Tag: resolutions

  • Set yourself up for success

    Set yourself up for success

    Set yourself up for success

    How to make better New Year’s resolutions

    Is resolution-setting a thing of the past? No way. Don’t give up on setting New Year’s resolutions. But this year, do it the right way!

    Push goals

    “Push goals are the ones you have to push yourself to do; for example, going to the gym after work,” says Kira Lynne, a life coach and registered professional counselor. You do it one day, or a few, but consistency may drop. That is true especially when you start from being entirely sedentary.

    Pull goals

    “Pull goals, on the other hand, pertain to activities you enjoy doing (dance class, yoga in the park, walks with a friend), which makes it easier to stick to your plan, because you love the activity and look forward to it,” says Lynne.

    But before you get started

    Do you drink enough water? Do you get enough quality sleep? Is your food intake adequate for your needs, no matter what life stage you’re in?

    Certain nutritional deficiencies or lifestyle habits can affect our energy levels, which undermine our progress and get in the way of the most carefully set resolutions.

    If it feels like a lot, there’s good news: good habits “stick” to one another. Better sleep enables healthier eating habits, improved energy levels, and a happier mood too.

    Failure comes with nuances

    Inspirational stories can fire us up. We get a routine going, but then life happens, and we don’t show up for a whole week, or two months. Cue shame and feelings of inadequacy.

    But there’s another way to look at it. “It is okay to fall off the wagon, and it’s not a sign of not putting enough effort or not being good enough,” says Lynne. “It’s important to know that when we want to make a change, it’s not [always] smooth sailing.” The opportunity to restart is always there!

    Small steps for long-term goals

    Break up a goal into doable steps. You were hoping for a half-hour jog, but you only have 10 minutes. Do it anyway, mark it as a win, and keep your big running dream alive. A challenging resolution can have a better chance of succeeding than settling for an easy one, because it pushes us to find ways to accomplish it.

    Keeping track of things

    Having an accountability partner is a great way to keep ourselves going, but, says Lynne, “rather than having that someone berate you for not keeping up, think of them as someone to have fun with.”

    If you’re better on your own, go right ahead, but have a reward system in place. “Whenever you fit activity into your day, make a checkmark on the calendar using different colors for different activities, or different colored beads that would go in jars,” suggests Lynne.

    When you reach a certain number of checkmarks or beads, reward yourself with something you like. It makes things fun while also creating positive brain conditioning.

    By Daniela Ginta, MSc, NNCP

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • 5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    5 steps to setting the best resolutions ever

    Find your way in 2023

    Many of us are wary about making New Year’s resolutions for fear that we may experience failure. But here’s an approach to change that involves designing your own path forward—one that puts your own dreams first.

    What do you want?

    From a young age, many of us got into the habit of doing what’s expected of us rather than following our own dreams. Getting an education, getting a marriage partner—even making resolutions—are things that we’re told we should do.

    No wonder we may occasionally feel like we don’t fit in or that we’re failing miserably at things that everyone else seems to do easily. You may be surprised how much easier your path becomes when it’s one you design yourself.

    1. Take time for self-reflection

    On a day when you’re feeling reasonably relaxed, find a time and place where you won’t be disturbed—even if that means hiding in the car or the bathroom.

    Take some deep breaths to release tension and clear your mind. Ask yourself what you want and simply notice what comes to you. You might get words, or a picture in your mind, or a feeling. Write down (or type) what comes to you with as much detail as possible.

    Build a home gym? Fabulous. Move across the country? Write it down. Start a business? Of course. Don’t let the critical voice in your head start debating you and telling you why you can’t do it.

    2. Set clear goals

    Vague goals, like taking better care of your health, provide very hazy guideposts, whereas the commitment to exercising twice a week or eating five servings of vegetables a day are clear, specific, and measurable.

    3. Set short-term and long-term goals

    If goalposts are too far away, people are more likely to procrastinate or avoid sticking to the plan, because they knew they had lots of future time to get things done.

    If there are too many strict short-term deadlines, however, a resolution-maker could feel like a failure for missing a mini-goal and throw in the towel. Creating stepping-stones toward the big goal makes room for set-backs while still moving forward.

    4. Set approach-oriented goals

    It seems that people who create approach-oriented goals are more successful than those who have avoidance-oriented goals.

    Approach-oriented goals energize emotions and behavior toward something you want (achieving good grades so that you can enjoy feeling competent).

    Avoidance-oriented goals , on the other hand, are those in which you move away from something you don’t want or you perceive as a punishment, threat, or risk to health (you make the decision to reduce your sugar intake, so you don’t have a heart attack).

    5. Find reliable support systems

    Rather than focusing blame on people who don’t give you what you need (and shifting energy from your goal), find a person or group who can be your cheer squad.

    Article Provided by Alive Magazine

  • Nourish 2018

    Nourish 2018

    Every year, we strive to make a change in our lives and ourselves. This is often things that will improve our lives, like exercise, diet, or getting more sleep. Maybe you are looking to start painting again, or traveling more- all these things are a part of what you hope will eventually give you the life you dream of.

    These notions are statistically known to fail. Only 8% of people will stick to their plan- the rest of us try to pretend we never said anything.

    So, should we NOT strive to make goals for ourselves in the new year?

    Perhaps there’s an idea out there thats broader, and more likely to bring success.

    NOURISH yourself this year.

     

    Instead of resolutions, goals or challenges- how about an outlook that will feed your entire life? This is where the word “nourish” comes in.

     

    Here’s 3 ways to Nourish yourself this year:

     

    #1 Feed Your Body

    Instead of simply forcing yourself to choose salads and cutting out cupcakes, look to increase the nutrition of every single thing you eat.

    Nutrient dense choices aren’t always the easiest foods to grab, but they are out there. Here’s some easy swaps:

    • Spaghetti Squash instead of Pasta

    • Mashed Avocado in stead of mayo on a sandwich

    • Kombucha instead of Soda

    • Cauliflower in place of potatoes.

    Check out this months Featured Smoothie, aptly named “Nourish Smoothie”– featuring a superfood ingredient that takes this simple, fresh smoothie to another nutritional level.

    Also, take advantage of this month’s supplement sale! See our favorites here.

    #2 Feed Your Mind

    Look at your life and find places where you can engage that amazing brain of yours. Seek out new skills and subjects: browse bookstores, sign up for e-classes and step out there. Your brain needs exercise as much as your body, and getting your mind flexible will give your whole world to expand.

    #3 Feed Your Spirit

    Carve out time to connect with something spiritual. This can mean anything from meditation, to mass, to a long walk along the ocean. Write down your thoughts, light some incense- make it feel spiritual even if you don’t know how. This kind of practice can go a long way and help cement all the good you are doing in the rest of your life.