New Year's resolutions are not overrated

Lately, New Year’s resolutions have become labeled as dorky. Or some people just don’t even try to make resolutions because they know that they’ll give them up faster than the time it took for them to come up with them. But what’s wrong with setting goals? Coming up with resolutions just shows that you’re open for improvement. It shows that you want to change for the better. There’s nothing dorky about that at all. I want to encourage you to make a goal or a whole list of goals. It can be something as simple as flossing everyday or something more elaborate like running a marathon. 

Make some short term goals

Sometimes, making resolutions can be overwhelming because your list consists of items like learn "10 new languages" or "defy the laws of gravity…two times". But it’s okay to set goals that you can accomplish in a month. They can be things like “do 10 push-ups in a row” or “finish a whole book”. 

Remind yourself of your goals

Try keeping your list of resolutions somewhere in your room or on your computer desktop. These resolutions are for the year of 2014, not just the first week. Seeing your goals everyday will remind you what you want to accomplish. 

Go out and actually accomplish your goals

Lots of us set goals but end up forgetting them halfway through January. We give up because we’d rather just take the easy route and go back to our bad habits and sedentary day-to-day patterns. We hardly make an effort to go through with our goals. What’s the point of setting goals if you don’t physically try to accomplish them? Don’t second guess yourself or talk yourself out of your resolutions. Don’t overthink it. Set goals and work hard to accomplish them. Then when December 31st comes around, you can celebrate the many things you were able to achieve throughout the year. 

Here are some goals that anyone can strive for. They are free and make a great impact on your health.

Drink more water

I cannot stress enough how important drinking water is for your health. It is recommended everyone drink at least 8 cups of water everyday, but go ahead and drink more if you want. If you don't like drinking plain water all of the time feel free to mix it up and try making your own lemonade and teas, and I don't mean powdered lemonade! Stay hydrated people!

Get more sleep

This is yet another important thing all of us need. I love sleeping. We should aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, but there’s nothing wrong with getting more. Sleep allows our bodies to rest and recover from our day activities. I find that turning off my electronics and reading a few minutes before bed helps me fall asleep pretty quickly. 

Exercise

The word exercise can make some people cringe. They start imagining endless hours of cardio on a treadmill or elliptical. Exercise doesn’t need to be that way. Just get outside and start moving. You can take a walk around the block, play frisbee, go for a jog, or even ride your bike. The possibilities are endless. Exercise doesn’t have to be a boring routine. Make it enjoyable. 

I hope this post has been helpful for you and it has motivated you to make some goals and stick to them. I wish you a happy 2014! (and 2015….and 2016…etc…)

~Amanda