Many of us spend time at the end of a calendar year creating goals or resolutions that we wish to achieve during the upcoming year. Nevertheless, we often fail to achieve these goals. Perhaps they were too lofty or too vague. Maybe you could have achieved them if you had someone to hold you accountable such as a health coach. Or maybe by spring you lost interest in a resolution you were ecstatic about achieving on January 1st.
Good news! Ellen White, an Institute of Integrative Nutrition content writer and health coach, suggests eight simple things we can all do to find health in the new year. Join me in adopting these as your resolutions for 2023:
1. Get to know yourself.
Tuning in to your needs, desires, and values can be a powerful pathway toward meaningful self-improvement. Become the expert on what drives your good behaviors and triggers your unhealthy behaviors. Ask yourself what matters to you, what you stand for, what you can let go of, and what would help you be happy.
2. Practice forgiveness.
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, studies suggest that forgiveness is linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, and hostility, along with reduced substance abuse, increased self-confidence, and greater satisfaction in life. It isn’t easy, but learning to let go and move forward can release your body and mind from real physical and emotional turmoil and, in turn, improve not only your own health but also the health of your relationships.
3. Embrace gratitude.
Nearly everyone has something to be grateful for! Practicing gratitude affects the brain, strengthening the mind-body connection, relieving stress, aiding with depression, and improving overall health over time.
4. Incorporate mindfulness into your day.
Mindfulness is an awareness of what you’re sensing in the moment. Through this awareness, you create a nonjudgmental and kind attitude toward yourself. This means you focus on how you’re feeling versus what you’re doing. Mindfulness can help you stay grounded in the process of reaching your goals and allow you to celebrate the small wins and progress you make each day.
5. Create a morning routine you’ll want to wake up for.
How to start the day sets the tone for what’s to come—and for many, it can be the best time for quiet reflection on how you are doing and feeling. Some healthy ways to start the morning include waking up early, making your bed, drinking water, giving yourself a pep talk, eating a good breakfast, and exercising your body. If mornings are tough for you, start slow. Try setting your alarm just five minutes earlier than usual and use that time to meditate in bed.
6. Create a bedtime ritual.
Sleep is critical for good health, regulating mood, metabolism, and blood sugar. Cut off caffeine early, create a nighttime hygiene ritual that marks a distinction between day and night, and detach from devices before bed.
7. Spend time in nature.
Spending time outside is an opportunity to focus on you and not your screen! Taking time away from devices and the stressors that overwhelm you is a great way to improve your well-being. Think of getting grounded in nature as a spiritual practice, allowing you to connect to something bigger than yourself. You can walk around outdoors, sit in a park, or go for a bike ride. It’s totally up to you.
8. Indulge in home cooking.
Making your own meals is one of the best ways to take control of your health. By choosing the ingredients you put in your body, you can eat more nutritionally, boost your energy, improve your sleep, and reduce your overall risk for developing chronic conditions. Eating foods that are in season and spending time and energy creating your own meals can also spark a more mindful eating experience that results in greater satisfaction. It can also become a new passion and fun family activity.
GET EVEN HEALTHIER!
Want to learn how to make positive choices in your own life? Want support in creating your healthiest, happiest life ever? Let’s talk! Schedule a complimentary health coaching consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
ABOUT ME
I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help you create a completely personalized “roadmap to health” that suits your unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
Learn more about my training and my unique approach to health coaching.