It’s 2024. And it feels GOOD. There is something about a fresh start that brings with it the captivating energy of potential. A fresh start, however, can come with fresh expectations of ourselves. And expectation can be the enemy of joy. My hope is to not put too much pressure on the new year and allow it to surprise me with fun and kindness.
I have spent way too many years overthinking what I can and can’t do because of my scoliosis and fear around my spinal fusion. And despite that fear, I have definitely made some mistakes and pushed myself too much. The bright side is these learnings helped me grow to a point where I am more aware of my wants, desires and limitations and can honor them from a place of love and acceptance.
As a wellness blogger, I do think about what it means to have health goals and wellness goals and how they contribute to overall well-being and leading a fulfilling life. If you are a goal-oriented person this post is for you to use to refine your goals to set yourself up for success!
Here are some examples of how to improve health and wellness goals:
- If your goal is: “Eating a Healthy Diet”, consider getting more specific and gentle and try “I will have one home cooked meal on weekdays for the month of January” or “I will add leafy greens to my lunch and dinner during the week”. This gives you the flexibility to account for the unexpected that is sure to come up and an understanding that you may refine as needed for the following month.
- If your goal is: “Getting Regular Exercise”, consider specifying and scheduling the activity you’d like to engage in. If you are interested in strength training, set a designated day and time. I like to work with a personal trainer when building strength. They help me build muscle in a safe and sustainable way (and it will get me out of bed in the morning knowing I’m being held accountable, because I am NOT a morning person).
- If your goal is: “Creating a Morning Routine You Love”, consider focusing on one new aspect of the routine each week. Perhaps week one the focus is waking up at a certain time. Week two, the focus could be eating breakfast within an hour of waking. Week three could have crossover with a exercise goal and be going for a walk at 9am.
- If your goal is: “Making Time for Self-Care”, consider setting a self-care budget for the month and decide what you’d like to do and when to eliminate the stress or guilt that can occur when we aren’t used to pampering ourselves. Perhaps treating yourself to a massage one weekend and a cozy spa night at home can be creative ways to enjoy self-care within any budget.
- If your goal is: “Getting More Zzzs”, consider treating this with the same principles of the morning routine and focus on one new thing a week, like going to bed at the same time, followed by reading a book in bed with a cup of tea (bonus points for adding in a little magnesium), and so on. It is my personal belief that good quality restorative sleep is critical for scoliosis patients. Getting the quality of sleep we need can be a positive result of the other focus areas of physical activity and proper nutrition. You may notice that any improvement in those other areas may positively impact this one as well.
I love the diverse nature of health and wellness goals, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional well-being, as well as lifestyle habits. Setting specific, realistic, and measurable goals is helpful when improving our health and more importantly, they help us build trust and confidence within ourselves.
My warmest of wishes to you as you welcome in this new year. May it be full of blessings and hope.
