Four New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions for Happier Living on the Cape and Islands

START OFF 2021 WITH A FEW NEW HEALTHY HABITS.

BY KELLY CHASE

1

Try One New Recipe Each Week.

Add variety to your menu and challenge your culinary prowess by incorporating new tastes. Gail Blakely, local food columnist and culinary director at Highfield Hall and Gardens, says the cooking resources are plentiful. “I’m constantly amazed at how much new stuff there is to do with cooking—new styles, new recipes, and new appliances,” she says. “I really encourage people to take a look around, and to see what’s out there and what grabs their attention.” The new year is also a good time to take stock of kitchen gadgets and fill in any gaps, but Blakely adds that a souped-up kitchen is not necessary for success. “Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated and you can do a lot without investing in too much,” she says. Blakely hosts regular (virtual) cooking classes at Highfield and covers a wide range of foods from braised meats to easy breads. “Our two-hour bread class almost always sells out,” she says. Highfield Hall and Gardens, 56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, highfieldhallandgardens.org

2

Eat More Local Veggies.

“Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet, and seasonal veggies bought from local farmstand and farmers’ markets are the most nutritious, ripest, and tastiest available,” says Rebecca Westgate, Program and Marketing Manager at Buy Fresh Buy Local. By filling your plate with a medley of food groups and colors, you give your body more of the nutrients it needs. “This not only ensures a greater diversity of beneficial plant chemicals but also creates eyeappealing meals,” she says. On the Cape and Islands there are a number of CSAs and markets that run all year long, including Orleans Farmers’ Market, the oldest market on the Cape, and Sandwich Farmers’ Market, which will have its first winter market series. Regional produce in the colder months includes cabbage, potatoes, dark leafy greens, winter squash and more. Also, the benefits of buying local are far-reaching: “In a nutshell, supporting local markets keeps your dollars in your community, supports our local farmers and open space, and promotes a safer, sustainable food supply,” says Westgate. Buy Fresh Buy Local, buyfreshbuylocalcapecod.org

3

Find Time to Reimagine and Redesign.

Spending more time at home? It could be a good opportunity to reevaluate indoor spaces. According to interior designer Angela Hamwey of Mackenzie and Company, seasonal refreshes can be as simple as a new coat of paint. “Paint really gives you the biggest bang for your buck,” she says. This season, Hamwey and her team have assembled a palette of colors inspired by local tidal marshes and ponds. “Instead of bright-blue coastal, we incorporated warmer, earthier colors,” she says, like Cloud Cover and Pale Oak from Benjamin Moore and Elephant’s Breath and French Gray from Farrow and Ball. For those who have their sights set on a larger redesign, Hamwey suggests starting with an inspiration board. She encourages her clients to go on Pinterest or look through magazines and pull images that inspire them. “Your board doesn’t have to be just interior images either,” she says. “I like images of ballet and scenes of Europe, so I’ll pin those.” she says. If you take the time, the process can be rewarding. “It can be very therapeutic, and it provides a great visual for what you like in terms of tones and colors,” she says. “You might like earthy, or maybe you prefer bright, or maybe it changes room to room.” Mackenzie & Co., 396 Main Street, Hyannis, designedbymac.com

4

Practice More Self-Compassion.

Self-criticism is common—we all beat ourselves up every now and again, but too much negative self-talk can have an unhealthy impact. Calmer Choice is a nonprofit that teaches mindfulness to children and adults and gives them tools to practice more self-compassion. “Self-compassion seems like such an easy thing,” says Stephanie Goley, an instructor at Calmer Choice. “We can so readily give compassion to others, but it can actually be quite difficult to give it to ourselves.” In January 2021, Calmer Choice will offer an eight-week virtual program for adults. Classes cover a range of topics, but one takeaway includes strategies to recognize harsh critiques and negative thoughts and introduce positive language. “Guided practices will offer supportive words to say to yourself, like ‘May I be kind to myself,’ and ‘May I know that I belong,’” says Goley. Being kinder to yourself can have lasting effects, especially when it comes to reacting to inevitable and unpredictable external stressors: “When you offer yourself self-compassion, your relationship with a situation changes,” she says. “It doesn’t make pain go away, but it can make moments of pain a bit more bearable.” Calmer Choice, 23G2 White’s Path, South Yarmouth, calmerchoice.org