Kickstart 2024 with Confidence, Health & Purpose
Ready or not 2024 has arrived! Every new year I always have new goals i want to accomplish. Last year my main goal was to start a blog ✅, and well here I am! I'm always excited for a new year and new goals, its like a reset, a perfect time to develop new habits.
Here are a few suggestions of goals/intentions to focus on for 2024--
Physical Health--focusing on living healthy is a great goal to set for 2024, and It's a great way to get back in the groove after all the holiday indulgements.
Certified personal trainer Cindy Powers has some great tips if getting healthly is a 2024 goal for you.
"The New Year can be a great time to feel extra motivated to make changes but instead of making wide sweeping and vague goals (“lose weight”, “get in better shape”, “go to the gym”, “eat healthier”) think smaller, more specific, and attainable mini goals.
Instead of setting a goal for the entire year which approximately 91% of people don’t keep, set one or more small goals for the month. At the end of the month make any necessary adjustments for the next month. Making even small changes to your lifestyle can have a huge impact on your health and well-being. Perhaps the goals you set for the previous month will now be part of your routine and you can add on to them in the next month, creating a stronger foundation for your future healthier self.
If you feel you’ve never had time to work out in the past, consider taking “exercise snacks”. 10 minutes of body-weight training, walking, mindfulness, or stretching throughout the day.
Instead of creating a specific weight loss goal set healthy goals that might have a side-effect of weight loss, but the main goal is becoming a healthier, more able-bodied version of you. “I will walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week”, “strength train 3 times a week”, “take time to work on my flexibility and balance each week”, “incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my daily diet”. All of these will improve your health, which is much more important than focusing on a number on the scale.
None of us are perfect and we all will have occasional slipups. Every day we make hundreds of decisions. Don’t consider it a failure if you make one or two bad choices, alternatively think about all the good choices you made and put the unhealthier ones in the past.
The biggest keys to successfully improving health and fitness are consistency (creating habits), enjoyment (find activities you look forward to), safety (proper form during exercise), and seeing noticeable improvements (being able to be more active, improving blood pressure or cholesterol numbers).
Society has forced weight and size standards on us through magazines, advertisements, and unattainable celebrity “role models”. We need to focus on longevity, health, and continued ability to enjoy life both physically and mentally. Make changes to be a healthier you not a thinner you. Changes that will improve your lifespan and your health span."
Before starting a new exercise program always consult with your physician.
Mental Health--Good mental health is essential for overall well-being, and it contributes to our capacity to enjoy life, maintain positive relationships, and cope with challenges. Prioritizing mental health is key to leading a fulfilling and balanced life.
Do less--Psychology today says , "We are biased to think that more means better. This has led to the ballooning of tasks and responsibilities for so many of us."
Create boundaries-- this is one I have been personally working on for several months.
Boundaries will help lay the foundation for who you truly are as they encourage you to define your likes and dislikes as well as separate your personal space, emotions and responsibilities from others. Boundaries will protect your peace.
Get organized--if you are like me it always feel so good to clean out a drawer, a closet or a room. Organization brings such peace, its hard to relax in a space filled with disorderly chaos. Start with drawers, and go from there---get rid of anything you haven't used or worn in the last year.
Set goals for the New Year--set an intention/goal(s) for the year. It may be get in more workouts, read more books, or taking that trip you have been putting off for years.
Keep a calendar--i use my google calendar on my iPhone, but i also like using my daily agenda. I like an actual paper calendar in front of me to write my appts , birthdays etc.
Read more books---who said reading is not good for our brain??? NOONE ever!!! Instead of scrolling on that phone at bedtime (which is a goal for me in 2024---to stop the scroll as I lay in bed---read that book...biography, novel, or anything that peaks your interest!
Physical and mental wellness is a lifelong journey. So loosen that grip on wanting to fix or change everything at the same time and take it step by step.
Hope everyone has a great New Year--bring on 2024!
With love and gratitude
Debbie
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