach can provide far greater motivation than a 12-week course; not that you should not engage in a 12-week course, of course

Set a time for a group check in. Like consistency, accountability is key. Everyone needs a little help from their friends. Though we may have to stay physically distant, the mental and emotional stimuli provided by checking-in help relieve stress. Why not combine it with kicking some buts in 2021?

Group training has the benefits of providing accountability and helping introduce routines which can transform into long lasting healthy habits. Want to know more? Check out our bespoke challenge group. Max 6 people per group.

Our next 30-day group challenge kicks-off January 18. So get Valentine’s Day ready with our Chocolate Bar Abs Workout. To find out more about the challenge and special offers, sign-up below or through DM on IG: bluetigereye_wellness and FB: bluetigereyewellness

Sources

• https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-appreciation/ 

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7304946/

• https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&q=%2Fm%2F04f0pl

• https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ox.htm