Wellness goals are always at the front of my mind when the new year begins. I’m a firm believer in the power of good health. When we take control of our mental and physical health, we are better prepared to take on the world. Taking care of yourself is the first step to living your best lives.
Wellness Goals are More Than Physical
When I refer to wellness, I don’t just mean the body. I also mean the mind. Mind and body wellness is how we ensure that we are healthy on all levels. The mind and body share a powerful connection, and when you take proper care of them both, you strengthen that connection and experience whole body health.
8 Goals for Better Mind and Body Wellness
As you look at your goals for the new year, I have 8 wellness goals that you can focus on to improve mind and body wellness. These 8 goals will help improve both physical and mental bring. Creating a comprehensive approach to improving health makes goals more attainable.
Get Outdoors
Getting out and about can help improve both your physical and mental state. Exploring the world around you awakens your curiosity, enlivens your senses and allows you to see things from a different point of view. Whether it’s the impressiveness of the skyscrapers in the city in which you live or the natural beauty of nature, getting outdoors helps to change your perspective.
Heading outdoors also improves physical well-being by increasing activity level.
Eat the Rainbow
I’m not talking about Skittles. Eating the rainbow simply means eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables every day. It’s important to include a plethora of anti-inflammatory foods too.
Colorful fruits and vegetables are packed with various vitamins, nutrients. The myriad of colors offer phytonutrients which are important for health and physical well-being. These foods also are great sources of fiber which help to improve gut health.
Consistency with Supplementation
Wellness goals should always include being consistent with your supplementation. Even the healthiest of eaters can easily become deficient in one vitamin or another. There are just so many sources of so many things out there that our bodies need.
Remember to take your multi-vitamin and supplements on a regular schedule so that you get exactly what your body needs every day. You can do this by setting a reminder on your phone and keeping supplements in a highly visible area.
Take a News Break
I always try to look at the positives in life. But if 2020 has done anything for me, it’s reinforced my belief that negativity can drastically impact our quality of life.
We all want to stay informed, but be careful that you’re not just constantly exposing yourself to an influx of disappointing, disheartening, and just plain bad news.
Don’t be afraid to give your mind and spirit a break by taking a news break from time to time. You can stay informed without tapping into the news 24-7.
Bedtime Routine
One of the best ways to promote mind and body wellness is setting a bedtime routine. Human bodies operate on an internal clock called a circadian rhythm. This rhythm is how your body knows when it’s time to shut down for the night and begin the process of restoration and repair through sleep.
Today’s modern lifestyle is directly at odds with this process, so it’s important to be mindful of your sleep health by setting a routine that will allow your bodies do what it needs to do.
Screen time is one of the biggest roadblocks to proper sleep. Specifically, blue light wreaks havoc on internal clocks. The action of scrolling, searching serve to amp you versus calm you down before bed.
About two hours before bed, turn off your phone to let your mind wind down. A warm shower can also help get you relaxed before bed, as can reading a book. Meditation can also calm the mind and spirit, preparing the body for better sleep.
Drink Plenty of Water
The human body is 60% water. The brain and heart are 73% water, and the lungs are 83% water. Our skin is 64% water, while our muscles and kidneys are 79% water. Even our bones are 31% water.
If you look at those percentages, you can see why proper hydration is so important. When you are dehydrated, nothing in your body works as well as it should. It causes the skin to dry out, your minds to become foggy, and it impairs your immune systems.
Proper hydration is a cornerstone of whole body wellness. Luckily, it’s easy to keep yourself hydrated. Using electronic reminders and alarms can be a great way to ensure that you drink enough water.
The average man should drink about 15.5 cups of water per day, while women should drink around 11.5 cups per day. That sounds daunting, but setting reminders throughout the day can really help. If water is boring for you, try adding fruit adding sliced fruit and herbs to improve the flavor.
An Attitude of Gratitude
Another important wellness goals is having an attitude of gratitude. Modern lifestyles are packed with bills, responsibilities, and stress. As a result, it can be easy to focus on the negative, but it’s important to remember that your mindset has an effect our life.
Having a gratitude practice, allows for a positive mindset and keeps mind and body in alignment.
Keep a gratitude journal and write down all the good things that happen to you. Keeping track of even the smallest events can have a huge impact.
Did you have an easier time with a project than you thought? Record that.
Did your child give you an unexpected hug? Record that.
Did you wake up tp see another day instead of dying in your sleep? Record it.
It sounds a bit silly in the beginning, but if you keep at it, you’ll quickly discover that you have more to be grateful for than you think.
Limit Processed Foods
Limiting processed foods should always be part of your wellness goals. You’ll notice that I didn’t say eliminate. Remember, we want these goals to be sustainable. It’s unrealistic to say you’ll never eat processed food again. However, limiting them can drastically improve whole body wellness.
Processed foods are calorie-dense and nutrient-lacking. This is a one-two punch of poor health. These foods can leave you feeling sluggish and heavy, with no real nutritional benefits. Foods like this, simply introduce chemicals and empty calories with no added benefits.
Limiting the number of processed foods, helps to improve health by reducing the number of unwanted calories and chemicals.
Wellness Goals for a Better Mind and Body Health You Can Stick To
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These wellness goals can help contribute to mind and body health, while allowing you to get the most out of life. When you feel better, your outlook for life gets better.
Give these wellness goals a try and see how much the help your whole body wellness. They’re easy to start, and once you notice how you feel, they’ll be even easier to stick to.
Original: December 29, 2020 Updated: January 2, 2023
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