New Year's Goals to Improve Your Health in 2021

We can all agree that 2020 was a rough year.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread shutdowns, and stressors like the presidential election took a toll on our mental and emotional health. Like most people, you probably couldn’t wait to leave the year behind. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that prioritizing our health is more important than ever.

Luckily, there are plenty of simple steps that you can take to promote your overall health and well-being in the new year. Are you ready to make 2021 your healthiest year yet?

Read on to discover new year’s health and wellness tips and planning tools and FREE PRINTABLES to help you reach your goals.

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1. Set Attainable Health Goals

The road to success rarely starts with a big New Year's resolution. Many of us have tried setting ambitious resolutions in the past only to find ourselves unable to follow through on them. That’s why it is so important to break goals down into smaller steps.

Rather than setting one giant personal health goal, try setting smaller, more attainable goals that you can work towards gradually. And don’t forget to be patient with yourself! Setting health goals is all about forming healthy habits that will last you a lifetime, so there is no need to worry about setting a deadline.

2. Track Your Mood

Regularly tracking your moods can help to improve your overall mental health. When you tune in to your moods, you can start to better understand your own thoughts and feelings.

Try logging your moods for a month and think about what might be triggering your highs and lows. Over time, you will start to notice patterns. Understanding these patterns can help you make healthier choices and boost your mood throughout the year.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness can help you stay anchored to the present moment and relieve stress. All the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic often makes it hard to feel grounded, so practicing mindfulness will be especially important moving forward into the new year.

Luckily, practicing guided or mantra meditation is a super easy way to refocus your attention whenever you need to. Simply refocus your attention to the present whenever you notice a mantra reminder posted in your living space, or try focusing on your breathing throughout the day. It can do wonders for reducing your stress!

4. Drink Water Throughout The Day

Staying hydrated can greatly benefit your physical and mental health. It promotes healthy skin and kidney function, boosts energy levels and can even improve brain function. That will definitely help you out on busy workdays!

It is recommended that women drink about 11.5 cups of water a day–which sounds like a lot! To make reaching your goal easier, try using a log to track your daily water intake. Infusing your water with fresh fruit or herbs can also make drinking water a little more fun!

5. Schedule Out Appointments and Health Check-ins

Finally, be sure to plan out medical appointments and health check-ins throughout the year. The middle of a pandemic is no time to let your health slip your mind, so be sure to create a plan that fits your schedule and will help you remember important health dates. Use the health stickers above in your calendar to remember important dates, and remember to check in on all areas of your health regularly.