Time to trade stress for smiles - how to achieve your 2025 resolution
On the 31st of December every year, many of us have conversations starting with “What are your new year resolutions?” and being responded to with something that seems simple like be more organised.
Some people change things and find positivity in its place; some wait for the right moment to apply this resolution; and some don't act on their wishes. In a 2021 survey from YouGov, more than a quarter of Brits planned to make a New Years Resolution, but 17% gave up within a month of 2022.
Nearly two months into this new beginning called “2025” and people have already been provided with experiences (both good and bad), fun, stress… However, this muddle of emotions can pass and there is still a chance to grab a hold of the wheel that drives your life and take control.
You may not be able to make days into being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but you can control how you react to them and act on your resolutions to find fun and relaxation, regardless of how the day unfolds.
This year, according to another YouGov survey, some of the top resolutions promised for 2025 were:
Be fitter
Eat healthier
Save money
Be more organised
Travel more
Among these, the desire to "be fitter" stands out as the top resolution for 2025. This decision to better yourself can be a transformative experience that benefits you both physically and mentally. An exciting and effective way to do this is by taking up a martial art.
Mixing physical strength with discipline, martial arts such as karate, kickboxing, and taekwondo offer unique opportunities for personal growth and stress-relief in a safe environment; allowing people to challenge themselves to build strength, enhance flexibility and better reflexes, whilst learning important skills of self-defence.
Martial arts also provide mental benefits. In practicing keeping a clear mind to enact the moves, you’ll be able to manage stress more easily as the ability to focus on a specific task or thought can prevent procrastination and over-thinking. Similarly, progressing in your training will boost your confidence and subsequently your self-esteem.
Having practiced kickboxing for many years now, I can safely say that martial arts also hold huge regards for community. You might not necessarily expect such sociability with the sport being quite defensive and physical, however, in an environment that requires resilience and determination in its rigorous combination of speed and power, people can offer advice, encouragement and friendship in opposition. Other martial artists share similar goals to you and this sense of camaraderie is a massive motivator for keeping you driven on your fitness journey.
A fitness new year's resolution may seem more reachable with starting an activity like martial arts but if you don't know how to start, have a look at your local gym or club as they would offer introductory lessons which you could try before you decide to commit.
Our resolutions are about personal growth and reaching a healthier lifestyle’. Martial arts may just be the kickstarter for you to achieve both mental and physical improvement, so why not step onto the mats soon?