January 3, 2019 – I rang in 2019 with a nasty infection that knocked me for a loop. As I sat around at home bemoaning my fate, it gave me plenty of time to think about the coming year. I’m hopeful that this year will be a positive one professionally, but I confess I hadn’t given much thought to how I would improve personally in the coming year.

I’m sure you’re like me. While we all have pretty good intentions about how to focus on improving our health and well-being, turning those intentions into practice is another thing altogether! This past year I made strides to better my health profile, but I’ve got a loooong way to go. Here is a brief snapshot of my intent for 2019:

• Hit the gym more. I took the plunge and rejoined a gym this past spring. I hired a personal trainer to make sure I had appointments to keep. Make no mistake, however: I’m not a fan of going to the gym. I am focused on making 2019 a year I make regular gym going (aside from personal training) a habit.
• Try yoga. Everyone keeps saying this is a good thing to give a try, and helpful for mobility as you age. (Aging!!) I’m going to see if I can carve out some time to give this a go.
• This has been on my list for the last few years. Friends of mine are touting the benefits of their efforts in the meditation department. I always fear I’ll not give myself the permission or time to really commit to this. I’m heartened by the reports I’ve seen from Dan Harris of Good Morning America. He’s written two books on the topic, the most recent being Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics. I’m banking on his experience to help me conquer the meditation mountain!
• Continue sauna use. I’ve done a good job with consistently using my infrared sauna nearly every day, and I can tell it’s made a difference.
• Eat better. I’ve made strides in this area, but it’s one that even a small amount of my attention will easily make a significant impact on my health. Eating more veggies, fruit, less red meat (this is the hardest!), and trying to eat more seafood, which has never been part of my genetic palette. I’m going to try, though!

I hope that 2019 is a year of better health and well-being for everyone.  Happy (healthy) New Year!