Forget Resolutions: Get Healthier for Life

I love being healthy, or at least trying to be every day, and get really excited when people make resolutions about their health. In fact, according to Google search data and a recent Marist Poll, Be a Better Person, Lose Weight, and Get Healthy continue to be top resolutions, often surpassing Get Organized, Travel, and Read More in recent years. Having spent nearly 30 years in the health and wellness industry developing products to aid people on their wellness journeys, I naturally love the ongoing commitment to becoming healthier and better.

If you find it challenging to make resolutions stick, you're not alone. A recent report from U.S. News indicates that approximately 80% of us fail in our resolutions by now, with Fridays being the most likely days for quitting. This means only 20% of us push past the first 30 days of the new year. Those are daunting odds! However, you can avoid or escape this rut by avoiding extreme commitments. Extremes are challenging to maintain; instead, do something small for yourself every day and celebrate these minor victories. By setting small intentions and embracing life’s daily chaos, we can focus on achieving long-term health.

Small Intentions, Not Extreme Commitments

Rather than making extreme commitments and grand resolutions, consider setting small daily intentions. I am a proponent of integrating these small, daily habits into my life and steering clear of lofty resolutions. According to B.J. Fogg, a behavioral psychologist at Stanford University, small habits with rewards are the key to creating long-term behavior change.¹ For instance, if you have never run before, instead of aiming to run five days a week, commit to simply putting on your tennis shoes and walking to your front door once a week. Chances are, you’ll step outside and perhaps even take a stroll around the block. Eventually, you might find yourself walking or running a few blocks each week.

We feel accomplished because we start with a small, attainable goal, and this sense of accomplishment helps us expand that small goal into a larger one, making it stick. Celebrating the small choices we make daily is crucial. Break down your day and choices into smaller segments. I enjoy a few pieces of candy in the afternoon—who can resist the office candy jar? But I also cherish doing yoga or taking the stairs on the same day. So, don’t be hard on yourself over that single piece of candy. Balance that choice with taking the stairs to a meeting, eating a healthy dinner, or celebrating your morning yoga session. Instead of focusing on shortcomings as we go to bed, let's celebrate those small victories and be kind to ourselves.

Embrace the Chaos

Why embrace the chaos? Simply put, there's no way around it. Life throws a lot at us, and maintaining a flexible mindset while celebrating our small achievements helps keep us moving forward. It's beneficial to keep our larger goals in mind, recognize there are multiple paths to achieving these goals, and understand that the only timeline we’re on is our own. Each small step we take builds momentum, and this slight shift in mindset can bring a renewed perspective to goal setting.

Many resolutions focus on things we don’t necessarily want to do or have decided to deny ourselves, rather than on positive habits we can incorporate to achieve our goals. Maintaining a positive attitude is challenging when you're overly focused on what you're eliminating. At the start of each year, I envision embracing the chaos of the upcoming events, looking for daily improvements that realistically fit into my busy life. Plus, research indicates that resilience is built through handling difficult situations, viewing challenges from optimistic perspectives, which can lead us to view outcomes more positively and enhance our life satisfaction.² When it comes to happiness and satisfaction, positive emotions are crucial as they foster growth and change.²

How we handle the challenges, limitations, and overall craziness of modern life is important. By staying positive and embracing the chaos, and finding realistic ways to make lasting, healthy changes, we can improve our lives.

Get Healthier for Life

In the next few minutes, you could do something small and achievable for your health and celebrate your efforts, like drinking a glass of water or doing some stretches. Eventually, these small changes will form positive habits. They’ll create momentum and help you succeed in achieving your goals well beyond the first 30 days of the year.

We’re all on our own wellness journeys, filled with unexpected bumps and detours. Each day, we take steps forward and sometimes backward. It’s crucial to celebrate the journey we're on and recognize that we try our best to do what’s good for us. By taking small, intentional steps daily with positive thoughts and empathy for ourselves, we’re more likely to incorporate these small, healthy habits into our regular wellness routines. So, celebrate your journey and your continued efforts—and know that I’m right there with you, trying and celebrating too.

About Katie Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, BubbForest Health

Katherine C. Doyle, also known as Katie, has more than 28 years of experience leading and advising consumer, health, and wellness companies. She is passionate about helping people find wellness and vitality at any age and cutting through all the clutter and chaos. She enjoys travel adventures with her husband and three children, marathon and triathlon running, and yoga, plus giving back to her community through leadership and mentoring opportunities.

¹B.J. Fogg, PhD. “Forget Big Change, Start with Tiny Habit: B.J. Fogg Tedx Fremont.” December 5, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8

²Cohn, M. A., Fredrickson, B. L., Brown, S. L., Mikels, J. A., & Conway, A. M. (2009). Happiness Unpacked: Positive Emotions Increase Life Satisfaction by Building Resilience. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 9(3), 361–368. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0015952

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.