A new year is often seen as a fresh start and a great time to make resolutions or set goals toward achieving things that are important to us.  Our friend Jaclyn @jaclynmonaco_coach shares her Top 5 Tips to start the new year off on the right foot and work towards the goal of a healthy, active lifestyle. They are simple ways to help us all Live Deliciously®!

When January rolls around, I’m sure we are all used to hearing the question “What are your New Year’s resolutions?” For some, the fresh new year feels like the perfect time to reset or set intentions for how they want to live their best lives. 

As a Life Coach and Nutrition & Wellness Coach, I get asked all the time about how to make changes in our lives. I hear the challenges and the disappointment when people feel defeated if they can’t stick to resolutions. Now that we are a few weeks into the year, some goals may have fallen by the wayside so I’m here to help you reconnect to what you define as Live Deliciously®. To start, I suggest giving yourself some grace and stopping focusing on “change”. That word scares people. It can seem to translate to becoming different or losing something. Who wants that? Let’s focus on improving your perspective, setting achievable goals, and going after what is important to you. What if we decided just to be or do better – every single day?  Start with little steps towards achieving goals that help you feel as though you are living a healthy life. 

It’s easy to want to do better! Eat better, sleep better, communicate better, love better, respond better, and just live better! Do any of those things make you feel scared or fearful? More likely, they make you feel hopeful and motivated.  I’ve put together some easy-to-follow tips to help you achieve your goals.

SIMPLE TIPS TO START THE NEW YEAR –

Goal setting is a great way to start your year off on a positive note.  That said, the best advice I can give you is not to compare your goals – life, family, body, relationships, etc. – with others. Theirs are not yours and yours are not theirs. This is by far the most important tip – make sure that you are choosing things that are important to you. Here are some of my favorite tips to set goals & ways to ensure a healthy, balanced life:

  1. Sit quietly & reflect on what you do good already and be proud of that! Decide what areas of your life you want to do better. I suggest having paper and a pen handy, it’s best to scribble these things down.
  2. Know that food can be medicine so start by adding in 1 simple serving of fruit or vegetables per day. Choose fresh, greenhouse grown fruits and veggies that are nutrient-rich and available year-round! Meaning that even though it’s January, you can have fresh, delicious produce. Once you realize how easy and delicious healthy food can be, you’ll be adding more to your plate!
  3. Rest your mind by reducing the external stimulation we get from the news, silly tv shows, and watching others live through their social media accounts. Instead of sitting or scrolling, why not try to incorporate a walk through the neighborhood once a week? Attempt shutting down a minimum of 2 hrs before bed, this includes checking your emails.
  4. Stay hydrated! You would be surprised how much this can make a difference in your daily energy levels.  Don’t like to drink water? Include snacks like cucumbers that are 95% water which can help keep you hydrated.  If you are looking to achieve a healthier weight, sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger!
  5. Create a bedtime routine. Get new pj’s or a fluffy new blanket if that helps. I love to listen to a guided sleep meditation to put me to rest.  A good night’s sleep will help you be ready for the next day ahead!

START SMALL TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT –

As philosopher Lao Tzu has said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Any growth or change doesn’t happen overnight so make sure you set realistic expectations when you set your goals to do things better.  Another great tip is to be more present with yourself! I hear everyone talking about wanting to be more present with kids, family, friends, and at work…but it starts with you. Are you present for what you need?

Start with small steps and hopefully these five tips all fall together and help you achieve your goals.  Once you start doing these steps regularly, you will find it becomes a way of life. Instead of making “changes” and getting rid of all the bad or wrong we have been made to focus on, let’s start with adding in more feel-good habits!

All the best in 2023 and stay tuned for more to come where we dive deeper into topics to help you and your family Live Deliciously®!

~ Jaclyn