Now that the New Year is behind us and the winter season is in full swing, many of us struggle to keep our resolutions. A “New Year, New You” is the mantra so many adopt but often find it hard to maintain in everyday life. Overall health and wellness is something we should all strive for and find ways to make a lifestyle instead of a resolution. Not only do we want to live longer, but we seek quality of life, healthy bodies, and happiness. Wellness encompasses all these things. But how do you begin your journey to wellness? These simple steps can get you started.
3 Important Wellness Factors
There is a multitude of ways we can improve our overall wellness. Trying to commit to too many goals can lead to frustration and often failure. These three factors are a great place to start your journey to wellness without feeling overwhelmed.
1. Nutrition-What we eat has a significant impact on how we feel, our weight and even our health. Let’s face it, though; it’s nearly impossible to eat right every single day. A good approach is to make your best effort to eat well most the time. Concentrate on eating fruits and vegetables with lots of colors, lean meats, whole grains and eating in moderation. If you can do this more often than not, your nutrition will improve. Don’t forget to give yourself a little leeway. Allow yourself a special treat now and then or a splurge day. If you go a little overboard, just move on and get right back to eating well the next day.
2. Exercise-Getting your body moving is what the doctor recommends for several reasons. Our bodies thrive and naturally work better when active. How do you get started if exercise is just not your thing? Starting small is a good way to incorporate exercise into your routine. Walking is a perfect way to start small. Team up with a friend for an after-work walk around the neighborhood. Eventually, you can increase the duration. Invest in a pedometer to monitor your steps and to motivate you to do more. Better yet, take your dog with you. He will happily remind you of your walking date every day. Soon you’ll find you feel better, look forward to walking and actually crave the activity.
3. Reduce Stress-This step is usually easier said than done. Reducing stress is a key element of our overall wellness. Stress affects many parts of our bodies and minds in a negative way. Some everyday ways to reduce stress is to take a moment to breathe deeply, relax your muscles from head to toe, take up yoga or tai chi, meditate or even splurge on a massage. Find what works best for you. At work get organized, declutter your desk, make lists of what you must accomplish and learn to say “no” sometimes. Your overall wellness will thank you.
Ways to Work Towards Wellness
Now, let’s get started together. Sit down and write out your goals. Make them realistic and attainable, yet challenging. Take these goals and break them down into smaller incremental steps. A lofty goal is much easier to give up on. If the first step is smaller, you are more likely to stick with it. Once you reach that first goal step, celebrate. Make sure you take the time to reward your accomplishments. This gives you something to look forward to. These marked achievements can help keep you motivated to strive for the big goal. When you work toward wellness, you are caring for yourself. You’ll be amazed how you feel and might even want to help others succeed like you. Keep on striving for your wellness goals. It’s a lifestyle, not a resolution and it will be worth the effort!