Creating Your Winter Arc: Tips for self-improvement before the New Year
As a lot of you have seen on TikTok, there is a trend to create a winter arc for yourself. A winter arc is using the last two months of the year to get a head start on self-improvement goals before the new year, like an early New Year’s Resolution running from November to January. The goal is to better yourself without relying on external support or recognition. You are making yourself more disciplined, whether that’s training more, sticking to your goals or keeping your promises to yourself in the future. If you’ve been wanting to do things for a while, you commit and actually start doing them through the winter arc.
My winter arc started about a month ago. I have been getting up at 6 a.m. and going to the gym before classes, eating more protein, doing more cardio, studying and doing homework without procrastinating. I love this trend because it motivates everyone to lock in and start committing to things that benefit their lives early, instead of waiting until Jan. 1 for a New Year’s resolution, since everyone does that, but no one sticks with it. This time, we are starting today and sticking with it. We’re not waiting for anyone; we’re not waiting until January. We are doing this today.
Now, we’re going to talk about some guidelines to follow if you need help getting started on your own winter arc.
Get Moving
Daily movement is important. It doesn’t matter what it is, it could be dancing, walking, running or even dynamic stretching, get up and move your body! I like going and lifting weights in the morning and then walking my dog outside at night.
Hydrate
At least four cups of water a day to start. Once you have this down, start adding an extra cup per day per week. So four cups for the first week, then five for the second, six for the third, and so on.
Wind Down
Reading or journaling every night without screens. At least 30 minutes before you go to bed, turn off all electronics and read or journal to get your brain into the headspace for bed. I’m currently reading “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid!
Rest Up
8 hours of sleep are necessary. No exceptions.
Become a Home Chef
Aim to cook 80% to 90% of all meals at home. This not only saves you money, but it is also healthier for you in the long run. My go-to right now is burritos! Ground turkey, sour cream, taco ranch, lettuce and mozzarella cheese all in a gluten-free tortilla.
Walk It Off
This one is debatable depending on your schedule, but aim for 10,000 steps a day. I’m lenient with myself on this one because some days 10,000 steps just isn’t going to happen, and that’s OK. Try to get as many steps in as you can and as you feel like.
My dog and I have a loop around campus that starts downtown, walks past the columns, then down to the tiger fountain, around to Memorial Union, and back to the columns and home!
Get Your Nutrients
This one is hard for me personally. Try to eat at least one meal a day that includes protein. I’m not a protein girl. I don’t like protein, so it is hard for me to eat it. I’m slowly finding different proteins I like and incorporating them into my meals. I love ground beef and turkey the most!
Final Thoughts
Now these rules can be tailored to you personally and how you want to live your life. If you don’t have time to make most meals at home, that is OK! If you can only get 2,000 steps a day, that is OK too! As long as you are trying your best and trying to better yourself, that is all that matters.
“No one’s coming, no one. No one’s coming to push you, no one’s coming to tell you to turn the TV off, no one’s coming to tell you to get out the door and exercise, it’s up to you,” said Mel Robbins. “Unless you understand that you’ve got to parent yourself, you have to push yourself, you’re not going to make your dreams come true.”
It’s you against you, and you for you. Be 1% better every day.