It comes as no surprise that January is a popular month to reset. Each new year comes with the opportunity to revisit old goals and set new ones – hence why we see a drastic spike in Google searches for “resolutions” at the beginning of the month.
If you search popular resolutions, health-related goals top the charts. Placing an emphasis on regenerating, rejuvenating and restoring your health is important. That said, many of us are so often tasked with taking care of others that it can sometimes feel unusual or even uncomfortable to prioritize self-care. We’re here to tell you that focusing on yourself and your health is not selfish – it’s selfless! If you don’t take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others.
Looking to optimize your health but need a little encouragement? We’re sharing our top tips and tricks to keeping your goals on track this year:
Start Making Lists: Whether you’re hoping to switch up your eating habits or capitalize on your workouts, lists are a great tool to keep you both productive and accountable. Download your favorite list-making app and create a to-do and to-don’t list – for example: do 30 minutes of daily exercise, don’t overindulge on sugary treats.
Set Achievable Benchmarks: Setting lofty goals can lead to burnout. While you want to set your sights on something inspirational, avoid overshooting. Instead, set achievable benchmarks that allow for more frequent “small wins.” Creating this pattern will lead to positive reinforcement and a greater sense of overall accomplishment.
Create Healthy Associations: Our behaviors are made up of a series of mental connections, or associations – creating healthy associations is key to keeping up with your goals. For example, if every time you run your arthritis flares up, you’re likely to have a negative association with running: running = pain. Rather than leaning into those negative associations, try creating new, more positive connections – while you may need to avoid running, you could walk instead. Walking gives you the opportunity to get outside and getting outside makes you feel reinvigorated. Now, you’ve switched your association to be walking = outside = reinvigorated.
Ask for Support: If you’re struggling to find a health solution that works for you, don’t give up: enlist a professional for help. Whether it’s a nutritionist, holistic health practitioner or stem cell specialist, having your own personal care team will ensure that you aren’t suffering in silence. Check out how our dedicated team can support you here.