It’s that time of year again: time to reflect and set meaningful goals to improve your health and happiness, and time to start thinking about actually accomplishing your New Year’s resolutions this year.
It’s easy to get caught up in life and not make time for yourself and your wellness – but this year, try making your health a priority.
Health is a fairly general category, and experts often suggest making your goals as specific as possible, so that you’re more likely to accomplish them.
Here are some examples of specific goals to consider for 2013 to help improve your wellness regimen:
- Be active. Exercising for 30 minutes a day will not only improve your health but your mood and energy as well.
- Schedule a therapeutic massage once a month. Not only does it feel good and help relax you, but massage also helps relieve stress, reduce pain, increase energy levels and improve overall physical and mental performance.
- Increase antioxidants. Help your body defend against sickness by incorporating foods like pomegranates, acai berries and items with Vitamin C into your diet.
- Wear sunscreen all year. By wearing sunscreen every day, you can protect yourself from harmful UV rays that can cause skin cancer, brown spots and wrinkles.
- Get more sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Make sure to catch at least seven to nine hours of sleep to improve your mood and keep you healthy.
- Control your portions. By downsizing the size of your dishes, you will curb overeating, which can promote weight loss.
After you select a few goals that will help you boost your wellness routine this year, think about how you will make these goals a reality. Here are a few tips that Forbes.com recommends:
- Get specific. Make your resolutions detailed, with attainable outcomes. If you keep your resolutions specific, it is easier to visualize the positive outcome that will happen once your goals are met.
- Write it down. Write down your resolutions with specific steps on how to achieve them. By completing each step, you are one step closer to accomplishing your final goal, which makes it easier to see through to the end.
- Make time. If you set an unrealistic timeframe in which to achieve your goal, you may become discouraged. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to complete your resolution.
- Move past doubt. If you have negative thoughts pertaining to your resolutions, it can hinder you from what you are trying to accomplish. In order to thwart this, remember to replace your negative thoughts with a positive mantra instead.
- Partner up. It is easier to accomplish your resolutions if you have someone you are accountable to. If you share the same goals as one of your friends or family members, try to involve them in the process. It will help not only you, but your partner achieve their resolutions as well.
- Be still. If you are stressed out, your focus can be shifted from the goals you want to attain. By taking a few moments a day to breathe and regroup, you are helping yourself get control of your life and concentrating on your resolutions. Try a breathing exercise, meditation, a therapeutic massage or yoga.
Strive for success in 2013. By incorporating a few of these healthy resolutions and tips on how to keep them, you can help yourself become a happier and healthier person in the New Year. FBN
Mark Love is co-owner of Massage Envy Spa Flagstaff. For more information on the benefits of massage and facials, visit massageenvy.com or Facebook.com/MEFlag.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment with an esthetician or massage therapist, visit massageenvy.com, call 928-526-ENVY (3689), or visit one of Arizona’s 32 Massage Envy locations. The Flagstaff location is at 1235 S. Plaza Way in the University Plaza Shopping Center off Milton Road next to Ross and Safeway.