Welcome, 2023! 🎉
Chances are you have set New Year’s resolutions before. We have! But over the years we have come to realize that setting big resolutions for a new year may not be the most effective way to implement changes into your life. We’re not saying making resolutions is completely ineffective or wrong. Resolutions may work for some people and you may be one of those people! We have each found, for us, that resolutions end up making us feel unsuccessful and defeated a few weeks into a new year. Who wants that? We believe in a more sustainable, realistic approach to making lasting lifestyle changes.
You’ll hear us say it over and over again: we believe in balance. We also strongly believe in small shifts over time to truly make lasting changes. It is the little habits, put into action over time, that truly add up to great wellness gains. Some examples of these little habits include:
drinking a glass of warm lemon water upon waking in the morning
eating a salad/non-starchy vegetable to the beginning of a meal to help balance blood sugar
switching from a refined sweetener to a natural sweetener (like honey) in your tea/coffee
incorporating a healthier cooking fat into your meal preparation and phasing out cooking with vegetable oil, canola oil and other refined oils
adding a pinch of sea salt to a glass of water for added minerals
taking a walk several times a week
practicing deep breathing sessions once or twice a day
listening to your body’s cues and feeding your body when it is hungry
introducing one or two strength training sessions a week to your exercise routine
sitting to eat your meals
going to bed thirty minutes earlier to prioritize your rest
…and the list can go on! As you can see, each of these is a small lifestyle shift. If you pick one to start with and work on it until it becomes a habit, you can then layer on another healthy shift. You can see how this method would be more effective in implementing change over time than a huge sweeping resolution (“No more coffee!”, “I’m only eating vegetables and protein!” “No more snacks!”). Christina and I will continue to layer on our own nutrition and lifestyle shifts in 2023 based on what we learn and what we see that our individual bodies each need. We are each a work in progress and our needs shift over time.
We want to hear from you! What small (but impactful) lifestyle shifts do you hope to layer on over the course of 2023? If you’d like support and accountability with making these positive lifestyle shifts, please reach out to Cornerstone in 2023. We would love to walk alongside you in your wellness journey!