Kick Janxiety To The Curb

When inspiration wanes, look to these Viva- approved tips to stay motivated all February long, brought to you by Dilmah Tea

According to The Business Insider, almost 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. With a New Year comes lofty career aspirations, vows to run marathons and save 50% of our salaries — but for many such elaborate goals can induce a form of New Year anxiety, summarised in the neologism, ‘Janxiety’.

Rather than be overwhelmed with the classic ‘all or nothing’ approach to the New Year, seek some fresh i nspiration for the year ahead by following these tips to keep motivation levels at an all- time high. Our daily routine need not be mundane, so glean i nspiration from wherever you can find it.

BE INSPIRED BY:

A good book — they’re not just for the summer holidays, keep up the reading habit even if it means switching out the fiction for some inspiring autobiographies.

Music — find a new album or rediscover those old favourites from your youth. Buy a turntable and dust off the inherited record collection.

Turn off and switch on — power down the digital devices and rediscover the sheer joy in analogue creativity. Put pencil to paper and doodle while you think or load a roll of film in an old film camera. Take a break — in a busy day take the time to make a cup of tea and collect your thoughts.

KIWIS CAN FLY

Draw inspiration from these five go- getting Kiwi women, who succeeded despite having the odds stacked against them.

1. Nancy Wake, secret agent during WWII. Also known as the White Mouse, Nancy Wake wed a Frenchmen and played an integral role in getting POWs out of France.

2. Frances Hodgkins, artist. Famed for her paintings of still life and landscapes, Frances was born in New Zealand but spent the majority of her working life in England. Some of her work is still visible in Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, despite being produced in the early 20th Century.

3. Jane Campion, filmmaker and screenwriter. Jane is the second of five women to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, and was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit i n 2016.

4. Emilia Wickstead, fashion designer. The New Zealandborn fashion designer is now based in London, and her clients include Samantha Cameron (wife of former British Prime Minister) and the Duchess of Cambridge.

5. Jean Batten, pilot. The Kiwi aviatrix made the firstever solo flight from England to New Zealand in 1936, and broke a number of records for making solo flights all over the world.

MAKE TIME FOR TEA

Rather than get caught up in minutiae details — create space in your daily schedule for a tea break to refocus and reflect. Viva loves Dilmah’s new Holy Basil, Ginger and Lemongrass tea. This green rooibos- based tea is a heady blend of herbs and spices to spark passion and ignite the fire within.

GREEN ROOIBOS has higher levels of antioxidants than its red cousin, despite coming from the same plant. The difference lies in how the leaves are processed — red rooibos is exposed to oxygen, green rooibos is not. It is also known to promote bone health and reduce the risk of diseases like osteoporosis.

HOLY BASIL, more popularly known as Tulsi, is revered in Ayurvedic medicine for its healing properties. This adaptogenic herb may help to counterbalance stress or anxiety, strengthen the stomach, and aid against respiratory diseases.

GINGER root has the potential to relieve nausea, making it a popular choice for pregnant women to combat morning sickness. It can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, or in juice or oil form.

LEMONGRASS is an aromatic herb that contains antioxidant- rich substances thought to relieve pain or swelling, reduce fevers, and rebalance levels of sugar and cholesterol in the blood.