When choosing your resolutions this year, it is important to take the necessary steps listed below so that you choose a  goal that is meaningful to you that will change your life for the better.  If you want to stick to your resolutions, you have to prepare and take the necessary steps needed to succeed!  We know you can do it! 

For example, adding more movement and exercise to your routine has numerous benefits, such as improving your mood, combating health conditions and diseases, increasing your energy levels, controlling your weight, and promoting better sleep to name a few. If you’re having trouble getting started, start with “Exercise More” or “Move More.” From there, you need to be sure you set a specific resolution that fits you and your lifestyle. So what are you waiting for? Dive into these 5 tips and start developing the best resolutions for YOU.

Take the time to really break down the parts of your life you want to improve on and narrow in on something you can be sure to achieve with a little hard work and dedication.  Self-care and self-development are crucial to your happiness and health.  There is a Japanese philosophy called Kaizen that means “continuous improvement.”  Adopt this philosophy and apply it to your life.

Self-Awareness is also key to your self-development.  Ask for honest feedback from your family, friends, and/or co-workers.  Listen without feeling defensive.  Accept the feedback and analyze what you hear.  Do certain words keep repeating?  Does the feedback resonate with feelings you have also had?  If so, take a moment to think about a resolution that you can apply to those areas of your life.  

For example, when I did this activity I found that I don’t always communicate efficiently.  I used the feedback to work on being more concise with my directions or feelings and not using fluff words that can distract from my meaning.  As a result, I am able to save time at work when delegating tasks and also limit feelings of confusion and frustration.   

How can these goals impact your life and change it for the better?  When you take the time to reflect on your goals and understand how they can make a positive difference in your life, you will be more likely to follow through on them when the time comes.

Exercise More | Lose Weight | Get Organized | Learn A New Hobby or Skill | Save Money/Spend Less

Travel More | Reduce Stress | Get More Sleep | Read More | Spend More Time with Family and Friends

Do any of these sound familiar? They should. These are the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions. While these are all great things to resolve to focus on or improve, don’t choose a resolution because your friends or society deem it important, choose one that is meaningful to you.  Something that sparks joy when you think about it.  Something that you know will change your life for the better.

Once you have chosen a resolution, write it down using the SMART Goal format.  SMART stands for:

• • Specific: I want to be healthy >>>narrow down to >>> I want to eat more fruits and vegetables each day
  • Measurable: I will eat 2 fruit and 3 vegetable servings per day
  • Attainable: I will go grocery shopping every Sunday and prep my fruits and veggies for the week so I will be prepared and it will allow for less excuses. 
  • Relevant: This is important to ME because I need to improve my BMI so that I can be healthier for me and my family.
  • Time-Sensitive: I will begin my resolution January 1st and will continue with my goal throughout the year.  On March 1st, I will check my BMI again and see that I am making progress.  If I am not, I will make the necessary changes in order to achieve my goal.

Find a person that will support you and keep you focused on your goal or goals.  Checking in with someone each week will help you stay on course and keep you accountable.  My sister and I check in weekly with each other to see if we are keeping up with our weekly exercise goals.  If one of us needs motivation, we send a text or call the other one and ask for encouragement.  We tell each other to get up and do something, even if it is only for 15 minutes- it is better than nothing.  And 9 times out of 10, I end up doing more once I get started because it feels great!  Exercising is a powerful mood booster!  It really can turn your day around, maybe even your year 😉

If you are looking to implement more movement and exercise into your life, reach out to our office and set up an appointment with us.  Physical therapists are movement specialists who can help you create a safe and effective exercise program that can help you achieve your goals and keep your body strong.  We now have physical therapists who specialize in Functional Movement Screens.  The Functional Movement Screen or FMS is a standardized movement screen that tests seven fundamental movement patterns that are key to identifying your functional movement quality. The process provides a reliable baseline for actionable and effective steps to improve your performance and recovery. Physical therapists trained in the Functional Movement System are specially trained to find dysfunctional movement patterns that could cause future harm.