New year’s resolutions are made with the best of intentions but, as you can already see just a few weeks into the new year, they’re pretty hard to maintain. Whether your expectations were a bit too high or if life’s unexpected events got in the way, it’s perfectly ok to re-evaluate and readjust your goals. By forcing rigid and unrealistic changes into your life, you’re not setting yourself up for success. 2019 should be all about taking care, being kind to yourself and others and creating space for all of the joy, creativity and health you’d like to bring in. In honor of this gentler version of a new year’s resolution, we’d like to offer 5 simple things to may you a healthier and happier person.
- Try one new vegetable every month. Your plate should be half-filled with veggies or fruit, anyway, so why not search out some new choices? You often have to try a new food a few times before deciding if you like it, so try several ways of eating this new food, such as raw, sautéed or roasted. What’s new for you? Beautiful watermelon radish? Geometrically stunning Romanesco broccoli? Guava? Get adventurous!
- Take half of your meal home with you. Restaurant servings are often pretty large, so challenge yourself to only eat half and bring the rest home for leftovers. You’ll remove the stress of preparing another meal, save money and prevent overeating. Win, win, win!
- Call an old friend. The years seem to go by more quickly with each passing decade. Have you lost touch with someone who used to be an important part of your life? Take the time to re-connect. You probably have so much to share & you’ll be happy to find out what’s happening in their life, too.
- Move those feet. How can you bring more activity into your days? We suggest that you skip the elevator & take the stairs. Can you walk to any of your errands instead of hopping in the car? Get that bicycle tuned and go out on a ride once a week. Find what works for you & get your heart moving. Your whole body will thank you.
- Slow down. On many levels, the pace of life just feels too fast. Here are some tricks to slow it down. Let someone merge in front of you on the highway. Allow that mom at the grocery store with her 3 hungry, tired kids to go in front of you at the checkout stand. Cook your food on the stovetop instead of the microwave. You’ll feel better and you’ll find that you’re really not missing out on anything when you stop rushing.
It’s never too late to make small changes to make your life better in 2019. Small changes always seem more manageable anyway. Find friends and family who will join you and support you in these healthy changes, since we believe it’s always more fun with friends. Wishing you a happy & joyful year.