A late Happy New Year! As always, with a new year means we start creating resolutions or, as I like to call them, goals.
What are your goals? I have many, but these are my top 3; (1) grow this blog, (2) get back to healthy living (the holidays were too good to us and (3) help others create a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy Lifestyle
So what exactly IS a healthy lifestyle? Is it what we eat, nutrition supplementation or exercise? It’s all of this and more. You gotta think about how you feel, not only how you look. We are so critical of ourselves that basing a healthy lifestyle on how we look can be terrible for our minds! And most of daily living is a mental chore, why else are we so exhausted at the end of the day?
I like to call a healthy lifestyle simply a balance of everything. Be aware of what you eat, make sure you get enough fruits and veggies. Get some form of physical activity in every day, and take just a moment to breathe, and enjoy that cookie or glass of wine, just don’t over indulge! Allowing yourself what you love and what makes you feel good is important.
There are so many fads and extreme diets out there. Be careful, what is good for one body may not be good for another. So if you’re thinking of making an extreme change, be sure to see someone like your family doctor or a dietitian. Listen to your body very carefully, and that rule goes for anything new you introduce into your journey of a healthy lifestyle.
Resolution vs. Goal
Let’s talk about the word resolution shall we? This word can be terrible as most don’t follow through very long with a resolution. That’s why I like the word goal. A goal is generally something attained in a specific time frame. A resolution in my definition is change your entire lifestyle January 1st. Is that really what’s going to happen? The answer is NO. Change doesn’t come overnight, it takes time. So be easy on yourself and make a goal instead. Make small changes throughout a longer period of time, this way it truly becomes a lifestyle, not a short lived resolution. A goal can be as simple as not having that second cookie with morning coffee. OR it can be I am going to work on walking everyday by March starting with one walk a week.
Just Start.
Just start. That is going to be my theme for the year. Just start. Start with actually getting up 5 minutes early, not an hour early to get in a form of exercise. Start this exercise simply with a good 5 – 10 minute stretch as soon as you get up in the morning. Start with having one cookie, not two with your morning coffee. Start with getting a walk in through the day, and I’m not talking marathon distance, go around the block once. See where I’m going with this? Make small changes, in time they will have a BIG impact.
So set a goal for yourself. One small goal everyday or one BIG goal (give yourself a good time frame). The important thing, don’t be hard on yourself. Change takes time. But remember; Just start.
Wow this post as been a source of inspiration for me. Just start and you will see yourself doing more of it. Last year I set up a goal to exercise everyday and gym. I didn’t start it because I considered it to be stressful not until the middle of the year when I started with walking Everytime I wake up in the morning because I read it somewhere that walking is a good way to get the mind prepared for exercise.
Hello! Walking is one of my go-to’s to clear my mind and get outside. Just going for a short walk does amazing things both mentally and physically. Don’t beat yourself up with stress, make one small change at a time and fit physical activity in when it works for you. Going to the gym is great, but going everyday can be a daunting task. Start at home maybe, with just a few exercises and no equipment. I wish you well on your healthy lifestyle journey and if you ever have questions, feel free to reach out!
Great inspiration in this article!
The holidays were tough…I’m so glad they are in the rear view mirror! Things get so busy that I forget to focus on what works for me (and I get a little lazy).
Walking has always worked for me. First thing in the morning, rain or shine, get dressed and get outside. Fresh air and hot coffee always get me motived for the day.
And great advice for anyone out there thinking about starting a new diet or pill. Be careful! You are probably going to have longer term success and a better mental state through small changes to your habits. At least that has been my experience.
Anyway, thanks for the post. Best of luck on your 2019 goals.
Thank you! And you are absolutely right, long term success through small changes is where it’s at. Finding a routine and balance are the keys here, and as always, listen to your body.
Getting outside is my therapy as well, no matter how cold it is. Strive to get out even for a short period throughout the day. Thanks for the wonderful comment and best wishes to you as well for 2019!
While some want to call them new year’s resolutions, like you, I also prefer to call the new things I would like to accomplish for the new year “goals.” I think it sounds more realistic and motivating to use the term goal, don’t you think so? And speaking of goals, as a website owner myself, I am also aiming to grow my business by devoting more time to it and stay more focused.
And yes, I agree much with what you said that a healthy lifestyle isn’t only about what you eat or how much exercise you do but it’s a balance of everything.
I’m glad you can relate! Goals are more definite I find, and resolutions can be so hard on a person, especially if you don’t meet the resolution in mind. A balanced lifestyle can include small goals and big ones, it’s all up to the person.
Tell me more about your website and your business goals, I’d love to hear more!