Another New Year is here, and many people are habitually setting health goals that seem more motivated by internal condemnation and guilt versus genuine passion.

Another New Year is here, and many people are habitually setting health goals that seem more motivated by internal condemnation and guilt versus genuine passion.

It’s absolutely essential to take care of our health, however, when it’s done from a negative sense of obligation it’s no wonder the statistics show a greater rate of failure for these types of resolutions.

Maybe it’s time to try things from another angle, and to switch your focus to something that can have a lasting impact on your both your health and life overall, and that moves you at your core.

Think about what makes you feel alive and inspired… Is it a hobby, a skill that you’d like to further develop, a sport, instrument, business…? What is it that you can’t wait to do and feel like you can do for hours on end? 

Studies show that engaging in things that make you lose track of time have natural physical benefits such as stress reduction. And when you’re reducing stress, you’re lowering the nasty effects that go with it, like less sugar, fats and cortisol floating around in your bloodstream.

Ironically, making it a goal to do more things that you enjoy often means you’re naturally supporting your physical health. Think about it… Hours sitting on the couch, stagnating your blood flow, numbing your brain activity and your potential, while on another diet, versus feeling the joy and exhilaration that goes with doing that thing that lights you up inside… The ladder choice means you’re engaged an inspiring activity of some kind, which means less eating and reduced stress, and therefore, less weight gain and health repercussions that go with it.

Which one should take precedence in a resolution?

You can set habitual goals, like a hamster in a wheel year after year, or nurture your potential and feel happier and reap the natural benefits to your well-being.

Take a few minutes to think about the goals that feel in line with your potential to thrive… Write down a list of 5-10 and circle the top 3. Which one compels you the most and gives you a charge? If there is more than one, it means you can try a few and narrow it down to a favourite as you go, or have more than one goal that genuinely moves you forward.

One thing to remember about goals is that you want to commit to ones that will not only give you a charge but will help to propel you forward in some way – rather than keep you complacent. You can’t grow staying in your comfort zone, nor does it sound like a scenario that will give you much of a take-off.

So, what is that thing that you lose yourself in and supports your potential to thrive…?  Don’t wait another year. Make it a regular part of your life now.