A lot of us are anticipating positive changes in the new year. Regardless of the way the political or economic climate turns, you can always hedge your bets on your own wellbeing. Our own wellbeing is entirely in our control, so new year’s resolutions focused on self-care and self-improvement are achieveable through our own efforts. This makes working on self-care and self-improvement empowering. Here are several of our favorite New Year’s resolutions from our own staff:
Get massage once a month
A massage is a great way to take care of yourself and unplug from a stressful mindset. When you allow yourself to relax, you are able to step back to focus on what’s important in your life. Plus, when you let go of stress, you are doing a big favor for the friends, family, and co-workers in your life who will appreciate a more positive and centered attitude. Massage and relaxation are also great for your health. If paying attention to your health matters to you, finding a way to relax is a must.
Make regular exercise fun
Many of us make a resolution to exercise more, but research shows that by the middle of the year, most of us have failed to stick with it. So this year, try something different. Instead of simply resolving to exercise more, resolve to make exercise fun. Find physical activities that don’t feel like exercise. Walking in nature, dancing, yoga, or participating an sports are all good options. Walking and yoga help to center and relax you. Dancing is good for the mind and the body – studies show it helps combat alzheimer’s more than almost any of activity! Team sports are a great way to exercise and socialize. Studies show that feeling like part of a community has trenmendous benefits for your emotional wellbeing. So join a team sport and you’ll be taking care of your physical and emotional wellbeing.
Cook more meals at home
Resolving to improve your diet this year? Cooking at home is an easy way to improve your diet and save money. In general, eating out is more expensive and restaurant food contains more fats and salts than home-cooked food. Plus, when you resolve to cook at home it forces you to plan your meals instead of choosing from a restaurant menu when you’re hungry and craving calorie dense options. Altogether there are many benefits to cooking at home, it can be time-consuming. To combat this, try cooking large quantities of food on the weekend when you aren’t particularly busy and then storing that food in smaller containers for quick meals during the week.
Reach out to others
2016 divided the country politically, but it also brought many of us together as we recognized the things we share in common. Many of us realized that we live in bubbles, not connected to the community outside of our small circle of friends, family, and coworkers. This year, let’s resolve to reach out to people and communities we ordinarily wouldn’t talk to. Volunteering or joining a new team or club are positive purpose-driven ways to do this. The more we reach out, the better off we’ll be as communities, as a country, and as a planet.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Let us know in the comments.
Here’s to a great year!
