8 Achievable New Year's Resolutions
With the new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to prepare your resolutions. For many people, health-promoting habits constitute some of the best ways to ring in the new year. To that end, here are eight achievable goals you can set for yourself to significantly improve your overall wellbeing.
1.) Reduce Stress
Stress is a normal part of life, but one thing you can control is your responses to stress. Even something as simple as a positive attitude or knowing the limits to what you can control can help.
2.) Eat Healthier
Instead of focusing on trying diets to to lose weight, focus on making healthy food choices every day for long-lasting change and better health.
3.) Exercise
Regular exercise remains part of a healthy lifestyle, and a successful exercise plan has goals that coordinate with your doctor’s advice.
4.) Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a way to bring your attention to the moment, manage stress and improve health through breathing, thinking and meditation.
5.) Quit Smoking or Vaping
Quitting smoking is hands down one of the most important changes you can make to improve your health, and your body will start to heal itself after your last cigarette.
6.) Get Needed Sleep
Getting a proper amount of sleep is vital to maintaining good physical and mental health. Avoid many of the common mistakes people do that decrease the quality of sleep.
7.) Take Prescribed Medication
Managing your medications is a very important task. When you take medication as prescribed, your disease can be controlled, and developing a daily routine for taking your medications is a key part of that.
8.) Connect with Your Community
Whether you need support for your resolutions or just need talking to someone, staying in better touch with friends and loved ones can be beneficial to your mental and emotional health. If you’re feeling isolated, try reaching out to groups within your community and participating in social events. You can use social media and virtual gatherings, if preferred.
This information has been reviewed and approved by Carrie Horn, MD (December 2022).