Written By Sophie Ringer
Don’t look now, but the New Year is slowly approaching. Cue the posts on social media and your friends and family talking about resolutions, reflections and a new resolve. Though you may be tempted to think about the failed attempts of yesteryear, don’t! Forget the times you failed to start your goals and the thoughts of, “next week I’ll start my diet” or “tomorrow I’ll go to the gym.” This New Year really is the perfect opportunity for you to make your goals reality.
Here are a few ideas to make your 2018 a healthy one:
- Positive Thinking: Our attitude reflects directly into our lives. Research has shown that a positive attitude helps increase energy levels, build a healthier immune system, and improve our relationships, happiness and health. Here are some tips for growing a positive mind set:
- Change your thoughts. Look for the good in every situation. Positive thoughts lead to a positive attitude.
- Think less about yourself and more about others. Research has shown that helping others and participating in meaningful activities leads to a happier and more purposeful life.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Try writing down a few things that you feel grateful for every day. Science has found that gratitude can increase happiness and protect against stress, anxiety and depression.
- Humor. Learn to not take anything too seriously. If you make a mistake, laugh and move on.
- Have purpose. Having a goal in life gives you meaning and something to work towards and look forward to.
- Exercise. You could have probably guessed that exercise would be on this list, but the benefits from exercise are undeniable. If you don’t enjoy exercise, make it a goal to find a new, fun way to break a sweat. Zumba classes, outdoor yoga, trail running and swimming are just a few less-than-conventional options. Regular exercise prevents (or helps manage) a variety of health concerns, including type 2 diabetes, depression, arthritis, and many types of cancer. Exercise improves mood, boosts energy levels, reduces stress, improves self-confidence and sharpens memory. Get moving in 2018!
- Habits. Do you have a bad habit that you want to kick? This year is your time to change. Here are a few tips to help get rid of your habit:
- Be hyper-aware of your habit. You may think that ignoring a habit will make it disappear, but it won’t. To break a habit, you need to be completely aware of it, and keeping a journal is a great way to keep record. Understanding the behavior is the first step to effectively changing it.
- Understand what triggers your bad habit. Understanding why you make decisions can help you to avoid the triggers, and therefore avoid the habit.
- Small Steps. Breaking bad habits is hard, so be patient with yourself and focus on your small improvements.
- Unplug. It’s no secret that our world is developing an unhealthy attachment to our devices. It’s hard to pull yourself away from your phone. With the internet, email, text and endless apps at our fingertips, we’re constantly distracted. This year, make a goal to unplug each day.Offtime, In Moment, BreakFree, and RealizD are all apps you can use to help manage and control how much time you use on your phone and/or in specific apps.
- Get Organized. The goal of getting organized is not to make your house immaculate, it’s to make your life more functional. Organization promotes productivity. Get rid of clutter, create a list of goals and make assignments for you and each family member.
Remember: measure your progress, share your goals with friends and family, be patient and be persistent. Leading expert in behavioral change and psychologist Dr. Marciano says, “achieving goals isn’t about willpower. It’s about developing the right skills, executing strategies, and having the patience that inevitably lead to success.”
Sources: fulfillmentdaily.com, lifehacker.com, www.inc.com
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