If you’re like many, resolutions have been a top priority as you’ve headed into the new year. The calendar provides a fresh start, a reset button of sorts, that helps shed the old and usher in the new. The desire for change isn’t necessarily an indication of whether the previous year was good or bad, but it does provide a unique opportunity to reflect and make positive change. There is always room for improvement, after all. If you’re ready to make 2021 the year of self-improvement, Unique To You Nutrition offers the following tips to help you hit the ground running!
Fitness Focus
Improving health and fitness is a front-runner for many New Year’s resolutions. Whether you joined a gym, aim to run a marathon, or just hope to get off the couch a little more often this year, you are not alone. The key to making this resolution stick is to avoid the arbitrary, and set very specific goals.
Set a one-week, six-week, and three-month goal. Use logical questioning to help you set specific goals for whatever activity you have in mind. Just make sure they are realistically-based on your current level of fitness and extend them with each six-week milestone you hit so that you are constantly working toward another milestone. Having a specific fitness goal can aid you in other common resolutions as well because no one is limited to just one resolution.
If you are hoping to improve a chronic condition or lose weight, exercise can provide the mental health benefits needed to help you accomplish that goal as well.
Less Stress
Stress reduction can also be found in the top 10 resolutions from year to year. Finding ways to combat stress is an ongoing process for most people, but the holidays provide us with the time needed to focus on family and consider how stress really impacts our daily life. The difference between stress and fitness, however, is that stress has external triggers that we can’t always plan for, and can produce reactionary responses that throw even the best-laid plans off target.
When making stress-management goals (like getting regular exercise or meditation), you can use the same logical questioning process noted above. It can also be helpful to have a contingency plan for when those unexpected stressors show up. This might mean setting aside some funds for an emergency spa day or having a specific plan in place to deploy when you just need a mental health day.
New Hobby
Whatever your motivation, starting a new hobby can be a catalyst for change in the year ahead. Hobbies are a terrific way to de-stress and be creative, plus they offer a sense of control over your lifestyle. You choose what you’re doing, your goals, and how you will reach them.
Consider starting a hobby that helps you in other parts of your life. For instance, you can take up healthy cooking and learn some new techniques. Another idea is to do some gardening. You can grow nutritious foods, do some canning, and share what you grow with family and friends.
Beyond those perks, as you become more skillful, your pastime can even benefit your budget. It’s pretty easy to monetize a hobby these days; even if you don’t make a product that you can sell, you can monetize it by starting a vlog or tutoring others who are new to it. If you do start a hobby business, just make sure you start out properly and register it with the state of Maryland.
All of these positive changes create opportunities for you to feel renewed and ready to tackle the New Year. Just remember, whether it is a new look, less stress, improved fitness or even a new hobby, the focus is on you. Don’t make any changes based on the opinions of others, and only make the changes that allow you to feel more positive about life.
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