As we enter into the third month of 2019, how are you doing with your resolutions? Have you been able to maintain progress towards your goal aka resolution? Maybe it needs some alteration, maybe you have already achieved your goal. Now is a time to evaluate your progress and whether you still want to complete your resolution. In order to keep making progress, you may want to challenge yourself.
Challenging yourself through new tasks, new goals, or new activities helps the brain and body stay sharp. If your resolution was about being fit but not in a specific way, challenge yourself by setting some goals. With exercise, one can hit a plateau by doing the same exercise repeatedly. Mix it up with new exercises and see if that shifts you off of the plateau. Have you ever wanted to run a 5k, 10k, or even a marathon? Do you want to attend yoga 3 times per week? Want to join a local adult sports team? These are some examples of how you can take your resolution and challenge yourself to do more.
Resolutions regarding self-care may need a challenge as well. Did you stop reading for 30 minutes every night before bed or stop taking those bubble baths? Now is the time to challenge yourself to fit YOU into each day. Challenge yourself to find a new activity that would allow for self-care, maybe learn a new hobby or go see a movie twice a month. Self-care is important for your mental and physical well-being. Think of being on an airplane: put your mask on first before assisting others. If you don’t take care of you, you won’t be able to take care of others as much as you would like to.
It is time to March into a new challenge either by altering, adding to, or creating resolutions for 2019. Find a way to challenge yourself, your body and mind will thank you.
Michelle A. Culver, LMFT
