To Your Health November, 2021 (Vol. 15, Issue 11)

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Are You Ready to Make Your Pre-New Year's Resolutions?

By Editorial Staff

If you've grown accustomed to making New Year's Resolutions on Dec. 31st and then watching each one wilt and fade away, slowly but surely, you're definitely not alone. Making resolutions is easy; accomplishing what you've resolved to do in the new year; now that's another thing altogether.

Perhaps part of the problem is that you're setting yourself up for failure. After all, the best resolutions aren't made on the last day of the year after a month or so of breaking your rules; they're 365-day-a-year endeavors that require 365-day-a-year planning and dedication. So sit down today and make pre-New Year's Resolutions that will help you not only survive, but thrive through the holiday season. Here are a few to get you started:

• Movement is life (no matter how busy you are). Don't vow to go back to the gym on Jan. 1. Vow now to stay at the gym, keep moving and keep pushing toward whatever fitness goal you may have, particularly since the holiday bustle and grind tend to mess with exercise schedules and motivation.
• Feed your soul. Speaking of bustle and grind, there's no doubt about one thing when it comes to the holidays: you'll be busy, and probably stressed to the point of mental or physical exhaustion. Too many things to do and too little time to do it; when did that become the definition of holiday season? Resolve today to pamper yourself while you're shopping for ways to pamper others; sometimes the best gift is the one you give yourself.
• Stop staring until you snap. What are you staring at? More likely than not, something you're craving at the holiday buffet table. You want it, you need it, you deserve it – so what are you waiting for? Instead of staring until you snap (and eat too much), enjoy a treat or two and recognize that health and wellness isn't about deprivation; it's about moderation.
• Nap time isn't just for kids. Rushing from party to party, wading through mall madness, coordinating family arrivals and sleeping arrangements; it can all add up quickly in your head. Holiday time also means later nights, longer hours and – you guessed it – less sleep. But you can gain back the lost hours by stealing an age-old secret your kids know: the power of a nap. Dedicate yourself to intermittent naps to rest, relax and restore.

Ready to get started? It's worth the time and effort. Make these and other pre-New Year's Resolutions today and maybe you won't need to make so many (or any) resolutions at year's end. It's all about resolving to succeed right here, right now.