The start of a new year is the time to set new goals, but studies have shown that most people don’t usually stick to those resolutions beyond the first month.
In an attempt to reframe the way we think about these resolutions, a wellness trend called Winter Arc and this is what you need to know:
What is the ‘Winter Arc’?
This challenge was created on the internet by influencers of fitness and well-being, so there is no single approach or standard definition. There are more than 400,000 posts on the Instagram network with the #winterarc tag and almost 600,000 on the TikTok platform.
For many of those trying this trend, the initiative is to take advantage of the cold and dark first months of winter to turn inward and start setting goals, with the intention of achieving them before January 1.
It is also intended to encourage participants to be very disciplined and rigid with their goals, since it is a shorter period to achieve them instead of an entire year, or indefinitely.
Laura Galebe, influencer and self-proclaimed “CEO of Glowup Series,” has posted videos on her social media in which she talks about her experience. She used the time to commit to “walking every day, writing in a journal, and following her skincare and wellness routines.”
“It transformed me mentally and physically,” Galebe said, “the constant movement helped keep me energized and the structure made the season feel much less burdensome.”
How can you participate?
Although some say that the challenge can start in October, it is never too late to start. According to Alex Rothstein, a psychologist at the New York Institute of Technology, the best way to immerse yourself in the challenge is to spend time working on your goals.
“If you make sure to actively plan and schedule each commitment,” Rothstein said, “you will have an easier time staying on schedule.”
He also recommended setting reasonable and realistic goals that are achievable day by day. “Recognize that if unforeseen circumstances cause you to miss a day or miss a specific goal, it does not mean you have failed in the entire process,” he said. “You have to be willing to pick up where you left off the next day,” he added.
Galebe suggested finding ways to make exercise “cozy and comfortable” in the cold winter months.
“If the thought of heading to the gym in freezing weather is demotivating, consider at-home workouts or joining a heated Pilates or yoga studio,” she explained, “Another tip is to reframe movement as self-care. Winter is hard on the body and mind, so I consider my walks or workouts as part of my overall mental and physical health.”
In summary:
- Set realistic and achievable goals.
- Plan your routine and find time in your schedule in advance.
- Don’t worry if you fail one day as you can pick up where you left off.
- Find comfortable and enjoyable ways to stay active in the colder months.
What is it for?
Elliot Berkman, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, said that the progress of goals, rather than simply achieving them, is psychologically beneficial and can provide “positive emotions, a sense of purpose and meaning, as well as agency and autonomy.” .
When it comes to setting short-term goals, like in the Winter Arc, these parameters can be useful. “Putting a time limit on a goal can improve the chances of it being achieved. It’s easier to stay motivated if you know you can stop at some point, rather than feeling like you have to keep pushing indefinitely, which can be demotivating.”
Short-term physical challenges have been compared to crash diets on social media, with the idea that once the challenge is over, you could return to unhealthy habits. But experts say that’s not necessarily true.
“If the challenge is used to help establish new, healthier habits for long-term health and well-being, then they are exceptionally useful in helping guide and motivate creating these changes,” Rothstein said. He recommended making a plan towards the end of the challenge to keep the goals achievable and realistic.
