Resolutions: New Year starts TODAY

Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Tracey McGrath

I know a lot of us plan to make resolutions in the new year.  I’m guilty of this too. But why are we waiting, really?  It always seems like a good idea to enjoy the holidays (basically we mean stuffing our face with too much food that we know isn’t great for us) and then we’ll start making healthy choices. 

But starting resolutions for the new year TODAY could change your life right now! 

Starting is sometimes the hardest part. But remember EVERYONE starts at zero. You can’t get to where you want to be until you begin. It may be uncomfortable at times and challenging. But you can achieve whatever you want.

Figure out where you’d like to focus.

Resolutions for the new year can be daunting. But by creating a list of specific outcomes or goals you’d like to achieve you give yourself the gift of focus. With a focused goal, you have the opportunity to create doable steps to achieve what you want. Check out my article on Healthiest Habits: How to Create Yours in 10 Simple Steps for more!

Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write down things you’d like to GET HEALTHIER in your life. 

Do you want to start eating organic foods?  Do you want to increase your servings of vegetables and fruits? Or only eat grass-fed beef? Try a food delivery service with high-quality ingredients like Marley Spoon.

Start exercising?  Check out my article on how to jumpstart an exercise routine.

Be more mindful? Read more about mindfulness in my article What Mindfulness Is? Here’s a FREE mindfulness daily journal to get started.

Do you want to start a meditation practice?  Learn more about meditation in my article the Benefits of Meditation. And try a FREE guided visualization meditation! Get a meditation cushion so you’re set up for your practice.

Learn something new? Try out my mindful art activities to reduce stress and cultivate inner peace. You can learn more in my article What is Mindful Art.

Start taking vitamins or probiotics? Check out Just Thrive for high-quality probiotics that actually work!

Want to start cooking? You may need to actually buy cookware. Misen makes incredible non-stick cookware. It is so easy to clean and cooks food beautifully plus their non-stick is non-toxic too!

WRITE IT DOWN whatever it is. Don’t get hung up on the HOW right now. You’re just coming up with possible new behaviors you would like to create.

Pick One Thing to Focus On

Just write down whatever comes to mind.  Then pick ONE. 

Yes, just one. 

Pick the one that seems the easiest for you. It’s ok for things to be easy. This is a new behavior or habit that you want to create. You most likely have plenty of reasons why you haven’t already started this new behavior. As humans, we sometimes resist change because we see it as a threat. So by choosing something easy you’re setting yourself up for success.   

Choose an Outcome

Then choose a realistic outcome for that new activity.  Do you want to eat more vegetables? How many? At every meal? Every day? Remember to choose easy. If you choose to eat more fruits and vegetables and are currently eating only one per day, then increasing to just 2 servings per day is realistic.

Taking small, baby steps in the direction you want to go may seem like it will take longer. But it’s actually more likely to get you where you want to go. You’re more likely to follow through on small steps than big leaps. In BJ Fogg’s amazing book, “Tiny Habits,” he emphasizes that tiny habits help you maintain the behavior.

If you want to start exercising, then choose an amount of time that seems really doable.  Not what you think should feel doable.  Does 15 minutes seem like too much to fit into your day?  Then try 10 minutes or 5 or even 3 minutes!  Just choose a time and see how it feels. Martha Beck recommends in her book, “Finding Your Own North Star,” to keep reducing until you hear yourself say, “I could do that easy.”

Visualize Success

Visualize yourself doing the behavior just as if it’s really happening. This is a common activity of many successful athletes to help ensure success in a competition. It improves self-confidence, motor skills, and decreases anxiety. Close your eyes and even if just for a few seconds imagine yourself doing the new behavior. See yourself flossing your teeth. See yourself running through your neighborhood. See yourself cooking a meal with lots of vegetables and eating it joyfully.

Your brain actually tells you a story about what you see in the real world. So your perception of reality is always skewed. This is why visualization can work. The more you do it the more likely you are to start believing that it’s true. Your brain will find more information to back up the visualization. This is referred to as the confirmation bias. Your brain finds data to support the new you.

“Everything you can imagine is real.”

–Pablo Picasso

Get Started

Now you have your new chosen behavior that you want to start. And it feels easy for you. And you have seen yourself doing the behavior.

Just start.

No. Not tomorrow. Right now. Whatever the behavior. Make the most simplified version of it and do it right now. Like BJ Fogg’s example in his book, “Tiny Habits,” start by flossing just one tooth. Yes, just one. You want to exercise more. Do one jumping jack or push up. Just one but do it now. This instant success will give you the confidence to continue the behavior. Want to meditate? Take one long deep breath. That’s it. You did it! Now do it again tomorrow.

Resolutions for the new year don’t need to wait. You can start right here and now. Today is the best time to begin.

Eating Healthier Made Easier

If you choose to eat all organic foods, don’t throw out all of your nonorganic foods just yet! Choose one type of food and start there.  Next time you go to the grocery look for the organic section of apples and only buy organic. A great resource is the EWG’s Dirty dozen and Clean fifteen lists here. These lists provide you with valuable information on which foods are best to buy organic and which ones are okay to eat non-organic.   

Choosing to eat organic and healthy can be overwhelming. And sometimes it can definitely be an extra cost.  However, the long-term benefits do outweigh the cost.  You either pay for your health now or you pay for it later. 

And choosing to eat healthier foods now can help you feel better and have more energy TODAY! You don’t need to wait for resolutions in the new year. And you potentially avoid the cost of expensive medications later in life.  

Amazing companies like Thrive Market make buying organic and healthy foods easier and more affordable than ever.  They offer curated products and a membership service. So you don’t have to think about the quality of the products. The products are delivered right to your door. You don’t need to worry about running out of healthy options because you’ll always have them on hand.  

Check out all they have to offer at Thrive Market here and start your healthy eating habits TODAY! 

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.