Tag: health

Sure, there are thousands upon thousands of things we could set as our New Year’s Resolution, but if the list were over 50, we would probably just bookmark the page and never read the list. Because we want to make a change in our lives–especially around the new year–we need bite-sizez bits of wisdom, and that’s what this list is for. So here’s that bite-sized list: 10 things you must try in the year 2019 that are wonderful for your health.

1. Make your bed in the morning.

A few years ago, Admiral William H. McRaven spoke at the University of Texas for the Commencement Address and gave an incredible speech about something so minor. The video is 6 minutes long, but in essence this was his point: Starting your day off with an accomplishment will change your outlook for the day. It doesn’t really matter whether you “make your bed”: it matters that you do something. This next year, you are going to fail–not just you, but all of us will. But what will you do when you fail? If that means getting back up and try harder, then 2019 is going to be a year of huge growth for you; and that’s a fact, not a tarot card reading.

2. Walk each day, as much as you can.

It may seem impossible to add one more time slot into your busy life… but this one is vital. The health benefits of walking 30 minutes a day are sundry: in addition to improving your cardiovascular health… You’ll be able, if done outside, to enjoy the beauty of the world around you. That’s not on this list, but let’s make it #11.

3. Try a colon cleanse.

I’m not going to talk much about this one; you’ve probably heard of the colon cleanse benefits by now, whether online or in the news. Doing a natural colon cleanse, however, whether that’s by rigid diet or natural supplements, has huge benefits for your digestive system and overall health. Plus, if you have other health-related resolutions this year, it will be a great addition to them.

4. Start looking at the nutrition facts.

Now more than ever, we need to begin looking at our nutrition labels, whether or not we’re “counting calories.” But if you’re a skeptic about the label, you’re not alone. More than half of Americans think food labels are sometimes misleading, which means there’s a 50% chance you think the same.

Whether you’re watching trans fats, sodium, or calories, it’s the right time to learn what your food labels mean. According to a study conducted by OnePoll, 33% consider transparency of labels a huge trust factor. So this year, learn the jargon: it’s the healthiest thing to do.

5. Keep your hands empty.

Now I like to fiddle with stuff: I like to hold something in my hand. But like many things in life, it can become a bad habit… especially when the thing in my hand is a phone. Have you ever picked up this habit where you have your phone in your hand at all times, even though you’re not using it or expecting a call? Wielding your phone like this makes it seriously difficult to engage with people: why should someone expect you’re listening if you could, at any moment, glance at your phone and check your texts? This year, think about the silent message you’re sending. Chances are… that notification can wait.

6. Say “hi” to passersby.

According to a survey by Moscow-based cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab, 75% of people pretend to be on the phone to avoid social interaction. This is a heartbreaking statistic. I don’t know if you’ve experienced this, but when you walk on the sidewalk past someone, they won’t look you in the eye. They’ll find some way to avoid it. Maybe they’ll glance at a tree, the sky, at the ground, or most likely down at their phone that they’re holding in their hand. But here’s the bleak reality… They want to be noticed. We want to be noticed, acknowledged as humans as we were meant to be. Sometimes, all it takes is an audible “hi” to make someone’s day.

7. Learn and remember people’s names.

If you make just one New Year’s Resolution for 2019, please make it this one. It’s one of the most life-changing things you’ll experience. I know I’m not the only one whose mind goes into complete blind mode when someone tells me his/her name: I forget her name literally as she’s telling it to me. Then, you have no choice but to call that person dude, or man, or girl, or friend, or bro, etc… But friend… You should see how much a calling someone by his name lights his face. It’s like the joy in a child’s heart when he first sees the Christmas tree lit on Christmas morning. You remembered his name. Now he knows you care. So whether it’s a server at a bar, a barista at a coffee shop, or that friend-of-a-friend you see every so often, learn to remember his/her name.

8. Create a schedule for talking with friends/family.

Just as we have a schedule for work or for kids, even so we also should have one for talking with those we love. As we grow up, physical distance isn’t the only think that can slowly dissolve relationships: it’s not hearing one another during the ebbs and flows of life. Some people–maybe you–are good at staying in touch with your friends and family; others are not, such as myself. I need to pencil them in. That may sound cold, but it’s reality. It’s better to make time to call that friend you haven’t heard from in a while than to risk losing that friend forever.

9. Learn how to listen completely.

Listening is a skill: it’s not something you’re born with. We can be staring at someone in the face while at the same time wondering why glue doesn’t get stuck to the inside of the bottle. Just as Julian Treasure says in the TED Talk video below,

We are losing our way of listening.

Is that true? When was the last time you sat down, had nothing in your hand or on your mind, and completely listened to someone until he/she was done talking? It’s hard. Much like remembering someone’s name or saying “hi” makes someone feel acknowledged, listening to her completely makes her feel heard.

10. Complete this list with someone you love.

In the end, it doesn’t matter that you read 101 more New Year’s Resolutions: it just matters that you do them. For most people, we need help accomplishing difficult things in life: we need accountability. For your New Year’s Resolution, I challenge you to partner up someone and stick to a least 1 thing on this list. So when you ask your partner, “Hey, how have I changed this year?”, he/she will tell you…. Let me make a list of all the ways.