We know that the balance of power will shift from the fast food joints to the gyms and fitness centers after the first of the year. We also know that by mid-February, most people have ghosted their new gym friends and are using their new gym bag as their Valentines candy Trojan Horse.
Let’s be honest, we are really good at setting New Year’s Resolutions, but not very good at keeping them. New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff notes in his book, Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, that 92% of resolutions fail, leaving only 8% of people who will succeed in keeping their new year’s goals. Acuff outlines his advice to keeping and succeeding at your goals. He calls it the 52 and 7 approach.
Instead of saying, ‘I’m going to spend the next 365 days doing [fill in the blank]’ he suggests breaking the resolution into seven short-term goals of 52 days each. You set one goal and focus on that single goal for the next 52 days. Once you meet it, you repeat the process. “You can do anything for 52 days,” he writes.
Whether you are considering setting a new year’s resolution or you already have a goal or two you’d like to accomplish this year, know that you have people in your corner cheering you on. All the staff members of Kare Health and Wellness have offered some advice and encouragement to you as we enter the new year. Your team for alternative medicine in Springfield Missouri believes you have the power and opportunity to make 2019 your best year yet.
Keri
Develop a detailed daily routine: when to wake up, when to exercise, when to take certain supplements, when to eat, when to sleep, etc. Schedule time to take care of you! Prepare in advance for this daily routine by shopping on certain days, preparing supplement regiments for several weeks at a time, and scheduling other activities/events/meetings around your daily routine.
Be very strict in following this routine even when you don’t feel like it. Do not let others disrupt your daily routine if at all possible. Once this routine is established and followed consistently it will become a habit (which usually takes 66 days). These good habits will lead to the changes and success you desire. You can do it!
Micah
Declare a new beginning, whether it is on New Year’s Day, or a random day. Imagine the ideal future you. What do you envision yourself to be? What have you been afraid to do but would if there were someone pushing you to do it? Be honest with yourself. Figure out what really matters to you and what your goal is. This will help you decide where your time and energy should be allocated. Build upon successes and start a victory list. This list will provide you with motivation when you are losing the drive to keep going. Schedule a few minutes each day to yourself to meditate, pray, journal or just be. Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first, it means me too.
Heather
Every day is a new opportunity. As cheesy as that sounds, it is very true. Wake up every morning and say, “Today is a good day”. You have the power to make positive changes regarding your physical health, mental health and spiritual health. One of the best things you can do is choose joy. By choosing joy, you begin to discover happiness and positivity in the changes you make, whether that is dietary changes, or attitude changes, or lifestyle changes.
Involve the people around you and choose joy in the relationships you have at work and in your personal life. Think about the positive impact you can make on those around you if you are a beam of positivity, joy and optimism. Then, think about the progress you can make and potential you have if you are filled with motivation and optimism! I’ve always been an advocate of positive thinking because I’ve seen it work. I-t can work for you too.
Katie
Don’t get discouraged if things are not going as planned. Progress is not linear, there will be ups and downs. Don’t let a bad moment undermine your progress and how far you’ve already gone. Refrain from allowing a bad meal or choice turn into a bad day/week/etc. Setbacks will happen, it’s important to keep your goals in mind to continue moving forward. If change were easy, everyone would do it!
Brenna
Stop procrastinating! We always think of the different things that we are going to start, whether it be exercise or eating healthier. We want to take that trip to somewhere beautiful. Or maybe you want to expand your education. Whatever it is that you have been wanting to do but waiting to do- start now! Start doing things for you. Procrastination becomes a habit and before you know it everything is waiting. Make a list of all the things you have been wanting to do or start and put them in priority order and go after them!
Meredith
It is less important to focus on the number on the scale when it comes to weight loss, and it’s more important to focus on making healthier choices (which will most likely lead to weight loss). Being healthier and happier in your own skin is what’s most important.
Inna
New year, new you! Put daily effort into becoming a better version of you. Nothing is stopping you, except you!
Sarah
When you make changes in life, whether it be diet, exercise, or anything else, set several small achievable goals that will ultimately help you reach your desired outcome. When I decided to change my diet, it was a complete change to my lifestyle at the time. I took into account the overwhelming number of things that would have to change and made a plan. I broke this huge challenge into several smaller more achievable goals.
If I would have tried to cut everything out all at once I would have inevitably failed and given up. Remind yourself that as with most things we do and try, there will be setbacks. Even when things don’t go exactly how you planned them, keep your main goal in sight and do everything you can to adjust your actions to lead you back towards achieving your goal. Keep the end in mind, and you will stay on track to achieving your goals!
Mandy
This past year has been the most transformative year of my life, and it all had to do with the combination of positive habits that I incorporated into my daily life. I found that by being grateful for where I am and staying motivated to get where I want to be, I live a more purposeful life. Here’s a list of positive habits that helped me have a great year and that I recommend incorporating into your new year.
- Listen to your body and stop eating foods that cause your body any type of inflammation
- Pray or mediate
- Have a positive mindset
- Do not complain
- Learn the art of surrendering and letting go
- Let go of expectations and disappointments – we are happier and things always work out better when we allow life to happen rather than trying to control it
- Invest your energy in the positive present instead of focusing on the past or on things you cannot control or on anything negative
- Clear out the clutter in your life – physical and mental
- Unplug from devices, social media, TV or anything that wastes your time, so you can focus on your goals
- Have faith and believe that everything happens for a reason, and expect good things to come out of challenging circumstances
- Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone
- Forgive others and ask for forgiveness from others
- Take risks
- Speak your truth
- Don’t be a quitter or give up
- Make yourself accountable
- Don’t try to lose weight, instead try to be healthier so you feel better, because feeling good is the best, most consistent, most powerful weight loss motivation there is
- Find your passion
- Exercise or at least stay active doing what you enjoy to keep your mind busy and your body moving
- Work hard
- Count your blessings
- Live graciously
- Truly love other human beings, all of them
- Stay humble
- Smile, have fun and enjoy the ride
