Habits I’m building to shape the year ahead
There’s something about the start of a new year that makes me want to restructure my life. Suddenly, everything feels possible. There are habits I want to build, routines I want to fix, and versions of myself I imagine becoming if I just get it right this time.
At the same time, this is also where I tend to overwhelm myself. I want to change everything at once—how I eat, how I move, how I work, how I rest. The lists get long, the expectations get high, and before I know it, the motivation drops. Boom. Back to old patterns, with a little extra guilt layered on top.
This year, I’m trying to do it differently. Instead of treating January like a deadline, I’m using it as a checkpoint. A moment to pause, reassess, and choose habits that actually fit into my life as it is now and not the ideal version of it. The goal isn’t a full reset. It’s a steadier pace.
Eating better, without overcomplicating it
Eating healthier, for me, doesn’t mean following a strict plan. It means cooking more at home, choosing better ingredients, and being mindful without being rigid. I’ve learned that when my kitchen is stocked well, better choices come naturally.
Living nearby, One World Deli Timog is now a regular stop for me. Sometimes I stop in just for coffee, sometimes for a proper meal, and other times to pick up groceries for the week.
The grocery side supports this habit in a very practical way. Fresh local produce, good bread, dairy, and a solid selection of meats and seafood you can trust. Everything is traceable, sustainably sourced, and free from antibiotics and hormones, which removes a lot of the decision fatigue. Even the Handcrafted For You ready-to-eat options feel like real food for days when cooking isn’t realistic.
When I do sit down to eat, the menu feels satisfying without being heavy-handed. Seafood Paluto arrives fresh and generous, the rib-eye from the grill is juicy and well-seasoned, and dishes like the lasagna or beef ragu are rich, comforting, and exactly what I want after a long day.
There’s also a Happy Hour and Timog Special menu, including a P799 set, that makes casual dinners feel relaxed and uncomplicated.
Stocking my pantry with intention
This year, I am paying closer attention to what I keep at home—not to make my pantry look curated, but to make everyday cooking feel more manageable. I am choosing fewer items, but better ones. Oils I actually use, grains and proteins that can stretch across multiple meals, and ingredients that do not require too much planning to turn into something good.
When the basics are in place, cooking feels less like a task and more like a default. I am less likely to overthink meals or reach for delivery simply because I do not know what to make. It is not about having endless options. It is about having ingredients that work together and support how I actually eat.
On days when I am unsure, having access to simple guidance helps. I appreciate that at the Timog branch, there is an in-house nutritionist you can casually ask while shopping. Whether it is about choosing staples or putting together balanced meals, it keeps healthier choices from feeling overwhelming or overly technical.
Choosing the healthier way, without giving things up
This is the habit that ties everything together. I do not want to put too many restrictions on eating. I love food, and I know that cutting things out completely only makes me want them more. What I am trying to change instead is how easy it is for me to make better choices.
Making cooking feel simpler has been one of the most effective ways to keep myself from slipping back into old habits. On busy days, when I am tired or overwhelmed, convenience usually wins. If eating well feels complicated, I default to what is fastest, not what is best for me. So I am choosing tools and routines that remove friction rather than adding rules.
One thing that has helped is having a way to cook the food I already enjoy, just in a lighter way. The Ninja Crispi makes it easier to prepare meals at home without much effort. I still get the textures I like, but with less oil and less cleanup, which makes it more realistic to stick with.
I use it for quick meals, snacks, and reheating leftovers so they actually taste good again. Because cooking and cleaning take less time, I am less tempted to abandon the routine altogether.
Committing to movement I can maintain
Every new year, I like to believe I will suddenly thrive on intensity. That this will be the year I put myself through a self-made boot camp and come out stronger, more disciplined, and completely transformed. But I have learned that this thinking rarely lasts. What usually follows is burnout, missed sessions, and eventually giving up altogether.
This year, I am choosing to be more honest with myself. What I actually need is movement that I can return to consistently, even when motivation is low or life gets busy. Pilates has become that middle ground for me. It builds strength and control without leaving me drained, and it feels realistic enough to sustain beyond the first few weeks of the year.
Recently, Next+ Wellness Center opened in Quezon City as the area’s first health innovation club. What stood out to me was its approach to movement as something that should support the body, not constantly push it. Alongside reformer Pilates, it offers classes that incorporate red light or photobiomodulation, which is used to support circulation, reduce inflammation, and help muscles recover more efficiently.
That balance feels aligned with how I want to move this year. Instead of pushing through fatigue, the focus shifts to building strength while taking recovery seriously. The space also brings physiotherapy and regenerative treatments into the same environment, reinforcing the idea that consistency comes from understanding your body, not ignoring it.
Letting wellness stay flexible
If there is one thing I am trying not to lose sight of this year, it is flexibility. Some weeks will look better than others. Some meals will be indulgent. Some workouts will be skipped. And that is part of real life.
I am learning that consistency does not come from being perfect. It comes from allowing room to adjust without giving up entirely. When habits are too rigid, they are the first to break. When they are flexible, they tend to last.
Wellness, for me, is no longer about doing everything right. It is about building systems that support me even on imperfect days. Eating well most of the time. Moving when I can. Making choices that feel supportive rather than punishing.
These habits are not meant to transform my life overnight. They are meant to support it quietly, over time. And right now, that feels like the right way to shape the year ahead.
