Do you want to supercharge your health in the new year? It isn’t about losing 10 pounds or fitting into a size whatever. Real well-being means taking care of both your body — and your soul.
If you haven’t decided on what to do to improve yourself this coming year, consider one of these options. You’ll demonstrate your commitment to growth. Plus, you can break these resolutions down into small bits, making the obligations a breeze to keep.
1. Try a New Fitness Class
Have you ever taken a Pound class? If not, you probably have no clue why aficionados won’t pass up their studio time. You can have a blast while moving your body — and living out your drummer dreams!
Perhaps you don’t enjoy making air music. That’s okay! You can find a host of creative fitness trends to try on for size. The critical component of any fitness regimen is finding something that you love.
2. Get Creative in the Kitchen
What do you typically do for lunch? If you hit the drive-thru or brown bag a boring PB&J, make this the year you learn how to meal prep grab-and-go deliciousness. You’ll benefit your overall health — food is medicine, and nutrition makes a huge difference in how you feel. Strive to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into every meal. Comparatively speaking, they have fewer calories and are rich in phytonutrients.
3. Volunteer
You get a significant psychological boost when you do a kind deed for someone else. If you adore working with children, sign up to tutor or work as a classroom aide at your child’s school. If you prefer four-legged friends to the bipedal variety, volunteer to walk dogs at your local Humane Society. Whether you get more involved with your church or rally people to a political cause, you’re effecting positive change.
4. Make Health a Family Affair
Voicing your goals out loud to friends and family cements your commitment to self-improvement. Plus, it’s easier to commit to goals when you have the help of those you love. If you’ve resolved to start exercising more, suggest taking a family walk in the park after dinner instead of crashing out in front of the television. Everyone will boost their mood, and you’ll return feeling proud of keeping your vows. As a bonus, stretch together afterward, too.
5. Write in a Journal
The process of writing helps you to solidify your thoughts and reframe negative ones. When you scribble, “Nobody likes me,” in a journal, it’s easier to counteract that thought with, “I offer value to the world,” on the page than it is to chase the feeling around your brain space. This year, invest in the prettiest journal you can find and keep it by your bedside. Next year, you can reflect on how much you’ve grown!
6. Practice Meditation
When you practice meditation, you similarly train your brain to therapy. The only difference is, you don’t have to shell out a ton of money or lie on a stranger’s couch. When you treat your wandering mind with kindness and acceptance, you build awareness of the unconscious negative messages you feed your soul daily. You can combat your dark side when you recognize how it impacts your behavior.
7. Treat Yourself to a Home Spa Day
Everybody needs a timeout for self-care now and then. You can’t season from an empty salt shaker, so take time to replenish yourself from time to time.
You don’t have to max out your credit cards at a fancy day spa. You can create an at-home spa day by making homemade facial scrubs and indulging in a luxurious bubble bath. Deepen your relationship by inviting your partner in on the fun — or keep the pampering all to yourself.
Resolve to Improve Your Health in 2020
You don’t need to punish yourself in the name of health in the new year. Exercise a few simple tips to set a resolution that will benefit your well-being and recapture your glow!
