New year, new me, or so the saying goes. In reality, changing your entire lifestyle with the start of the new year – despite being a time for hope and positivity – is oftentimes a lot harder than it seems. The truth is, your resolutions needn’t make wholesale changes to your lifestyle, and are usually far better off being gradual changes which are easier to stay committed to. Whether your resolutions lasted a day or are still going strong, it’s never too late to make a positive change to your lifestyle. So, without further ado, here are some of the most effective and achievable resolutions that can help you live better in 2022.
New year physical fitness
Trying (in vain) not to sound like a broken record, there are few things more effective for your general wellbeing and quality of life than exercise and the outdoors. If you’ve not already seen our slightly more in-depth guide to fitness, feel free to have a look. If not, lets talk about how small steps towards a more physically active lifestyle can often be better for you than throwing yourself in at the deep end.
Now, this might sound counter-productive, but it’s important to recognise that our bodies function similarly to machines. What I mean by this is that you have to know your own limits before you can start getting into higher-intensity exercise regimes. As always, our bodies are all different and should be treated as such: whether you’re a fitness novice, or more athletic, it’s just as important to know when to stop as it is to motivate yourself to start.
For those of you who aren’t keen on hitting the gym straight off the bat, starting to exercise from home can be a great first step towards your ideal fitness goal. One of the simplest ways you can work this into your lifestyle is walking. By making the effort to go up and down your stairs that extra few times each day, walking to the end of your street and back, or even walking to your local shop instead of taking the car or public transport, you’ll be making constant gradual progress towards your strength, flexibility and fitness in a way which is far less strenuous than your average workout.
Making the most of your mental health
Shifting focus away from exercise and fitness, mental health is a topic which has traditionally been viewed as being slightly taboo and has often flown under the radar. Accepting that it is not, and recognising that your brain needs regular exercise just like any other part of your body, is key to living a happier and healthier life. That’s not to say your brain needs to run a marathon on the treadmill – far from it – it just means that regular mental challenges are invaluable ways to keep your cognitive functions in good nick.
There are a number of ways you can do this, for relatively low effort; from brain teasers to setting weekly or monthly reading goals, these activities can benefit memory, mood and mental awareness. Our app is a treasure trove for brain training and puzzle-based games and will give you access to resources to help you keep your mind sharp without it feeling like a chore.
For the more practical minded among you, teaching yourself a new skill or language can be just as good – if not better – at keeping you mentally sharp. We provide access to those too!
Steps towards a more sociable lifestyle
Now, while New Year resolutions may seem like a bit of a chore, not all of them need be so tedious. Making small social changes this year can have massive benefits on your motivation, mood, and overall energy throughout the days. Whether you’re feeling a little lost in retirement or simply want to fend off the January blues, one of the best options for improve your quality of life is to have a look at and join one or two of your local community groups.
Joining a local book club, volunteering at a nearby animal shelter or committing to regular charity work are just a handful of ways you can push yourself to socialise with a friendly and supportive communities of like-minded people. Not only are these opportunities easy to get involved with, but they can also help to give us a real sense of purpose and responsibility without coming under the pressure of a professional job.
By the same merit, reaching out to others who may be in the same boat is a help not only to your own social life, but to theirs’ too. Whether that somebody is isolated from their friends and family, have been suffering through a rough time recently, or are just aren’t quite ready to make the same step for themselves, making the effort to have a little chat every now and then can do you both a world of good. The most important thing to remember with any of your resolutions though is to, once again, start small and make achievable changes which you can genuinely stick to.
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If you enjoyed New Year resolutions: One month in!, you’ll find more simple tips for healthy lifestyle changes for older people on our blog.
Writer and editor with 20 years experience in digital and print media. Tip-toeing into the next stage of life with grown-up kids and the opportunity to do something new.
