Cornwall LivingIssue #81
New year, new you
As the new year dawns many of us will be looking to set some personal, professional and financial goals for 2019. With the excesses of Christmas behind us, now is a great time to regroup, re-energise and plan for the year ahead.
Fitness
With the new year comes New Year’s resolutions and often these promises to better ourselves and rise to new challenges revolve around getting fitter, or simply being healthier. Signing up to your local gym or health club is a great start, with a mixture of classes and gym equipment at your disposal. Or, if you need some guidance personal training could be the answer, Johnny Lawrence provides a tailored personal training service from his studio gym, giving you the tools to commit to a healthier lifestyle and guiding you in the right direction for sustained change.
If you want to get outdoors and be more adventurous with your fitness the National Trust hosts parkruns across Cornwall, and there are monthly longer runs at Godolphin House. Or, simply head to the South West Coast Path where miles of stunning clifftops, hidden coves and open countryside await – with the added benefit of being entirely free too. The thought of getting in the sea in January can be pretty daunting but the benefits of ocean activities are endless so why not learn to surf, SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board) or kayak this year? If you have no idea where to start then Wesup in Falmouth provide SUP classes and fitness sessions and Lizard Adventure provides kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing sessions all year round.
Another fitness goal that many of us strive to achieve is to give up smoking, and if this has become one of your biggest aims for 2019 then why not turn to Vape HQ for a healthier alternative? Or get in touch with Renewu Coaching for a more supportive solution where coaches guide you through the process of quitting.
A great way to motivate yourself to begin a fitness journey is to have a goal in sight, signing up for a charity event to raise money for Cornish charities like Cornwall Hospice Care and Cornwall Air Ambulance can provide that motivation. Whether you choose to do a sponsored run or even a skydive; having that ultimate goal to train for can provide the push you need to be more active, especially when it goes towards helping others.
Food
Let’s face it – we’ve all probably eaten a bit too much over Christmas – who could resist that extra pig in blanket? Or another mince pie topped with lashings of Cornish clotted cream? But after all that indulgence, it’s not surprising that our bodies begin to crave nutrient-dense leafy greens, fruit and lean meats and if you want to make the process of finding healthy options even easier then here are some recommendations.
Riverford Organic boxes are delivered to your door and arrive packed full of organic goodies with a variety of root vegetables, salads and even fruit, it’s the easy way to up nutrients this year and another massive benefit – most of the produce is not packaged in plastic.
This also goes for local farmers markets or farm shops such as Trevaskis Farm Market where you can truly know the provenance of your food. Why not dedicate a small amount of time each week to make a meal plan, meaning you can avoid ad hoc naughty purchases and takeaways?
Opting to shop from no-waste stores like Un-Rap in Falmouth is another great way to reduce your waste and if you don’t live near Falmouth then the Incredible Bulk van brings zero waste solutions to you, setting up at different destinations around Cornwall to bring you their plastic-free products.
Drinking lots of water is an excellent way to flush the system of toxins and maintaining a high intake of water is also proven to help concentration with the recommended daily intake 2.7 litres for women and 3.7 litres for men (this equates to around eight glasses of water a day). Using a reusable bottle also means less plastic bottles are in circulation and it’s cheaper to simply fill up from taps rather than buying from a supermarket. Many cafés and restaurants across Cornwall are also part of the Refill tap water scheme, which you can find out by asking or through the Refill app.
All these steps, although small, can make a big difference to your diet and overall wellbeing, from choosing organic local produce to drinking more water, it’s a great way to get back into a healthy routine following the excesses of Christmas.
Finance
Taking a look at your finances is a great way of planning and budgeting for the year ahead. Whether you want to save, invest, spend or plan for your retirement then January is the ideal time. Creating a budget is a great place to start as it allows you to set goals for the year on what you actually want to be spending your money on. Sometimes it’s the little things that add up so a full audit of our spending could reveal some surprisingly, unnecessary spending. For example, we’re all guilty of signing up to free subscriptions and forgetting to cancel them when they become costly, so make sure you’re not still paying for something you no longer use.
Many of us enter in to a ‘dry January’ but how about trying a ‘no-spend January’ where you only buy the essentials. You’ll be amazed how much you can save by not treating yourself to that morning takeaway coffee or packing a healthy lunch at home. Put away what you would have spent and this could be the start of a savings plan for the year.
With this in mind make sure you take full advantage of your current Individual Savings Account (ISA) tax-efficient allowance. Savings in an ISA and withdrawals from an ISA are free from personal taxation and with a new tax year beginning early April 2019, now couldn’t be a better time to review your savings.
If retirement is on the horizon for you this year then use the new year to think about when exactly you’d like to retire and if you have sufficient funds saved to achieve your retirement goals, or whether there are steps you need to take to boost your pot. A full spring clean of your finances will give you a clearer vision of how your money is working for you. And, if you need to, speaking to a financial adviser could help you identify your future financial goals, and how to achieve them. Many financial advisors, including Harris Begley Financial Planning, offer a free financial health check. Turn to page 39 to find out more.
Fashion
When it comes to our wardrobes, sometimes the excuse for a good clear out can not only revamp your clothing but also give you an emotional lift too. We’re all guilty of hoarding those items that we once adored but tend not to wear anymore – packed full of memories it’s hard to donate your old clothes to charity but just think – it means you can make way for a whole new selection of clothes to suit your current style, rather than clinging onto old garments that you don’t wear anymore.
A top tip that we’ve picked up to make the process of elimination easier is to do the hangers trick, face all your hangers in the same direction; then each time you wear a garment reverse the hanger. After six months, review which items haven’t been worn and donate them to charity. Allowing you to really put your clothing to the test and see what items you could live without.
Another way to make choosing what to wear easier is to create a capsule wardrobe; the first step is to create a list of what you need the clothing for. If you’ve got young children who are likely to get sticky hands on your clothes then a chiffon blouse just won’t cut it; equally if you need to dress to impress for work then smart clothes that can be mixed and matched for the week are a priority. The important thing is to choose a selection of items that will inter-mingle and all work together, giving you twice as many outfit options.
There’s been a lot of concern recently about the impact that the clothing industry has on the environment so make sure you recycle your old clothes by donating them to charities or clothes banks and try to shop from sustainable companies. Cornish clothing brands such as Finisterre and Seasalt offer clothing that is both functional and sustainable and ideal for all Cornish seasons. If you’re a water baby at heart then Ann’s Cottage, Cornwall’s iconic surf shop, has locations across the county for all your surf and lifestyle clothing needs.
Finally, if you need some help with finding the right styles to suit you, then Cornwall’s selection of independent boutiques is a great place to start. You’ll find one of our favourites, Essa Collection, in our hometown of Porthleven, where the helpful and attentive staff are always on hand to discuss a new collection for your wardrobe.
Refresh Porthleven
We’ve joined forces with Refresh Porthleven to sponsor a reusable water bottle with the aim of reducing single-use plastic in the village. There is also a reusable bamboo cup available which will get you discount on your morning coffee (or tea!) in many of the village’s cafés and restaurants. For more information visit www.refreshporthleven.org.uk
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www.facebook.com/johnnylawrencept
www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org
www.wadebridgedentalcare.co.uk
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Put a smile on your face this year with beauty and dental treatments at Wadebridge Dental and Medical Facial Aesthetics.