Happy 2024! Rolling over the calendar is always exciting to me. I love a fresh, new year for new ideas, new planning, and new things to try. Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? I have planned resolutions as long as I can remember. Many people make commitments to be healthier, but then by February those commitments fall by the wayside when “life happens!” What are some things you can do to keep from losing your focus? Here are some tips:
1. Be Picky
Choosing too many goals can be overwhelming which can cause us to throw our hands up and quit. Pick one to two things you’d like to focus on and go full in.
2. Plan
What’s the old saying? “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Research what you want to do, how long will it take, what support or information do you need to reach your goal?
3. Specific goals
Write goals that are specific rather than vague. Something like “exercise more” or “eat more veggies” can be too vague to really measure, instead be more detailed. A more specific resolution would be, I will walk 20 minutes 3 times a week. An example of a specific nutrition goal would be “I will eat a serving of fruit with breakfast and a serving of vegetables with lunch and dinner.” Both of those are measurable goals you can check off your list and will give you a dopamine boost that will leave you feeling accomplished.
4. Choose Something New
Don’t choose the same goal you have in the past and failed at. This sets you up for the same pitfalls that caused you to be derailed in the past. If you still want to work on the same goal as last year then re-word it, making it more specific.
5. Accountability Partners
Lean on the people around you to help you stay focused. Whether its co-workers, spouses, or friends, we need those around us to support us and motivate us. Share your goals with those around you.
6. Time to Become a Habit
It takes approximately 2 months to form a new habit. If life gets in the way, get back up, dust yourself off and start again. Resolutions don’t have to be all or nothing. Be forgiving to yourself. Life happens and one of the things we have to learn in order to accomplish hard things is the ability to do a little self-reflection about what went wrong and how do we fix it? You can also try tacking a new goal onto something you already do to help it become a habit. For example, during a morning or night routine try putting the new goal in during those already established routines.
My 2024 goal in the Cottonwood District is to focus on giving everyone in our community an opportunity to be active. The benefits to physical and mental health are numerous with even small amounts of activity. No matter how sedentary you have been, we have classes that will help you become more active. Stay Strong, Stay Healthy will begin on January 16, 2024. Walk Kansas will begin in March for people to form teams and stay active. Walk with Ease, is an Arthritis Foundation program, and is aimed at helping people stay active with chronic disease. All the classes are laid back, easy to access, and you can start where you are at. Come join us, you will not be disappointed. These classes are well researched to provide numerous benefits. If you have any questions, please get ahold of me! I look forward to meeting you in 2024!
Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or [email protected]. K-State Research & Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.