Almost everybody sets goals for themselves in each new year. And it’s a great way to kick start the year. Unfortunately, by March, most people have fallen off whatever wagon they got onboard on January 1st. Maybe it’s because life gets in the way. Maybe it’s because the goal is too daunting. Maybe it’s because they were coerced into doing something they really weren’t ready to do. Regardless of the reason why people tend to not achieve their New Year goals, it doesn’t have to be that way. And if you’re going to set expectations for yourself, why not make them the healthiest possible solutions available? Let’s fall down this rabbit hole together.
Many New Year’s resolutions are centered around health goals. If you are considering adopting New Year’s resolutions, setting holistic goals can help you take a whole body, whole life approach within your health journey. Holistic goal setting takes numerous factors into account that impact your wellbeing – including nutrition, physical activity, mental health, emotional wellness, social wellness and environmental factors.
When setting goals, we might not always consider all parts of our wellbeing. And whenever setting goals, you must first reflect on who you truly are and what you know you will be comfortable doing. It’s healthy to recognize the highs and lows of the previous year, so that your plan ahead can account for what you want more of in your life, as well as what you’d like to leave behind.
Ask yourself how satisfied you are with different areas of your health and overall lifestyle. Consider how you would like to improve these areas and what your benchmark of success would be. Don’t push your goals to be number-oriented. Instead, aim your focus on how you want to feel and live.
Without a doubt, the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight / get healthy. So we jump online and start looking for that “magic”…a magic diet, a miracle pill, the perfect workout, etc. But the problem is that there is no such thing because every person has his or her own unique needs and what works for one, may not work for another.
The internet is full of diet options and information about the right type of nutritional plan. All this information can be overwhelming and, truthfully, it can lead us into following a diet plan that is not catered to our own body. It is easy to fall into committing to a diet that encourages us to obsessively track our calories or shame ousel eves for the occasional “cheat” day. These types of diet plans can be harmful to our mental health and can do little to actually balance out our nutrition. Instead, it’s best to concentrate on improving what we eat first. An easy way to boost your nutrition and make diet changes is by sticking to food options that are less processed, feature less additives and are complete whole foods. In addition, you can start by adding a multivitamin into your daily routine to give your body the key nutrients that it needs. Sea moss contains 92 of the 102 minerals that the human body needs to function. Adding sea moss, vitamin D3 and vitamin B12 supplements to your daily regimen is a great way to start on your health journey.
Self care is another way to start off your holistic new year. Many of us struggle with self care because we see it as selfish and not necessary. We also tend to beat ourselves up for taking time out of our busy days, because there are always other things that need to be done.
Self care can be as easy as taking a long, warm shower or drinking a cup of chamomile tea. Self care is also the act of focusing on our own well being by committing to personal goals and making a conscious effort to make healthy lifestyle changes. You can incorporate self care daily through the practice of meditation. Meditation provides the opportunity to have a quiet, peaceful moment to yourself. The Mayo Clinic notes that meditation can cultivate inner peace, promote calmness and reduce stress.
Self care can also take the form of treating yourself to health boosting services such as massage, infrared sauna, acupuncture, float tank (sensory deprivation) or a facial. These treatments are not only relaxing, but can go a long way in helping your physical and mental health.
Promising to exercise more consistently is a popular New Year’s resolution. We may commit to joining intense exercise programs to kickstart our health or spend a fortune joining the fancy gym in our neighborhood. But going from zero to one hundred in terms of fitness can be a difficult task to stick with. If our bodies are a bit out of shape, jumping into a program can lead to failure. We may find ourselves discouraged and the resolution becomes to hard to achieve.
Instead, it is recommended tp ease into an active lifestyle by taking it one step at a time. Start by adding a 15 minute walk into every day to get your body moving. A Stanford study discovered that these short walks can increase creative thinking and promote brain activity. Psychology Today reported that walking can also boost our mood and help us work through challenging emotions. A quick 15 minute stroll can also loosen tight muscles and limbs, while getting our blood pumping. Walks have also been shown to lower back pain and lessen hip tightness. With all these benefits, make the 15 minute walk your New Year’s resolution go-to.
New Year’s Resolutions don’t always have to be about big, dramatic commitments either. We have the ability to make little changes in our daily routine that can have a lasting impact on our health. For instance, we can commit to things like drinking an extra cup of water each day or adding a vegetable to every meal. These resolutions are often less stress inducing than something like overhauling your diet. Simple changes can also be easier to stay with in the long run.
No matter what your resolutions may be, make sure they are true to you. Strive to reach your own health goals and milestones, rather than falling into a fad that society or social media deems popular. If you are looking to incorporate holistic health options into your life, please feel free to contact us. There are a lot of very talented practitioners in the holistic community and our goal is to help you not just survive, but to heal and thrive. We are happy to help you or connect you with the appropriate practitioner and help you achieve your goals in 2024.