January 1st.
When you see that date on the calendar, do you feel a sense of excitement about the limitless possibilities? Or do you feel a pit in your stomach remembering the weight loss goal you set last year that you ignored?
No matter what happened over this past year, it’s time to start fresh. There is no better time than New Years to reflect on where you are and start to set new intentions to become the person you want to be.
So where do you even start when it comes to setting new goals? You want your relationships with your family and friends to grow. But you also want to run that marathon in Big Sur that’s on your bucket list. Oh and don’t forget, you heard that podcast about mindfulness and want that to be part of your routine. And it would be great to finally get that promotion at work. The list goes on and on…
In our fast-paced world, it becomes easy to get caught up in the chaos of wanting to be perfect in every area of life. But what may be a more worthwhile pursuit is taking the time to figure out what balanced health and wellness looks like to you.
What creates holistic wellness?
While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, there are key elements that influence your overall well-being. Let’s explore some of these areas to figure out which ones you may want to focus on this upcoming year.
Physical Wellness
Now I know I don’t have to tell you why moving your body is important. But what you may not know is that prioritizing your wellness in the form of exercise has been demonstrated by the research to not only improve your physical health, but it also improves your mental health and overall quality of life. So whether it be signing up for that physical therapy consult to get rid of a nagging injury so you can move more or improving your flexibility with weekly yoga, taking steps towards better physical health will lead you to better all-around wellness.
Mental Wellness
This aspect of wellness highlights the need for you to take care of your thoughts. This could take the form of practicing regular meditation or participating in a yoga class that incorporates elements of mindfulness. In other cases, you may need to pursue counseling to let someone teach you techniques for taking back control of your thoughts and mental health.
Social Wellness
I think we can all attest to the importance of social wellness after experiencing quarantine. If you’re like me, I realized I can only have the same conversations with my boyfriend so many times before I start to want to pull my hair out. Developing meaningful relationships in life helps keep us grounded and enriches all of our life experiences.
Professional Wellness
It can be so easy to get caught up in the 9-5 hustle and live without intention if you don’t take the time to focus on work that is purposeful to you. Because our careers take up so much of our time, it is important that we are continuously re-evaluating our work and pursuing personal growth in our work environment.
Try this journaling prompt to create New Year intentions
Choose three of these areas in your life that you want to focus on in 2022. Take time to be intentional and choose the three that are the most meaningful to you.
In each of these categories, I want you to write out a goal. Now this goal needs to be specific. For example, you would not want to say “I want to do more yoga.” Instead, you may write, “I will go to 2 yoga classes each week” or “I will practice yoga for 20 minutes daily”. The more specific you get, the better.
Now that you have three goals written down, you can’t forget this important last step. You need to share these goals with a family member or friend. When you share your goals with others, this adds in a layer of accountability that sets you up for success.
Want more guidance?
If you’re looking for that extra layer of accountability and could use more guidance on how to achieve your physical health related New Year intentions, reach out to the Balanced By Katie Team today.
Our mobile physical therapy services can come and work with you in the comfort of your home in San Clemente, Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach, or Carlsbad California.
The time to find balance and work towards a better you is now. But you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to help you enter the New Year as a better, balanced you!