New Year, New You?

Around this time of year, there is plenty of talk about making resolutions, setting goals and launching into the New Year with a new perspective and determination to make this one the healthiest yet. What do you want to do? Lose 25 pounds? Eat fewer sweets? Hike a mountain? Run a marathon?

Of course it is good to think about where you are headed and what you want to accomplish. Making plans makes it more likely that you will get what you want. But sometimes, we get so busy looking ahead that we forget to look back.

I don’t mean looking back and getting mad at ourselves about all the things we haven’t done. That happens a lot around this time of the year as well. The problem with doing that is it can make you reluctant to make new goals. If you haven’t kept the promises you’ve made to yourself in the past, how are you going to do it now?

I think there is a better way. Rather than focusing on what you haven’t done, try focusing on what you have accomplished. It may seem at first that you haven’t done much, but you’ve probably done more right than you’ve realized. It’s a matter of taking the time to think about it.

Personally, I’m not prone to athletics. I have no desire to run a marathon or slam a tennis ball over a net. I do, however, care about my health. After being diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, I got serious about taking better care of myself. I started practicing yoga and going on long hikes. I even changed my eating habits. But like everyone else, I get busy and find it hard to find the time to do the things I know I should. This year, however, even when my schedule was just beyond full, I managed to do a 10 mile hike – my longest ever! – and I learned how to paddle board in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii – truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I may not have done yoga every day, but the days when I found the time – even if only 15 minutes – are the ones I focus on.

So before you start making a list of all the things you think you should be doing, stop and make a list of what you have done. Give yourself the credit you deserve. This will give you a solid platform for planning your future.

–Melissa Dyrdahl, Ella Health Chief Executive