How to make your resolutions ‘stick’

You’ve probably thought about it for weeks. You know it’s coming up real quick, but are you ready to make the big decisions… and the even bigger commitments?

After the holidays, you will probably be asked by those close to you, “What are your New Year’s Resolutions?” Most people will answer with at least one of these top 5 New Year’s resolutions:

1. Lose weight
2. Get organized
3. Spend less, save more
4. Enjoy life to the fullest
5. Stay fit and healthy

Instead, might I suggest just one New Year’s resolution this year: Choose health?

When you choose health everything comes together… You will balance your weight. With balanced emotions, thoughts and eating and lifestyle habits, you will be clear and focused to get organized and be successful at whatever you choose to do…

Those things make you happier and better able to resist imbalanced spending. Then you’re set to start enjoying life to the fullest… laughing and playing more as part of your new and balanced life. And of course, you will be fit and healthy, by choice.

So you get all five, with one clear choice! And once you are on this path for 30 days you’ll be part of an elite group — the scant eight percent of people who actually stick to their resolutions. For that reason alone, you’ll have a better chance at success, not just for the rest of the year, but for the rest of your life. Just by following the pattern that you have created for yourself.

Sound too easy? Maybe it really is just that easy. But if you need nudging to stick to it, consider hiring a health coach or functional medicine practitioner to assist you in creating the perfect balance for new lifestyle habits — a Personalized Health Management Plan (PHMP).

The choice is yours

The central theme of functional medicine is reversing chronic illness by creating balance in your eating and lifestyle habits. How can you know if your current lifestyle is unbalanced? Ask yourself this question:

Do you experience, each day of your life . . .

1. 5 – 9 hours of continuous, restful sleep per night?
2. Upon waking (without an alarm – or before it goes off), do you feel refreshed, energetic, ready to create your dreams?
3. Does your energy last throughout the day, without sleepiness, fatigue or exhaustion?
4. Are your thoughts clear? Able to focus for hours at a time on your designs?
5. Are your emotions calm and balanced? Do you find it easy to gain the cooperation of others in bringing about your objectives?
6. Do you have a healthy, consistent exercise plan? Do you feel increased energy throughout the day after your work-out? (No soreness, fatigue, exhaustion?)
7. Do you have a healthy sex drive? And are you able to fulfill that drive with your partner?
8. Are you experiencing any signs or symptoms of imbalanced health, such as:

• • Digestive discomfort (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, pain)
  • Fatigue
  • Excess Weight
  • Poor sleep
  • Mood Imbalances
  • Brain Fog
  • Stress
  • Low Libido
  • Chronic Pain
  • Allergies or Asthma
  • Skin Rashes (Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne, discolorations, dark spots, etc)

If you answered “no” to most of the elements of this question, your health is out of balance. But you’re not alone.

Most people continue on this path. That’s because mainstream medicine sees drugs as the antidote for each and every symptom of imbalance. But meds just mask your symptoms in the short term, while your condition may actually worsen in the long-term. Take depression for example…

More than 41 million Americans take prescription antidepressants. But at least half of these people don’t respond to antidepressant drugs and many others muddle through with nagging side effects. That means millions of Americans are still suffering and searching for a better solution. There’s a better answer…

The power of positive change

Making your own Personalized Health Management Plan can be easy with a little help.  Below are my suggestions for starting the New Year with your best foot forward:

• Think positively; elicit loving, supportive responses from others
• Start small, see what works, make course corrections
• Stay connected with nature
• Laughter – 7 min a day
• Choose good nutrition; plan meals for week; prepare ahead of time
• Detoxify your body and home
• Replace crash diets with consistent healthy cuisine
• Be open to learning and creativity
• Hydrate
• Enjoy eating with others; without distractions (work, electronics)
• Serve others
• Sleep
• Meditate — it works according to Harvard!
• Enjoy daily exercise

Decide today to let things go that don’t work for your health. Choose your New Year’s resolution and make a plan that works for you. Modify it as you learn from experience. Gain the support of at least one other person in your plan. But most of all have fun with this; it’s your own creation!