Refresh Your Life: Top Tips from Wellness & Lifestyle Influencers

A new year, a new decade. The perfect time to completely reinvent yourself and finally achieve perfection. No pressure, right? While the classic “new year, new you” tagline seems to pop up everywhere come January, we don’t think you need to overhaul your entire personality. Small changes can have a big impact—and they are more sustainable in the long run. 

While the new year is a great opportunity to improve areas of your life that might be dragging you down, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out exactly where to start. Whether you’re looking to finally reorganize that pantry that’s been keeping you from culinary excellence, or you want to find out how you can slow down and recalibrate this year, we spoke to some of our favorite influencers and media pals for tips on how they’re approaching this fresh new decade.

Refresh your life: steps for simplicity.

Alex Mazerolle

Yoga expert, entrepreneur, founder of Girlvana Yoga, Ladyvana Retreats, and co-founder of The Distrikt fitness studio

Slowing down can actually get us to where we need to go faster. It may seem counterintuitive to some, but when we create space to relax and recharge, we can find productivity with greater ease. Here are my tips for entering the New Year in a refreshed and intentional way:

• Tidy your space to tidy your mind. In yoga philosophy, there is a word called “saucha.” Saucha encourages cleanliness in body, mind and speech. This can also be extended into our space. By creating a clean and tidy space that inspires you, you can feel more at peace. This can also help us feel inspired and connected.

• Take time out just for you. Now is the time to reset your energy and recover from the holidays. This means more “Me” time. Schedule time in your calendar to do nothing other than breathe deeply and enjoy a coffee or tea in silence. We must prioritize the art of slowing down in order to balance our lives. Schedule it in your calendar so you won’t forget. 

• Get grounded, quite literally. Making space to sit on the floor, adding a pillow for comfort, can support us in feeling more settled and connected. You can also practice the art of surrender by laying on your back with a pillow like the Lucca supporting your head. Place your hands over your head and close your eyes. Take deep breaths and allow your body to settle into the floor. Release tension in your mind and muscles by letting go of overthinking and surrender to the present moment. This pose, known as Savasana in yoga, is the ultimate reset. 

Monica Leed

Professional organizer, author, CEO and owner of Simply Spaced

Can you believe it’s already 2020? We’re off to a roaring good start tackling clutter and setting ourselves up for a happy and healthy year. Here are my tips to help you get—and stay—organized: 

• Make clean-lined updates where necessary. For a space to feel “refreshed” it doesn’t necessarily mean everything needs to be new. Vintage pieces add soul to a home, and look great when paired with your new finds. Mix and match heirloom pieces with modern pieces, like the Uddo coffee table, that don’t add extra bulk or clutter to the eye.

• Always add warmth. A refreshed and organized space doesn’t have to be a sterile or cold space. It’s a place where you want to be and live. Leather furniture (like the Cigar Rawhide sofa), warm woods, and layered textures add instant cozy to a space.

• Storage is key. Defeat clutter and create space for your room to breathe by adding closed or open storage units to hide or display your items at leisure. Shelving units like the Lignum have open storage that let you show off your books or collections, while a drawer lets you hide away anything that isn’t quite museum-worthy. 

Now that we’re nearing the end of January, it can feel like the time to make positive changes in your life has passed. Not true. With the tips outlined above, you have plenty of time to make small but meaningful changes. You’ve got this.