Happy New You!

It's a new year. New resolutions, great expectations for this year to be better than last year and re-energized emotions and feelings towards realizing your dreams. This is what the New Year sentiment usually is and lasts for about, ohhh, until the end of January (smile). Usually by that time most people realize that it takes a whole lot more than just feeling the motivation; you actually have to put ACTION behind that motivation to realize what you hope for in your life.

What are your dreams? Is one of them to be a healthier, happier new you? If so, what steps are you taking to make this actually happen this year? Because you know this was your 'resolution' last year and the year before that as well. Oh, I'm not here to brow-beat you or judge because I too have made a list of my goals (I do not make resolutions) and found that some of those goals carry on from year to year. So, what will be different for you this year with regards to making a change in your health?

I asked myself this question and I decided on taking a 'new' approach to how I will accomplish my goals this year...especially health goals. Yes, I'm a health coach and I'm all about nutrition and living healthier but I too have challenges; no one is perfect (smile). This 'new' approach is simple: ONE DAY AT A TIME...literally.

A co worker turned me on to a really cool website called IDoneThis.com. It's a simple concept: note all the things you've accomplished for the day. It keeps a calendar for you and sends you updates like "Here's what you accomplished a week/month ago" or an auto response tells you how you're on a 2-day streak, make it three! The concept is simple but it is so much bigger than just noting what you've accomplished each day. By writing down what I've accomplished each day, I get an overall sense of accomplishment. You get to see that it literally is a process of one day at a time, inch by inch, to realizing your goals. When I look at my calendar and see the small steps I've taken to accomplishing any given goal, I no longer feel like I'm spinning my wheels or that nothing is happening. I can SEE IT; by viewing my calendar and SEEING it come to fruition in my life. And I must say, it's a great feeling to know that I am doing something, every single day, to accomplish a goal or just simply make my life happier, healthier.

So, what will you do today to create a happy new you? And just focus on what you can do TODAY. Tomorrow will come soon enough; be in the moment and think about what you can do right now to living a healthier lifestyle. Maybe you can get to sleep at a decent time to get in 7-8 hours, so you can begin to feel more rested and ultimately reduce unhealthy cravings. Getting the proper amount of sleep reduces stress which in turn reduces your need to snack on sugary, non nutritional foods and snacks. Or maybe you can carve out 30 minutes each day to devote to some form of physical activity to help you lose weight and boost your energy. Or how about drinking more water and less sodas/juices to help you feel better and lose weight. It's the small changes that you incorporate into your life, that will help you to truly create a healthier lifestyle and a new you!

What will you do today to make a change? I mean think about it: aren't you tired of the same old thing each and every year? You've been doing what you've been doing all these years and ask yourself: how's it working for you? If you're answer is not so good, then I encourage you to take a step...take action today to make a change. And it doesn't have to be something monumental. It can be one small thing to ignite your desire to make a change in your life, once and for all.

Happy New Year You!!

Be well!!