Try these suggestions to get started on your wellness journey—and stay healthy throughout the year.
- Check in with your doctor. Your primary care doctor can help you figure out which goals to start with and confirm they are healthy and realistic.
- When you set your goals, think SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
- Define your purpose. Ask yourself why you chose this goal. Identifying what’s most important to you will provide motivation.
- Make it fun. If your goal is to improve your cardiovascular health,
sign up for salsa lessons or take walks with your favorite podcast.
- Start small. Pick one small behavioral change and practice that activity until it becomes part of your routine.
- Be realistic about what you can achieve. This will improve the likelihood that you’ll stick with your goal.
- Track your progress—and be honest with yourself. Acknowledging setbacks can help you figure out what you can do to improve.
- Be nice to yourself. If you do slip up, don’t let it bring you down or derail your progress. Change is about small habits adding up over time.
- Challenge yourself. This will encourage you to be better than you were yesterday, but don’t overdo it.
- Stay patient. Avoid the dreaded “yo-yo” effect and develop long-term healthy habits instead.