How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up a month in? Did you even make any? If not, I completely understand. It’s difficult to make huge goals or create a bucket list in such a time of uncertainty where so many things are out of our control. Which is why I was intrigued and even pleased to see the trend of “micro-goals” popping up at the beginning of the year. Some of the most popular included: eating out less, taking vitamins, eating healthier lunches, drinking more water, maintaining weight (not losing), going outside more, meditation, meal prep and walking or biking instead of driving places.
First off, I personally think most of those could be considered big goals but relative to the individual, it’s good to accomplish what they may see as a small goal as you work towards what could be a larger goal. I started making my bed every day last summer, for example, and it has helped me to stay on track, or at least stay in the vicinity of the track. Also understand I am talking to myself as I try and maybe give you some motivation.
Secondly, I like that these goals focus on our physical, mental and emotional health, and particularly the things we can choose to do every day that could have a huge impact. Because vaccine or no vaccine, COVID has shown us that Americans need to start taking better care of ourselves.
Again, I am looking right in the mirror and checking myself because I understand how easy it is to stay on the couch watching sports or the new season of “Cobra Kai” on a beautiful day. Not realizing the benefit just 10 minutes of sunlight could give us the Vitamin D needed to keep our immune system kicking like Daniel LaRusso. The same goes for all those small, highly-achievable goals listed before, among others.
Our country had a health crisis pre-COVID. The pandemic only seemed to make things worse as we all got stuck inside with few places to go and with a mountain of anxiety and stress that left us feeling a total lack of motivation. Which led to an imbalance between healthy and unhealthy behaviors. And in the process of trying to correct that in myself, I feel like small, sustainable changes to our lives could have the biggest impact moving forward. In the month where love is in the air, why not choose to love ourselves enough to take care of ourselves so this NEVER. HAPPENS. AGAIN.
So let’s make a pact to get enough sleep, make our beds, take a shower before lunch, put on real clothes, take a walk or do something physical every day. Don’t go on a diet just eat better. Drink more water and less alcohol. And for crying out loud can we all start obsessing over our mental health the way we do our physical health. Instead of trying to understand how The Rock gets so jacked, let’s understand how he is able to accomplish all of his goals in seemingly less time than the rest of us. Whether it’s writing, reading, prayer, coloring, meditation or therapy, promise me you’ll take a good look at what you need to stay mentally healthy. For what it’s worth I try and practice all of those.
I’m not sure we as a country could handle another pandemic like this. The future is hard to predict, of course, but if we all do our part to improve our health I feel like when another virus manifests itself we could lessen the impact. It’s cliché to say that it takes all of us but that’s true and, yeah, there should be a “love thy neighbor” element to all this. But ultimately our physical, mental and emotional health is ours and therefore it is our responsibility. So, please, with total sincerity I say take care of yourself. You deserve it.
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-by Greg Almond
About the Author: Greg Almond is an on-air personality for Goober 95.1.
