Transform your health in the year ahead with these three resolutions

Every new year, many of us make resolutions to do and be better… only to find ourselves ditching them before January is out!

Last year, 54% of the UK population intended to go into 2022 with a resolution, with one quarter of the UK focusing on health as they approached the new year.

And what about you this year? Have you made a resolution yet? As we discuss here, if you are genuinely determined to make changes this year, you are better off building new habits, rather than simply making resolutions.

So what kind of habits can you start building for the year ahead? If you want to feel better, you might want to set some broader resolutions about your health, and then explore the habits that can enable you to achieve that.

For example, you might resolve to have a healthier body this year. From this resolution you can decide what changes you need to make in order to be physically healthier. Can you find ways to be more active? To nourish your body with healthier food? Drink more water?

Once you have a resolution and a change of habit, you can then explore how you make it as easy as possible to adopt that new habit – and make it stick.

Can you buy a new water bottle to keep at work, to encourage you to drink at your desk? Can you start going for a walk around the block at lunchtime? The more easily your new habits fit into your life, the more likely you are to adopt and stick to them.

With this in mind, in this article we look at three healthy resolutions you may want to make for the year ahead, and some of the habits you can adopt as a result. We hope you find these inspiring and start making positive changes in your own life.

1) Resolve to have a healthier mind

If your resolution is to improve your mental wellbeing, here are some things you can try.

Learn something new

If you are looking to improve your concentration, brain health, and memory, then you might consider learning a new skill or language. This can range from deciding to learn French, to knitting, or how to play chess. There is no better time to start a new hobby than the new year, as you can get the benefit of feeling accomplished by sticking to your resolutions while also enjoying a new pass-time. 

Spend more time outdoors

You might also fancy spending more time outdoors to improve your mental health in the coming year. After a turbulent few years, and with some of us working from home, it is more important than ever to get out and enjoy some well-deserved time away.

This doesn’t just have to be holiday escapes, but it can be daily walks in your neighbourhood. Ecotherapy has been shown to be able to help mild to moderate levels of depression. 

This might also be a good time to embrace a digital detox, even just for an hour a day. Our mobile devices could be adding to our daily stresses and so by removing yourself from technology regularly, you might find you improve your sleep and mental health. 

2) Resolve to have a healthier body

If your resolution is to improve your physical health, here are some things you can try.

Embrace new flavours

This can be everything from trying a new hot beverage in the morning, like pumpkin coffee or Moroccan mint tea, to attempting to cook different cuisines from around the world. As with TikTokers such as @seemagetsbaked, you can try recreating a dish from each country to allow yourself to explore and embrace new flavours and different cultures from the comfort of your own kitchen. 

By exploring new cuisines from around the world, you can broaden your knowledge of other countries while also finding diets which work for you. Who says healthy must be tasteless? In fact, many cuisines, such as the Mediterranean diet, is good for your body – even helping your skin look better – all while being incredibly flavoursome. 

Move more

Another resolution you might add to your list is to move more. This resolution is less restrictive than “lose weight” or “eat healthy”, which many of us have tried and failed to maintain throughout the years. Instead, this resolution focuses on the small changes you can make to your daily life to help you live a more active lifestyle.

This can include swapping your sitting desk for a standing one or taking walks during your lunch break. You can even approach it as a way to find a new sport you enjoy, visiting the local leisure centre, and signing up for classes. Whatever level of movement you feel comfortable with, you can achieve. 

3) Resolve to have a healthier soul

If your resolution is to work on your soul this year, here are some things you can try.

Practice mindfulness

Revitalisation is key for maintaining a healthy soul. Being able to maintain calm in a world currently surrounded by chaos can benefit you significantly in all areas. In fact, mindfulness and stress reduction have benefits for your physical health too, including treating heart disease and chronic pain. Some ways to practise mindfulness might include:

  • Trying aromatherapy
  • Yoga
  • Daily journaling

Improve your sustainability

Another way to benefit your soul and those around you is to start caring for your environment. Improving your sustainability efforts could be a resolution you try which not only feels good, but it can also benefit your pocket.

With the current cost-of-living crisis and the rising energy bills, taking sustainable approaches to your daily lifestyle can help you save money – such as reducing the amount of water you use by showering for less time. Many adults might only need three to five minutes in the shower, but many of us take longer.  Reducing this time can save you on your water and gas bills. 

Find ways to build new habits into your daily life

Finding ways to incorporate healthy habits into your daily life can help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions. Understand how much you can do and know that this can fluctuate daily. Some days might be more active than others, but by trying, you can improve your mind, body, and soul across the coming year. 

Photo by engin akyurt