It is the middle of the year, so New Year’s resolutions have come and gone, right? You can still make small changes in your life that can have a big impact on your health and wellness! Here are some helpful hints for making a lasting change:
- Create a List of “Whys”
List out your reasons for wanting to change and be as specific as possible. If you want to exercise more, is it so that you can feel better in your clothes or that you can play with your kids? Research shows that identifying your life values – wanting to be a good parent; a contributing member of society; becoming a better athlete – can help you make lasting changes in your life.
- Make Small Changes
Little changes add up! If you want to walk more, park further away from the store. If you want to be more mindful, spend a few moments each morning saying gratitude or noticing your surroundings when you are on a walk. It is much easier to make small changes to our lives that we can do day-to-day than huge lifestyle changes. Plus, those small changes give us confidence that can then snowball into a happier, healthier life!
- Make It Fun
Incorporate your friends or family into your change. If you want to get more exercise, you don’t have to go to the gym necessarily (unless that is fun for you!). You can play tag or soccer with your kids. You can go for a walk with your dog or your friend. You can dance to your favorite music. If you love to cook, try a new recipe that requires you to be in the kitchen on your feet, chopping veggies!
- Add to an Established Habit
If you already have a habit, add a healthier activity to it. Want to drink more water? Drink a glass while your coffee is brewing in the morning. Meeting a friend downtown for a drink after work? Go for a walk with him or her before or after – even just around the block.
- Avoid the “All or Nothing” Mindset
Once you get started on your new path, it is easy to get thrown off by something – illness, life stress, vacation, etc. Every day is a new day to walk toward your goal of a healthier you! Don’t worry if yesterday you went out for an awesome dessert or didn’t get your steps in, today is a new day. The small changes you have been making add up and one day (or week) cannot derail those changes.
- Reward Yourself
Rewards do not always need to be financial or food, but they should be fun or a bit indulgent. Ideally, the new activity will have some intrinsic reward (spending time with a friend or doing something you enjoy), but if it doesn’t, attach a reward to the activity. If you are walking on the treadmill, save a favorite TV show just for treadmill time. Cutting back on alcohol? Use the money you are saving for a massage or a nice dinner out.
- If It is a Problem, Reach Out
If you are having trouble making the change and if it’s impacting your life negatively (causing problems at home, legal issues, health issues, or work issues), then reach out to a professional. Sometimes, willpower and desire are not alone and that is okay. That is what your primary healthcare provider (or therapist, chaplain, or another professional) is there for – to offer support and guidance to get you where you want to be!
It is never too late to start making changes, but the key is to make changes that you can do. Small changes that work toward your goals and values can make big changes in the long run – improving your health, mentally and physically. Please don’t wait to start moving toward your values and goals!
By:Molly Sandgren, Family Nurse Practitioner
Christie Clinic
