Eight Easy Life-Hacks for a More Sustainable New Year

Happy New Year from your pals at Color it Green! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and we are so excited to kick off 2023 with a positive, fresh mindset. Moving into a new year is the perfect time to establish healthy habits, long-term goals and new ways to be more sustainable in our everyday lives.

Below we’ve mapped out eight life-hacks that will jump start your journey to becoming a healthier, happier version of yourself in the new year. We know that everyone’s journey is different. But we feel confident that implementing even a few of these tools will create a positive impact on your emotional and mental well-being, while also helping the planet along the way.

  1. Reusable Shopping Bags. An easy swap that will make a big impact on our planet. Americans go through billions of plastic shopping bags each year. Many of them end up polluting our Earth and oceans. By trading plastic bags for reusable bags, you are doing your part to help our environment. So here is your reminder- don’t forget your tote!
  2. Reusable Water Bottle. Haven’t you heard? Reusable water bottles are cool. Literally. Everyone loves a fresh, new water bottle to start the year and most are made from stainless steel that will keep your beverage cold for nearly 24 hours. Plus, a cute water bottle will encourage you to drink more water, which cuts down on single-use, plastic bottles. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily water intake is about 15.5 cups of water a day for men and about 11.5 cups a day for women. Checkout our water bottle selection online or in the shop!
  3. Cook fresh meals at Home. Cooking yummy, healthy food at home can seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be! Take a stroll around our local farmer’s market downtown Fernandina on a Saturday morning and pick up some locally grown produce. Then swing through Color it Green and pickup a new cookbook to get inspired! We love “Plant over Processed” by Andrea Hannemann. Get out of your comfort zone and experiment with new ingredients and flavors- you might find your new favorite dish!

                     
  4. Ride your Bike. Breathe in the fresh air, get outside, get some exercise and save money on gas. Make a commitment to ride your bike more places this year. This could be to work, to your local coffee shop or to the beach.. our favorite place! Don’t forget your reusable water bottle, stay hydrated!
  5. Reading is Self-Care. Swing by your local bookstore and pickup a new book. Don’t overwhelm yourself with a bunch of new material. Keep it simple and give yourself a goal to start with one chapter each night before bed or each morning when you wake up. You can also visit your local library (put that library card collecting dust to good use!) and check-out a couple books to take home. Or take a bike ride around town and scout out your local, free book boxes! These are all great ways to slow yourself down and get your nose in a book.
  6. Move your body in Healthy and Intentional Ways. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of the New Year yo-yo diets and unrealistic workout routines (yes, we’re guilty too!). Most of the time these hard and fast lifestyle changes are not sustainable in the long run and won’t create lasting habits. A better way to get healthy this year is to find a workout routine YOU enjoy. Take a walk on the beach with your dog, try a new yoga class or take a bike ride through Fort Clinch. Start exercising in a way that fuels your body and your soul. Our island is beautiful, get our and explore it!


                   

  7. Prioritize your Mental Health. The post-holiday blues is real and normal. Give yourself some grace and take this time to work on you! Self-care looks different for everyone but try to take a few minutes out of each day to do something for yourself. This may be meditating first thing in the morning before looking at your phone, exercising for 30 minutes, creating a new skin care routine (we love the new products by One Love Organics!) or spending time outside in nature.
  8. Create Sustainable Goals. Setting goals in the new year can help you nail done what you are most excited to accomplish in the next 12 months. However, when we go overboard on our new year’s resolutions we tend to burn out quickly. Try creating a few goals you are dedicated to accomplishing then add on from there. These 8 hacks to a healthy new year are a great place to start!

No matter how you draw it up, we hope nothing but the best for your 2023! Let this be the year that you truly make a shift, in whatever aspect of your life you need to. All things in moderation, and if nothing more, strive for balance. Being burnt out is so last year. Happy New Year friends, you’ve got this!