Studies show that approximately 80% of resolutions fail, so instead of making a New Year’s resolution, I challenge you to take part in my Wellness Challenge for the next 31 days!
Over the next month, I’ll post a daily challenge on Instagram and Facebook that will encourage you to do something good for your body or mind. Some of the challenges may be things you already do, while others may encourage you to try something new, but all of the challenges are healthy practices that are designed to boost your overall wellness.
Here are the challenges for this week.
January 1: Pick your word of the year (WOTY).
Your word of the year is going to be how you want to FEEL in 2023. Choose a word that motivates you to make healthier decisions in all types of situations – diet, fitness, mental health, relationships, and anything else that comes along the way.
Here are some tips on how to choose:
- On a piece of paper, write down ALL the words of how you want to feel in 2023.
- Take a deep breath and study the words you wrote.
- Pick the one that best embodies how you want to feel AND resonates with you.
- Write down your WOTY and think about it whenever you need a guiding light.
January 2: Walk for 30 minutes today.
In just 30 minutes, you can:
- Increase cardiovascular fitness
- Boost muscle power and endurance
- Reduce excess body fat
- Strengthen bones
January 3: Find a book to read for leisure.
Get ready to sail into someone else’s world in any book of your choice. The benefits of reading are:
- Stress reduction due to increasing enjoyment and relaxation
- Boosting brain and cognitive development
- Increasing concentration, vocabulary, reading, and writing skills
- Improving working memory
January 4: Eat 1-2 servings of vegetables with each meal.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating at least five servings of non-starchy vegetables and fruit daily. Let’s do that today! One serving of vegetables is as follows:
- 1 cup of raw vegetables
- ½ cup of cooked vegetables
- ½ cup of vegetable juice (from a fresh vegetable using an in-home juicer or at your local juice bar)
January 5: Write down five things you’re grateful for.
Practicing gratitude helps us to think positively. It can strengthen connections with others because we notice and appreciate them more. Additionally, gratitude journaling is believed to boost well-being. Here are some prompts to help you get started:
- What person/people are you grateful for? (Family, colleagues, etc.)
- What things are you grateful for? (Home, sentimental items, nature, etc.)
- What places are you grateful for? (Beach, mountains, favorite gym, cozy couch, etc.)
- What feelings are you grateful for? (Joy, calmness, passion, curiosity, etc.)
January 6: Schedule wellness doctor and dentist checkups.
You may be feeling great, but it’s still important to check in with your trusted healthcare professionals each year (twice, if it’s the dentist!)
- Annual wellness exams can help to ensure that you don’t have risk factors or haven’t developed signs for diseases that are more easily treatable if detected early on.
January 7: Try a new exercise class.
Trying a new exercise class is great for your body – physically and mentally. A new exercise class can help:
- Break through a weight loss plateau
- Build new muscles that you don’t use during your typical workouts
- Prevent overuse injuries from your same routine
- Beat workout boredom
- Keep your brain sharp / prevent memory loss from learning a new skill
January 8: Take a relaxing bath or shower.
Many of us take our daily showers or bath for granted. Today, take a bath or shower with the intention to relax. A bath is more optimal, but a shower will do if you’re pressed for time. Optimally, do this before bedtime to increase the quality of your sleep.
- Submerging in soothing water can:
- Reduce levels of anxiety and stress
- Calm the nervous system
- Reduce pain or inflammation
- Improve your mood
Check my blog next week for more challenges!
You’ve got this!