Editor's Picks: What to Read, Listen to, and Watch to Help You Jumpstart 2021

We're five days into January but it sure still feels like we are reeling from the much-needed holiday break after what seems to be one of the strangest years ever. Now that we're in 2021, it's okay to allow ourselves an extra serving of cake, a little more screen time, and basically a little more time to chill before heading back into the grind. Repeat after me: we deserve it!

But this doesn't mean our indulgent habits have to snowball into self-destructive patterns that we take into the new year. As we slowly get our groove back on, how about we make an little more effort into making sure our minds and bodies are calibrated to ensure we have the best year yet?

Not discounting the fact that we have just come from a difficult, painful year, but with the right tools, advice, and a determination to get better and do better, we will eventually find ourselves on the right track. Slowly, but surely!

I personally like injecting my day with an enlightening piece of entertainment or information, from sources like podcasts, books, and shows, and while I have my fair share of K-drama, K-pop, and everything else in between, I try to feed my mind with tools I can use to navigate my daily life. Ahead are some of my current picks, from shows, to podcasts, to books that focus on how we can jumpstart our year right. Overflowing with expert advice, insightful anecdotes, and so much more, these resources truly help me deal with daily concerns we all face such as anxiety, worry, overthinking, procrastination, and whatnot. 

I hope they help you out as much as they help me! Scroll to see my personal wellness picks of the moment:

1. Headspace Guide to Meditation on Netflix

Ever find yourself scared of word 'meditation'? If this word immediately takes you to the buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas, or an intimidating yoga class filled with svelte, tan yogis, then headspace aims to break it down for us regular folk, looking to find a little more 'headspace' in our chaotic, overly-stimulated lives. Its first season has 8 episodes, and each one is guided by a narrator, accompanied by equally enamoring graphics and a meditation practice at the end. From observing things as mundane as your breath, to dealing with the harder topics like anxiety, Netflix now ensures you go by your day with a clearer psyche. Catch Season 1 on Netflix today!

2. Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin

I've been a fan of Happier for years, but I particularly find their year-end and year-starter episodes particularly entertaining and helpful as they focus on things like picking your word of the year, picking 21 things for 2021, and sharing what they themselves have chosen. And to make it even more interactive, they share some of the most outstanding insights from their listeners who have followed suit. Every end of the year, they evaluate the lists they made and the words they've chosen, and harvest tons of useful life lessons we can all benefit from. Instead of making resolutions which are often daunting and often not accomplished, making a list of 21 things to do, try, make, etc. is more exciting, and fuels your passion to enrich your life in the coming year. 

Listen to the ff. episodes to learn more:

• Ep. 304: We Reveal How We Did with Our "20 for 2020" Lists, Plus a Hack for Not Forgetting Items. Listen here.
• Ep. 306: Choose Your One-Word Theme for 2021, a New Year's Hack, and Listeners' Suggestions for Ways to Show Love and Support from Far Away. Listen here.

3. On Purpose with Jay Shetty

His podcast is not called the number one health podcast according to Forbes for nothing. One listen to Jay Shetty and his hundreds of episodes will surely leave a dent, a good one at that, on your life. Making use of free resources such as this is a great way to jumpstart your year, without getting bored. Cleaning your room? Washing the dishes? Taking a walk outdoors? Listen to an episode and immediately feel your mood and vibe change. 

Must-listen episodes:

• 20 Lessons I Learned in 2020 and How To Let Go of the Pain. Listen here.
• 3 Step System Effective People Use To Start the Year Strong. Listen here.

4. Into The Magic Shop by James R. Doty, MD

Stemming from my being a fan of K-pop idol group BTS, I naturally researched deeper into their songs, especially ones that hit me hard. Apart from translating their Korean lyrics, in the BTS universe of resources, I have come to find out that my favorite song 'Magic Shop' from their LOVE YOURSELF結‘ANSWER’ album was inspired by this very book. The song, which is a product of their Love Myself campaign, talks about finding the happiness inside of us. “Loving oneself is where true love begins”—a BTS message which I resonate with so much, has led me to dig deeper and purchase the book for myself.

This book talks about a neurosurgeon's personal account of how his own life events led him to discover the power of our own brain and heart in our quest for real happiness. Why Magic Shop, you ask. Simply put, Jim Doty recounts the small magic shop in his hometown, where a woman named Ruth 'taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires.' Available at Fully Booked. Listen to 'Magic Shop' by BTS here.

Lead photo by Adrienne Andersen from Pexels and (Headspace) via Netflix